The cost of casting instruction.

[brownbass]

I want to improve my casting and have been considering finding an instructor in my area. What is a reasonable charge, do they charge by the hour or lesson? What should I expect? Does an MCI charge more than a CCI? I know there are instructors that read this board and thought they can give me some insight as to what to expect.

 

[dmwphoto]

I am interested in this as well

 

[rangerrich99]

As far as I know it can vary quite a bit. Last guy I paid it was $75/hr. The least I've paid is $30/hr.

Just in case you aren't aware, Orvis has free casting lessons every month, and so does Cabela's.

 

[brownbass]

As far as I know it can vary quite a bit. Last guy I paid it was $75/hr. The least I've paid is $30/hr.

Just in case you aren't aware, Orvis has free casting lessons every month, and so does Cabela's.

I don't live near an Orvis and Cabelas doesn't offer lessons that I know of. I don't know if I could swing $75 an hour but would consider something in the $30 an hour for a few lessons. I have found out our club may be having lessons soon. Maybe after the first of the year. They probably wouldn't be free but may be less than $30 an hour. I am going to check out a couple of names I found on a previous thread.


Bill

 

[fredaevans]

BB do a Google Search for fly fishing clubs in your area; most are most willing to help out a 'Newbie.' Better yet ... Join the Club!

fae

 

[brownbass]

BB do a Google Search for fly fishing clubs in your area; most are most willing to help out a 'Newbie.' Better yet ... Join the Club!

fae

fredevans, I do belong to a club or fellowship and I believe they are planning a casting class that would be something along the lines of a CCI instructors course I am not exactly a "newbie" I just want to improve my casting and have someone with a trained set of eyes help me correct any faults. I guess I am now just getting into the casting as much as the fishing.

Bill

 

[silver creek]

fredevans, I do belong to a club or fellowship and I believe they are planning a casting class that would be something along the lines of a CCI instructors course I am not exactly a "newbie" I just want to improve my casting and have someone with a trained set of eyes help me correct any faults. I guess I am now just getting into the casting as much as the fishing.

Bill

Take the course. Maybe you could partner with some of the instructors to help you.

 

[pnc]

Probably a Florida thing. Club does casting clinics twice a month plus lessons outside before meetings. All free to club members.
Recommend looking into everybclub you can find close enough to be worth joining. Many clubs vary in reasons for having club. And these reasons usually dictate club functions. The two major clubs in my area differ greatly. Though being involved in some similar or same functions. Healing Waters for example. People belonging to both clubs refer to one as a click-ish travel club. The other as described by club president an eating club with fishing disorder. Has the reputation of being the friendliest fly fishing club. With members that take pride in this. This shows in communal affairs year round.
Aside from clubs often offering free instruction on casting. Many fly shops do the same. Check on this also. Some do , others no.
If you've been fly casting for a time. You probably understand the principals involved. You may well be able to correct any faults by yourself ! A video of your casting you can watch and analyze would help. Breaking down cast into parts can help in this without video. Watch your line, especially backcast to see if or what should be different.
As for designation of instructors. MC, CC, or Joe blow. Any analytical viewing of your casting might help. Yourself on video or a friend off to the side. Many instructors excell at this. Though as with anything. There are levels of competence in teaching. If an instructor is your decision. Find a competant one with similar style of casting.

.......... pc

 

[trout trekker]

This is like asking a mechanic how much he charges per hour, when what you want is an estimate of what a specific repair will cost. A better thing to do is define what is about your casting that needs improvement and then asking each potential instructor how long do they think it will take to clear up your deficiencies. Regardless of being credentialed or not, if they can't spitball that question move on.

This puts the onus back on them to teach, not finding a new best friend who'll pay for a play date.


Dave

 

[sevenweight]

The cost of one-on-one professional casting instruction in a major metropolitan area is approximately $60 per one-hour lesson. I would submit that if you find the right instructor/coach, it's a bargain. I would expect that a good instructor will ask you what your goals are, what kind of fishing you do, etc. I would also expect that you'd leave the lesson/first lesson with a clear practice plan which may include drills to address particular issues in your cast or to develop the muscle memory needed to execute the kind of casts you want to be able to make.

 

[Hirdy]

Since I'm in Australia, my charge is not really relevant (it's AUD$50 per hour).

I'll turn the question around though and ask "What's the cost of not engaging an instructor?"

Being mostly self taught in the early stages, for me the cost of trying to do it alone was:

• A 6 month bout of tendenitis
• 3 years of frustration, an elongated learning curve.
• Countless metres of knotted tippets and leaders
• Many "blown out" sessions, where any wind from the "wrong direction" forced me off the water
• Who knows how many rods, lines, reels and other gear purchased, thinking I would cast better if I just had the best gear ...

If I could have had lessons, I would have. At the time, there were no instructors in the western half of Australia.

My point is that by improving your own casting (with or without an instructor) you will save yourself MUCH more than the financial cost of engaging an instructor. With an instructor, you'll improve much faster than otherwise.

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[brownbass]

Since I'm in Australia, my charge is not really relevant (it's AUD$50 per hour).

I'll turn the question around though and ask "What's the cost of not engaging an instructor?"

Being mostly self taught in the early stages, for me the cost of trying to do it alone was:

• A 6 month bout of tendenitis
• 3 years of frustration, an elongated learning curve.
• Countless metres of knotted tippets and leaders
• Many "blown out" sessions, where any wind from the "wrong direction" forced me off the water
• Who knows how many rods, lines, reels and other gear purchased, thinking I would cast better if I just had the best gear ...

If I could have had lessons, I would have. At the time, there were no instructors in the western half of Australia.

My point is that by improving your own casting (with or without an instructor) you will save yourself MUCH more than the financial cost of engaging an instructor. With an instructor, you'll improve much faster than otherwise.

Cheers,
Graeme

This is the best response to my question I have received. Thanks.

Bill

 

[fossumsj]

My club offers free instruction by CCI’s or other “experts”. It is not 1 on 1.
For 1 on 1 expect about 1$/minute as a fair price. Lessons are a waste unless you practice.
Take 1 lesson, practice 10 times then repeat. You will able to systematically work thru problems.
Most don’t practice and this limits what value a lesson can actually bring.
Scott

 

[bumble54]

I've had two casting lessons in my fishing life, many years ago now, Value for money?, yes, 1: if you get a good instructor and 2: let them know exactly why you feel you need instruction.
My first lesson was to get me back to basics (I was self taught so had some very bad habits).
The second was to refine my casting, this took a whole 30 minutes.
A good instructor takes seconds to see where you need help, it may take you a little longer to put it into practice.:wink:

Pssst, be sure you understand the terms used in casting or you may find the instructor speaks a completely different language to you and you will understand nothing he says.
Lift, draw, haul, tracking, loop, that sort of thing. :noidea:

 

[Hirdy]

A good instructor takes seconds to see where you need help, it may take you a little longer to put it into practice.:wink:

Pssst, be sure you understand the terms used in casting or you may find the instructor speaks a completely different language to you and you will understand nothing he says.
Lift, draw, haul, tracking, loop, that sort of thing. :noidea:

I think the best instructors are able to effectively explain those concepts without using the jargon. At the very least, they should notice when their message is slipping beyond their student.

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[brownbass]

Well, My club had the casting class and it went very well. As it turned out I didn't suck as much as I thought (none of us did). I did learn new cast such as the curve and reach that has helped my fishing. For those of you that can't find an instructor, Youtube has a wealth of knowledge available to you. That and a friend to watch your cast can help improve or correct your cast. Practice, Practise, Practise. I never did receive any responses from CCI instructors in the area I live in. I think it would help forum members if we had a thread that instructors interested in giving lessons could put up their locations.

Bill

 

[bumble54]

I think the best instructors are able to effectively explain those concepts without using the jargon. At the very least, they should notice when their message is slipping beyond their student.

Cheers,
Graeme

The best, yes, your quite right, but there are instructors out there who are not the best. As in all things there are different levels of expertise and finding the very best can be a bit of a lottery and I did say "may".

 

[fishing hobo]

The best, yes, your quite right, but there are instructors out there who are not the best. As in all things there are different levels of expertise and finding the very best can be a bit of a lottery and I did say "may".

They should not be teaching if they cannot explain simply. Imagine your doc using medical jargon...

 

[ikankecil]

I spent a fair bit of money early on with casting instruction. I'm neither proud nor embarassed about that. That being said, there are credentialed instructors who are good at teaching and those who are not and often times bubba who knows his way around the buggy-whip is just as good at teaching as the guy with the fancy credentials.

If you leave an instructor being unable to easily toss 100' of line, you overpaid. And you'd best be looking at someone far different for instruction when it comes to delicate presentation at 40'.

 

[fishing hobo]

I spent a fair bit of money early on with casting instruction. I'm neither proud nor embarassed about that. That being said, there are credentialed instructors who are good at teaching and those who are not and often times bubba who knows his way around the buggy-whip is just as good at teaching as the guy with the fancy credentials.

If you leave an instructor being unable to easily toss 100' of line, you overpaid. And you'd best be looking at someone far different for instruction when it comes to delicate presentation at 40'.

Quite right there are people who can teach w/o credentials. Saying if you left w/o being able to cast 100' easy is overpaying will give very wrong impressions on those who do not know what to expect when they go for lessons. On the other hand you can already cast 70-80 feet and you want to reach a 100' but don't know how and that was your purpose for the lesson then you have a point.