I’m tossing around the idea of attending one of the 2-day fly fishing schools that Orvis offers in Manchester, VT. I have no doubt whatsoever that my casting abilities need improvement. Has anyone attended these two day classes they offer? Are they good? Worth the money? (They’re not cheap by my standards). Any input would be much appreciated.
I’ve not seen any fly fishing schools that were cheap. I have no direct experience with the Orvis schools but I will say this. I had a friend that attended the Orvis school a few years back. He had no prior fly fishing experience. (His brother worked for an Orvis dealer and they both got to attend the school at a huge discount.) He came fishing with me a couple of weeks after he “graduated”. I was amazed at how well he could cast. I’m sure some of it must have been natural talent, but I have never seen a beginner cast as well as he did.
I have never met anyone who would admit that they had ever attended one or for sure knew of anyone who did. Sorry. I am sure they are wonderful, they say they are.
I’d find an FFF Certified Instructor and pay for a day with them. Then, I’d get a guide at a good river near me.
I think you would come out cheaper and have a beter experience.
Ken
I fish, therefore, I am… I am confused!!
at $430 for 2 days it seems you can get a lot locally. plus if all you want is casting lesson, you’ll be wasting a lot of time on other presentation. it would seem more economical for you to seek out a local flyshop for instruction. most are staffed with very good flyfishers with some of them very good teachers. ask a local TU club for names of instructors also. use the extra money to plan a true fishing trip after you learn to cast better. plus, with the local, you have a close person to call on for info as you need it, like ask what’s hatching where, get a little bush-up on a casting problem that will crop up after a time, or advice on new gear.
Hey JC, I did. Twice.
I had grown up always interested in fishing, but despite numerous attempts at camp, on vacation, and at various other times, I never got anything. To be honest, I never had much of a chance to learn, growing up in Los Angeles. I couldn’t exactly learn from my father, he had grown up in Williamsburg, a neighborhood of Brooklyn.
About 9 years ago (I’m 42 now), I was going through a rather nasty divorce. One afternoon, I got stuck in an airport in Greeensboro due to weather (I travel alot on business). With nothing better to do, I picked up a copy of USA Today that was laying on the terminal floor.
Being a guy, I went immediately to Sports. On the front page of the section was an article on 10 best places to fly fish by a guy named Tom Rosenbauer - it listed places like the Bahamas, Yellowstone Park, Corpus Christie, Roscoe NY, the Katmai Penninsula etc. On page 2 of the section was a listing of highly rated fly fishing schools. Orvis was the only name I recognized at the time.
Realizing that nobody could tell me “no,” I decided then and there that I would go to the Orvis school in Manchester and learn to flyfish (everyday I thank G-d that it wasn’t an article on catfish grappling).
I went in July and had the time of my life. One of the smart things I did was hire one of the teachers to take me fishing that evening after class. It was a great way to put what I had learned into practice as the course doesn’t have a lot of fishing time.
I went to Manchester knowing nothing about flyfishing. I left about $500 lighter with a new Clearwater outfit, waders, boots, vest, flies etc.
It was a great class. Everything was covered from casting, knots, etiquette, entymology, reading streams, playing fish and everything else one could think of. It’s been 9 years and I still dream of fishing.
A few years later, I went back for the advanced class. That was a disappointment, only in the sense that I had improved -on my own and with the help of guides- beyond the level of the class. It didn’t help a whole lot with my casting either.
Anyway, I would heartily recommend the Intro class to anybody looking to learn to fly fish.
As for improving my casting, I’m thinking about attending the Wulff school at some point.
-Steven
I realize this has nothing to do with fly fishing, but I think the message is the same. In my younger years, I taught downhill and cross-country skiing at Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge in Oregon for 6 pls years. I always advocated, a one hour private lesson was far superior to a class lesson. I gave 100% to the student and focused on them in regards to their abilities and wants. I think the same would apply to a fly fishing instructor. IMOHO. I must admit, I am self taught, but after 40 years, you would think one would learn something. I have fished with Jim Teeny and lots of people way beyond my abilities, I learned while watching. Jonezee
One advantage to the Orvis school over an individual instructor is you will have about 10 instructors analyzing your style and making suggestions. One might be more appropriate for you than the others, and you’ll realize that quickly enough. If you have just one instructor, you’d only be learning one way.
Steven, come up to Grayling (Fish-In) this summer. free… 
at least you can help some of us cast,
Expensive, but the lunches are great!
Mark
I’d rather be in Wyoming!
I would highly recommend the class.
The lead instructor has put together a spey casting school for my lodge in Quebec and they (ORVIS) now do their spey schools at my lodge each June. The attentiveness that the instructors give the students is impressive and we hear very positive feedback from the people who attend our spey schools who also had attended the ORVIS schools in Vermont.
In the case of the schools at my lodge, the participants enjoy it so much that the “refresher” schools fill up immediately from past participants in the beginner schools.
Bill Greiner
I think a lot depends on how much experience you have and how much you expect from the class.
I went to the one in Virginia and am glad I did. I had read a good bit about casting and the equipment, but didn’t have but a few outings with the rod.
A good bit of the first day was just explaining equipment basics which I mostly already knew, I did get a few new tips, and it was great to be able to ask questions. I thought the casting instruction was good, but very limited. We had about 10 in the class, 1 real instructor, and 2 helpers (good fisherman, but not confident teachers).
I think it helped me get over the threshold from reading and feeling like I didn’t know enough, to feeling like I could go on stream on my own and have some success.
Would have liked it more if I had stayed a couple more days and had my honey along, and maybe lined up some individual instruction.
Nice stream they have, private section that they improve and manage. Resort is real nice, but definately expensive and up-turned noses. They don’t want anything less than khakis anywhere anytime, jacket and tie for all dinners. FF class was down to earth.
Keepeth they back cast out of the freakin’ flora.
[This message has been edited by DavidInMD (edited 26 April 2006).]
David, hope you can make it toany of our Fish-in’s, we could use your experience to help others learn. A lot of casting happns at them as guys try out each others fly rods. Many learn quite a bit about casting there.
Except for the rankest beginner, I shouldn’t be teaching anybody to cast!
The biggest compliment I ever got was a Rocky Mountain guide who said, “Yeah, you can fish some.”
Anyway, I’ll be in Montana during the Grayling fiesta - my once a year trip out West.
Thank you all so much for your input. With the help of all your responses, I’ve decided to attend the seminar (I’ll camp while I’m in Vermont to cut down expenses), and arrange for time with a guide when I get back home to help solidify all that I’ve learned. You’ve all been very helpful. Thanks again.
Spek
Spek, Would you be willing to write up a report of your time at the school and how you got along with the guide with your new skills? I’m sure others will want to hear so they can make a choice perhaps.
JC -
I could do that! I won’t be attending the seminar until the latter part of July (my vacation) but I could certainly do a write up on it.