I've taken a one day fly fishing class at the local college and hired an instructor for a couple hours of one on one time. Both were very good but I still feel completely our of sorts when it comes to casting. My timing is completely off and the whole thing still feels so foreign. What should I do to make that light bulb go off? I know the common thought is an instructor but what other options will help?

BTW I'm looking to get into saltwater fly fishing in southwest Florida.

Hire a guide for  a day and go fishing.  Be upfront that you will need instruction.  Fly casting is not rocket science.  You should be able to become 90% sufficient in a couple hours and then take a while to "perfect" your cast.

This is accurate I have had people casting well enough to catch fish in 30min, Im not a master caster or guide by any means but have been fly fishing for about 15 years now. I still learn new casts and casting tips every year when I take my annual fly fishing trip with guides

I just tried it for the first time 3 weeks ago when we were on a cruise ship, and this guy's video seemed to make more since to me, than the guide I was with.  I am hoping to get some dry practice on land before tackling it on the water.

If you've already taken a class and had an instructor, all you need now is practice, lots and lots of practice.

I respectfully disagree. What he needs is proper practice. Fly casting requires good timing, form and patients.  Some people can self analyze and correct, most can't. As far as hiring a guide is concerned, there are very few I would work with on casting. It takes a good communicator and analyst to be of value. They do exist but you need to ask the right questions to find them. Also, learning to fly casting while you are fishing is not easy. They are two separate acts and beginners tend to get confused.

I recommend finding a good fly casting instructor and hook up with them. Focus on the fundamentals before complicating thing.

I am one of the best fly fishing guides on the west coast. I am also an excellent casting analyst. I can get anyone with a tiny bit of knowledge into fish. But that does not mean they are learning to cast properly.

Best of luck to you.

Less wrist, more hips!

OP, how far are you from your closest Orvis store? They offer some great classes and issue coupons afterwards for good deals.

The local fly fishing club may have CCIs who can work with you. Alternatively, go to http://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Contact/Locate/CastingInstructors/tabid/301/Default.aspx

A good CCI will give you exercises to practice on your own to develop your fundamentals. Get the basics down before trying to learn things like double-hauling, etc.

Having a knowledgeable friend watch you as you practice will help you avoid developing bad habits. It's easier to learn than to unlearn!

Even if you can cast fine, it never hurts to take a brush up course. Heck, Tiger Woods & Phil Mickelson have swing coaches.

I'm in Sarasota FL 34239. There is a store around the corner that has an orchid fly fishing school once a year. Unfortunately they had he school last month so the next one is always off. I don't think there is an actual Or is store anywhere near here unfortunately...

Thanks for the advice. I really don't want to throw more money at an instructor without knowing if it is going to help... At this point, if I had a knowledgeable friend I'd watch some YouTube videos and fish with the friend.

I don't want to "learn" any bad habits but also feel as though I can't go out an practice because I don't know if my form is correct.

The instructor I had a while back was a good guy and I think a very good instructor but the lightbulb just didn't go off. I also should have practiced casting on my own immediately after but didn't as I was a little lost. My girlfriend did the classes with me and feels the same.

Guys, thank you for all the advice. What about those training aides that you can get? They appear to be a shortened rod with line that simulates a fly rod.

Also I do have a local fly fishing club. They don't have any classes or events listed on their page but it's worth a call to check.

This. Fly fishing poorly is easy, but you may not catch anything. Trying to make long casts in the wind for spooky Bonefish or fishing a small stream with brush all around(for example) is very difficult. Depends a lot on what he is fishing for and under what conditions. Underestimating the skill level is setting him up for disappointment.

I am definitely not one of the types that can self analyze and correct. What do you think are the right questions to ask of a potential fly fishing teacher to ensure they are effective at teaching fly casting?

Probably holding the rod too tightly, when tight you loose the feel of the rod loading on the back cast.  This affects your timing of the forward cast.  You can't feel the backward pull.

A common mistake with beginners is that they let the rod on back cast go past about 11 o'clock. Doing this no load is generated and loss of feel.

Going too far back with arm and/or too much trunk rotation.

Practice casting with your upper arm parallel to the ground and inline with your shoulders.  With this position it is hard to go past 11.

Start the forward cast when you start to feel the backward pull on the rod.  Forward too soon the line/leader will get tangled.  

After mastering this learn the double pull cast.  :-)

I hope this helps.

Right now I'd like to be able to fly fish off the beaches for snook and on the flats for trout/reds. The beach would be done in open areas without people. The flats would either be wading or off  a a small boat. Having said that, I do want to learn how to do it the right way so I can continue to develop this skill as I progress and new opportunities present themselves.

Thank you for the tips. I will keep this in mind when practicing.

You will be making longer casts to be effective. This requires a double haul. Get with someone who knows fly fishing to help you develop the technique. Be patient. It may take a little while to get the hang of it.

I found a couple guys on this site in Sarasota that offer lessons as well.

Fly Fishing

Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it.

Just an update.... Thanks for all the input. I found a local club that gives casting lessons before their monthly meetings. So that's the plan. I'm going to go to their meeting, take a lesson, and see where it leads!

Sorry I didn't get back earlier. The questions you need to ask will come naturally. Talk about your expectations from a guide trip and you will pick up a lot. The answers will not be in what the guide says but how they say it to you. It is all about their communication style and how they adapt to you. There are few personality types that I can't teach but they do exist. Most guides are not in the business because they have great personalities. You want a guide who works well with you and can adjust to teaching you the way you learn. That is the toughest part of finding a guide to teach you fly casting/fishing. For example, when I talk with clients about winter fishing I am honest and tell them if they touch a fish they are pretty lucky. But what they will get from my trip is an education on the when, how and why of what the fish are doing. If things are really slow they will get a casting tune up regardless of their skill level. They will learn something during the day and more often than not they will hook a fish.

The old adage "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish he will eat for the rest of his life." works very well here. But, in your case teaching you to fish before you have casting technique can trap you in mediocrity. A lot of intermediate and some advanced anglers I guide have difficulty casting when the chips are down and they are focussed on fishing. Every bad cast they make sets them back as a caster, especially if it results in a fish. This knowledge is why I am so good at what I do. I analyze the anglers skills, give them the tools they need and have them focus on those tools and skills. Meanwhile, while they are focused on their casting skills, I place the boat where their skills come together with the fish. I have anglers focus on making good casts whether they are 15' or 50'. My job is to get their cast into the zone so they catch fish. The exception to this rule is when I get a complete newbie who I know will never flyfish again. Even then I teach them a water loaded cast and put the boat where their presentation can catch fish. They catch fish and go home happy, they don't need, or want to learn a new skill.

To truly advance as a fisherman, to really focus on the when, how and why, the casting part of the equation should be almost automatic. When casting is an after thought you can look at a piece of water you know will hold fish and hit it automatically. You can focus on what the water and the fish are telling you. The mends come automatically and your fly gets exactly where you want it. Your focus is on the fishing not the casting.

An example of the flip side of that coin is a world champion caster a good client brought on a trip. The first thing he said to me when I met him was "Steve, my goal today is to learn one thing from you." I thought "oh boy, here we go.." The first spot we stopped to fish was a great spot I knew well. I walk the caster into position and told him how to fish the spot, start close and work your way out to the sweet spot. He stripped 100' of line off his reel and sent the whole thing across the river. He looked at me with a big smile and said with a smirk "What do you think you can teach me?" I told him "you will never catch a fish casting like that. The fish you want to catch is 25' in front of you." The next cast he pulled back to 50' and cast strait across the river. I told him to bring it in to 20' and cast quartering down, spey fishing, because I wanted his fly fishing the second it hits the water. His response was "thats not how I fish!" I simply told him that he has made two casts and he has learned a number of things. First fish where the fish are not where you want to. Second if you can't adapt to the situation you will fail as an angler. Finally, if you hire a guide you listen to them otherwise you are wasting you money and his time. I spent the rest of the day helping the other angler...

Fly fishing is what you make it. It can be a challenging new skill to learn and perfect, or it can be something cool to do on occasion. Never forget to look at the beauty that surrounds you and relax. Enjoy the whole experience and let it recharge your sole.

Best of luck to you.

I sent you a PM about the club.