Fly fishing is a large part of Upstate Guide Service. I have been teaching fly fishing and fly casting on the lakes, streams, and rivers of Upstate New York since 2003.
Lefty Kreh taught me how to cast on VHS tapes in the 90’s. I have been consumed with mastering the presentation of the fly ever since.
The year 2024 marks 21 years of guiding and instructing fly fishing. Over the course of two decades I’ve been fortunate to teach hundreds of people how to fly fish.
My approach to teaching fly casting can help beginners progress quickly.
Fly fishing has changed in the thirty years since I began. While these days fly fishing is sometimes portrayed as a faddish hip fashion show, it remains just a challenging and fun way to catch fish.
Fly fishers are an ever growing sub-culture of people that passionately engage nature in its simplest form.
A loose army of conservationists, fly fishers are citizen scientists; People who organize and combat environmental degradation and stand strong in support of preserving coldwater habitats.
Fly fishers are folks who are not afraid of raising a flag on the important issues that threaten the health of natural environments and watersheds.
It may be the remarkable environments that fly fishing brings us or the challenges of the game that make fly fishing so fascinating.
The appealing nuances of fly fishing bring each of its participants closer to nature…The real prize of the game.
Fly fishing is a simple way to escape, relax, and rejuvenate. The more you fly fish however — the more you will see its many complexities. It will demand your attention.
The more you fly fish, the more you will improve.
On occasion, you will want to break the rod over your knees, throw it in the bushes, and start to think about golf.
For those who persevere, however, the mechanics of fly casting will soon become second nature.
The backbone of enjoyable and successful fly fishing is learning the fundamentals of fly casting, understanding the physical components of the fly rod and it’s mechanics.
You will struggle at first for an indefinite amount of time. If you stick with it you will come to a point where your muscle memory will become instinctive.
When that happens, moving the fly from the air around you to the fish will become easy and fluid.
When that magic happens you will have completed the beginners’ phase and a door will open to a lifetime of different fly fishing challenges.
Besides the books and tapes, I taught myself how to fly fish. Teaching yourself to fly fish is a long and bumpy road. Relying on a friend to teach you while your fishing is not a great idea either.
Purchasing equipment before instruction is not recommended. Before spending a single dollar you should understand the type and style of equipment you require for the fly fishing that interests you.
Throughout Upstate New York — and most of the northeastern United States — healthy trout habitat is easy to find. The creeks, streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes of the region provide enormous fly fishing opportunities.
Fly fishing provides a healthy and active avenue for people to engage nature in their local environments.
As you evolve into the world of fly fishing you will become intimate with ecosystems. You will learn to identify birds, plants, and gain a deeper appreciation of nature.
The fish are what we are after, but what we find in their pursuit, is what draws us back time and time again.
Fly fishing is a healthy and satisfying pursuit in any form. Maybe it is not for everyone. But for some it is everything.
I provide half-day and full-day on-the-water fly fishing instruction sessions for beginner and intermediate fly fishers in the Eastern Finger Lakes, Central Adirondack, and Northern Catskill regions.
Individuals and small groups are welcome. Feel free to call or email for more information.