Casting Classes

Getting Started - Your First Fly Casting Lesson

Casting classes for beginners are designed to teach a person who is brand new to fly fishing. It is assumed that the student hasn’t received any organized fly casting instruction and has had little exposure to fly fishing in general. Everyone learns at a different pace but most students acquire the necessary skills to start fishing with a fly rod after a couple of instruction sessions.

Intermediate Fly Casting Lessons – Learning the Essentials

The intermediate level casting classes expand your knowledge to include all five essentials of fly casting. This level provides the building blocks required to advance most casting skills and to make you a better fly fisherman. These classes are structured so that you are exposed to the essentials of fly casting including:
- the rod tip must travel in a straight line path,
- the size of the casting arc varies according to the amount of line beyond the rod tip,
- the pause between each cast must vary based on the amount of line beyond the rod tip,
- power must be applied at the proper place at the proper time, and
- slack must be kept to a minimum.

In addition we can cover:
- how to analyze your cast and make adjustments to correct common problems and
- practice drills that will help you build your casting skills in a step-by-step manner.

Customised Fly Casting Instruction

Instruction can be provided that focuses on your particular area of interest. Want to start or improve your double haul? Want to improve your presentation and accuracy? Want to cast nymphing rigs or bass bugs? Need to execute slack line casts? ... I can help.

What About Equipment Requirements?

If you don't own a rod yet don't rush out to buy one before taking the Getting Started class. Equipment can be provided for the lesson and it may be better to take a few classes before investing in gear. If you already have a rod, bring it.

A Word About Safety

Because your safety is an important part of the learning experience, students will be required to wear eye protection and a hat. With classes outside it is always prudent to use sunscreen, bring insect repellant, and have some cold drinks in the car.

Where to Fish in Houston

There are a number of places, free and fee based, to fish in and around Houston. I can help you pick a good spot.

Fees

Send me an e-mail outlining your instruction requirements and I will get back to you with a proposal.

Contact Details

Harry Crofton, CCI
hcrofton@goodloops.com

Harry Crofton

Harry Crofton, a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor, has put together a program of classes and casting clinics that provide something for everyone - from the novice to the guy trying to reach that redfish in the next cove. Casting instruction is based on the five essential elements of fly casting that make up all casts as identified by Bill Gammell and his late father Jay. Individual and group instruction can be provided.

Texas FlyFishers

As an active member and chairman of the freshwater outings I can recommend the Texas FlyFishers to anyone interested in fly fishing or learning about fly fishing in the Houston area.

The Texas FlyFishers of Houston was founded in 1976 by a group of avid fly fishermen. Their objectives then, as the clubs are now, were to share their knowledge of fly fishing with one another and others who wanted to learn, to help in conserving our natural resources, to enjoy the camaraderie of fly fishing, and to have a good time doing it.

The club offers a full range of activities. There is something for everyone, from beginner to expert, from the very young to those who remember when all fly rods were made of cane, and for all skill levels, from those who haven't yet held a fly rod to those who can cast more fly line than you can buy.

No fishing club would be complete without fishing, and the club provides a lot of opportunities. There are trips to fresh and salt water venues nearly monthly, led by club members familiar with the waters. Freshwater Outings are listed on the Freshwater Outings Page.

Updates

Casting Analyzer

I recently had an opportunity to try out the Fly Casting Analyzer that Bruce Richards and Noel Perkins developed and market. Their website states... "The Fly Casting Analyzer is specifically designed to be a tool for fly casting schools, instructors, and any avid student of fly casting. By no means does it replace the need for good fly casting instruction by qualified instructors. Instead, this tool adds completely new capabilities for fly casting instruction by providing a quantitative way to measure and then analyze the casting stroke." David Lemke, Texas Fly Fishing School in Houston, has an analyser and I got to try it out a few weeks ago.

I was using David's 6 wt Sage XP and we analysed a couple of moderate distance casts. The results were very intersting. I have copied one of the Analyzer output graphics here.

The Casting Analyzer then compares your results to an "experts". The analysis that I got from David for a 40' cast can be viewed Casting Analyzer Results.

I learned a couple of things from the Analyzer and would recommend it to anyone who has reached a plateau in their casting.