05-17-2018, 01:14 PM
Personal, private lessons from an experienced instructor cannot be beat. Nothing is so educational as to have a teacher adjusting your grip, arm movement and rod manipulation in real time.
That said, private instruction is not cheap. A 1/2 day for 2 people with a guide from Park City is in the range of $350. That said, 4 hours of intense instruction with a guide will cut through a couple of years of learning about everything from casting, where to cast to, what the major insects the fish eat are and the way the insects available change as the calendar does.
For books, the Orvis fly fishing guide is the standard. The revised (2017) edition is available online for less than $20. It will cover the rods, line, leaders, how they work together, casting techniques and about every aspect of flyfishing.
Ponds? You bet. Our local urban fisheries are excellent places to practice casting. Find a spot with grass behind you so you don't get hung up in the trees and have at it. The ponds often have bluegill. Very cooperative hard fighting fish that are not picky about bugs and are great for learning.
If your son is a Scout, the Fly Fishing merit badge is a good place to start. It will teach the basics and give exposure to other boys and adult leaders who flyfish. If you can't find a merit badge counselor for that, PM me.
Last but not least, fly fishing is a whole nother way of fishing to learn it takes commitment. Put the spinning rods away unless you're going to a big lake or on a boat for now. Fly Fishing only, live it, breath it, do it. It works and opens a whole new realm of fishing.
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That said, private instruction is not cheap. A 1/2 day for 2 people with a guide from Park City is in the range of $350. That said, 4 hours of intense instruction with a guide will cut through a couple of years of learning about everything from casting, where to cast to, what the major insects the fish eat are and the way the insects available change as the calendar does.
For books, the Orvis fly fishing guide is the standard. The revised (2017) edition is available online for less than $20. It will cover the rods, line, leaders, how they work together, casting techniques and about every aspect of flyfishing.
Ponds? You bet. Our local urban fisheries are excellent places to practice casting. Find a spot with grass behind you so you don't get hung up in the trees and have at it. The ponds often have bluegill. Very cooperative hard fighting fish that are not picky about bugs and are great for learning.
If your son is a Scout, the Fly Fishing merit badge is a good place to start. It will teach the basics and give exposure to other boys and adult leaders who flyfish. If you can't find a merit badge counselor for that, PM me.
Last but not least, fly fishing is a whole nother way of fishing to learn it takes commitment. Put the spinning rods away unless you're going to a big lake or on a boat for now. Fly Fishing only, live it, breath it, do it. It works and opens a whole new realm of fishing.
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