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Top Ways to Learn Fly Casting.With an instructor you have someone who can give you instant feedback and suggest ways to improve. If you go by a book or video and happen to be practicing incorrectly you may never understand why you are having difficulties. When I made the statement to one of my friends that “practice makes perfect” he corrected me by saying “only perfect practice makes perfect.” His point being, that if you happen to be practicing something incorrectly, you will always do it wrong. The only improvement will be that you will be quicker and more efficient at doing it all wrong. This page is here to give you suggestions on ways to learn fly casting that, when used with the available books and videos will drastically reduce your learning curve. Fly Fishing ClubsOne of the best places to get fly fishing information is by joining a fly fishing club. If you have a club in your area I highly suggest joining one. There is usually a monthly meeting where many fly anglers from your area gather together to share stories, tips, and suggestions on what is working for them.In most cases these clubs offer a fly casting clinic for those who are new to fly fishing. The class is usually a couple hours long and will cost you little to no fee. Even if you happen to miss the class, fly anglers generally love to help others out and you can probably find someone who will be willing to give you some valuable pointers. The club in my area also has a resource library where you can check out books or videos and return them at the next month’s meeting. Compared to a fly fishing book that can cost you $10 to $25, the club I joined costs me $25 per year. That’s a great value, with wealth of information that I can’t get from a book. Fly Fishing ClinicsThe first place I found out about a fly casting class was when I was talking to the clerk in the fly fishing department of Bass Pro Shops. He suggested I check out the fly casting clinic they have every early spring. I asked him how much it cost and was surprised to find out it was free.Many fly shops offer fly fishing clinics for little or no fee as a way of marketing their equipment. They offer a free class in the hopes that you will buy from them. It’s a win-win situation. There are also more advanced or one-on-one clinics available that you will get more personal attention but they come with a price. Other AnglersYou may have been talked into learning to fly fish from a buddy or family member. Learning to fly cast from a friend or family member can be a great way to learn or can cause you more problems than necessary.If you learn from someone who has bad casting habits you will inevitably pick up the same habits and never realize it. Some people are also not meant to teach for the fact that they may not feel comfortable critiquing a friend because they may be scared feelings will get hurt. It is important that you emphasize to them to be honest with you and not worry about letting you know if you are doing something wrong. It may also be a good idea to get multiple anglers suggestions. There are many ways to fly cast that produce the same results. Take a look at Joan Wulff and Lefty Kreh. Both are incredible fly casters but have different techniques. Wulff emphasizes that it is important to have your rod on a vertical plane while you cast, while Kreh suggests that you can cast as effectively no matter what plane the rod is on as long as it is consistent in both your forward and back cast. What one instructor suggests may or may not work for you. Take whatever suggestions available and find a technique that works for you. On Your OwnIf you can’t find anyone or any place that offers fly casting lessons there is a way that you can possibly learn fly casting on your own. This will only be effective if you know what to look for and can be honest with yourself.Get yourself some videos and books on fly casting so you will know the difference between good technique and bad ones. Then while you are practicing your cast set up a camcorder or have a friend video you and afterwards you can analyze yourself. This way of learning is probably going to be hardest and the least effective but if it is your only choice then it is better than nothing. Of the methods on this page, I highly suggest learning from a reputable instructor, like the ones you will find through a fly fishing club or clinic. This will insure that the only bad habits you will pick up will be your own. You will have someone who is not scared to point them out to you. What you do with these pointers is up to you. Return from the learn fly casting page to the previous page to get more imformation on fly casting. To get more imformation on fly fishing for bass and panfish return to the home page here. Sign up for our free ezine.To get updates to the site, fly fishing stories, tips and gear information feel free to sign up for our free monthly ezine – Fly Fishing Journal.
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