When people book a fly fishing lesson, they quite rightly expect the instructor to know how to cast, understand the equipment and be able to explain the techniques clearly.
But there is another side to becoming a good fly fishing instructor that is often overlooked.
The instructor is learning too.
Every student is different. Every casting problem is different. Every lesson presents a new challenge. And some experiences teach an instructor far more than any textbook, examination or training course ever could.
Over the years, I have spent a huge amount of time developing my own fly casting and teaching skills through courses, examinations, practice and working alongside other experienced instructors. Becoming a qualified instructor isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes commitment, patience, continual practice and a willingness to accept that there is always more to learn.
Teaching Two Wonderful Blind Fly Fishers
One of the experiences that has had a particularly profound effect on me was teaching fly casting to two wonderful people who were completely blind.
At first, I approached the lessons as I would any other lesson: understand the student’s objectives, assess their existing ability and build a structured approach to developing their casting.
Very quickly, however, I realised that I needed to adapt my normal teaching methods.
When someone cannot see the movement of the rod, the loop travelling through the air or the position of the fly line, an instructor has to think differently.
Visual demonstrations aren’t enough.
You have to become much more precise with your words, your explanations and your physical communication. You have to explain what the rod is doing, what the line is doing and, importantly, what the student should be feeling.
Rather than saying:
“Watch the rod tip.”
I had to find different ways of explaining the movement.
We concentrated on timing, feeling the rod load, understanding line tension, controlling the casting stroke and recognising what was happening through touch and feedback.
And this is where something incredibly important happened.
I became the student too.
What They Taught Me
Teaching these two fantastic people reminded me that good instruction isn’t about simply showing somebody how to cast.
It is about understanding how that particular person learns.
One person might learn best by watching a demonstration.
Another may need to physically feel the movement.
Someone else may need the technique broken down into very small stages.
And another person may understand something immediately when it is explained using a completely different analogy.
An instructor who only knows one way of teaching is going to struggle.
A good instructor needs to be adaptable.
Those lessons challenged me to think more carefully about how I communicate movement, timing, rod loading, line tension and casting mechanics.
They made me a better instructor.
And that is something I will always be grateful for.
The Learning Curve Never Ends
There is sometimes a misconception that once an instructor has passed a qualification, their learning is finished.
Quite the opposite.
Passing an examination should be viewed as the beginning of another stage of learning.
Behind every good casting instructor is a considerable amount of time spent practising, attending courses, receiving feedback, studying casting mechanics, learning how people learn and working with other instructors.
Qualifications such as FFI and SGAIC require dedication and preparation. But even after passing an examination, good instructors continue to develop.
I have personally invested considerable time in courses, training and practice to improve my own casting and teaching.
That includes working on my own technique, analysing faults, learning how to identify the cause of a casting problem and, perhaps most importantly, learning how to communicate the solution effectively.
Because knowing how to cast and knowing how to teach somebody to cast are two completely different skills.
Why Your Choice of Instructor Matters
If you are thinking about booking a fly fishing lesson, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
You are paying for someone’s time, knowledge and expertise.
Ask your prospective instructor about their qualifications.
Ask how long they have been teaching.
Ask what training they have undertaken.
Ask whether they continue to develop their skills.
And ask what happens during a typical lesson.
There are plenty of excellent fly fishing instructors who have invested years into becoming better at what they do. Unfortunately, there will always be people who are willing to charge premium prices without necessarily providing the level of instruction you deserve.
Price alone does not make someone a good instructor.
A beautiful location, expensive equipment or impressive marketing doesn’t necessarily mean you are receiving quality tuition.
Look for evidence of competence.
Look for recognised qualifications.
Look for experience.
Look for an instructor who is genuinely interested in helping you improve rather than simply getting you through a few hours on the water.
A Qualified Instructor Should Be Investing in You
Good instruction isn’t about making a student feel that they are doing everything wrong.
It is about identifying what is preventing them from progressing, explaining why it is happening and giving them the tools to correct it.
That requires patience.
It requires observation.
It requires communication.
And it requires the instructor to keep learning themselves.
For me, teaching those two blind fly fishers reinforced something I have believed throughout my guiding career:
You never stop learning how to teach.
Every student brings a different experience, a different body movement, a different learning style and a different challenge.
And if we are doing our job properly as instructors, we should finish every lesson knowing something that we didn’t know before we started.
Choosing Quality Fly Fishing Tuition in Scotland
If you are looking for fly fishing lessons in Inverness or the Scottish Highlands, take the time to find an instructor who takes their profession seriously.
At You Fish Scotland, I believe that quality instruction starts with knowledge, recognised qualifications, experience and continual professional development.
Whether you are completely new to fly fishing, looking to improve your basic overhead cast, developing your Spey casting or trying to understand why your casting isn’t working as you expect, the objective should always be the same:
To help you become a better and more confident angler.
The best instructors don’t simply teach you to cast.
They teach you why the cast works.
And perhaps most importantly, they never stop learning themselves.
Learn from a qualified instructor. Invest in proper tuition. And give yourself the best possible start to your fly fishing journey.
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