Teaching fly fishing and fly casting is a large part of Upstate Guide Service.
Lefty Kreh taught me how to cast on VHS tapes in the 90’s. Mastering the presentation of the fly is a skill I have tried to refine ever since.
Teaching fly casting is a satisfying and enjoyable part of professional guiding. On-the-water instruction has allowed me to help hundreds of beginners progress quickly in over two decades of guiding.
Fly fishing has changed in the thirty years since I began. Fly fishing can often be portrayed as a faddish hip fashion show. It will always remain just a challenging and fun way to catch fish.
Fly fishers are an ever growing sub-culture of people that 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 together 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 is the remarkable places that fly fishing brings us, and it’s many challenges, that make fly fishing fascinating.
Fly fishing provides escape. An avenue and a time for us to relax and rejuvenate. The more you fly fish, however, the more you will see its many complexities. It will demand your attention.
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 the mechanics of fly casting will soon become second nature. Moving the fly from the air around you, to the fish, will become easy and fluid. Almost magical.
The backbone of enjoyable and successful fly fishing is learning the fundamentals of fly casting and understanding the physical components of the fly rod and it’s mechanics.
You will struggle at first. For an indefinite amount of time. But you will come to a point where your muscle memory will become instinctive.
Besides the books and Lefty’s tapes, I taught myself how to fly fish. Teaching yourself to fly fish is a long and bumpy road.
Before spending a single dollar on equipment you should understand the type and style of equipment you require.
As you evolve into the world of fly fishing you will become intimate with ecosystems. You will learn to identify more birds and plants.
A deeper appreciation of nature is an inevitable byproduct of fly fishing.
While it is the fish are we are after — the growing understanding of the natural world — is what we find in their pursuit.
As a fly fisher you will evolve. Your skills will improve.
Standing in cool water surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, a favorite fly rod in hand, wild trout eating emerging insects…Finding the rythym and beauty of these places becomes a necessary part of a fly fishers life.
Throughout the northeast healthy trout habitat is easy to find. Plentiful fly fishing opportunities exist in the region.
Half-day and full-day fly fishing instruction for beginner and intermediate fly fishers is available in the Eastern Finger Lake, Central New York, Adirondack, Catskill, and Vermont regions.