To become a fisherman is often confused with learning to cast. A great caster is not necessarily a great fisherman, but a great fisherman or woman is usually a good caster. These words of caution are offered as my opinion, as today many fly fishing schools teach just casting. Make sure when you investigate a fly fishing school that you ask for a syllabus or outline of what is to be taught. Make sure it fits your needs, and fulfills your expectations. If less than 50% of the time is not on the water, either a pond or a stream or better yet a pond first and then a stream, then you are attending a casting school and not a fly fishing school.

When you complete the school you should be able to go to a stream and function independently. Have you learned the knots you need to tie? Are you able to identify a caddis from a mayfly and do you know how to imitate them? Do you know how they behave on the water. Can you cast and mend a line and present the fly drag free. (If only for a few feet. You will improve in all the skills as you practice) A good fly fishing school introduces you to the set of skills you need to become a good fisherman.

Think of a rod and casting skills in the same light as a gun and hunting. You need a gun or a rod that performs well, and you need the skill to put the bullet or the fly in the right spot. Both sports take practice to acquire these skills. Having accomplished that, now you must learn to hunt.

The hunting or actual fishing skills are far more difficult to master. You need to know where fish are most likely to be found in the stream, how to react or strike a fish that takes your fly, and most importantly how to play and land a fish. If you will be fishing catch and release water you need to know how to release a fish doing as little harm as possible. You should learn to use forceps to remove the fly. These are things you can only learn on a stream while actually fishing, so make sure that you a pick a fly fishing school that incorporates both aspects or you may just as well stay home and target practice.