C
Canoetripper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,140
I took the basic two day introduction to fly fishing course with TCO at Boiling Springs.
I grew up in nearby Camp Hill, PA so I kind of know the lay of the land so to speak.
I just turned 63 in years on the planet and really want to get better at fly fishing than I am right now. I am running out of time. I have been fly fishing ever since I've been a young boy, and have mastered every bad habit and mistake possible since I have never been properly instructed on something as simple as fly casting, line control, and knot tying.
My first trout ever landed was at this Rod & Gun Club in the Poconos when I was a very young boy turning over rocks looking for critters.
My grandfather was very frustrated and impatient with me when I did this. He would say "Hold my rod while I clean my glasses." Next thing I know I am saying "Grand Pa, I got one!"
That is how this all started. I forget how old I was. Maybe 6-8. When I was 9-10, grand pa took me to a Dude Ranch in Wyoming that was owned by one of his college classmates. The fishing was very easy and a great place for a very young boy who had no clue what he was doing.
I caught a lot of trout growing up in Camp Hill on the Yellow Breeches, Clark's Creek, Mountain Creek, etc. Mostly with flies, but also on spinning tackle as well.
I would always go to the Poconos too and fish my grandfather's R&G club, which eventually was my father's after my grandfather passed. My father died in 2117, and now I am the member.
I know that this kind of a club isn't for everybody, but I love it.
I am deep in the woods with no public roads paralleling the stream, but am less than a mile from Blakeslee in case I need something. There are two fly shops close by.
NASCAR drivers always say that it is better to be lucky than good. I have been lucky more than good in Wyoming, Colorado, and Alaska, but never lucky, and certainly not good on the difficult and challenging waters in Pennsylvania like the rest of the board fishes.
I have been lucky on upper Delaware River canoe trips but that was back in the late 1980's/early 1990's.
I forget which movie Clint Eastwood once famously said; "A man has got to know his limitations."
I have many of them, but the one that I think that I can do something about and not be as limited is my fly fishing. We all want to be better. I have figured out how to be good through practice at the only fly fishing knots that I think I need which are the clinch knot, double surgeon's knot and limited slip knot.
I just completed a two day beginner fly fishing course with TCO at Boiling Springs, prior to that I spent a day with Precision Fly and Tackle in Lancaster. Both were great and very helpful.
TCO had more resources, instructors, and time, but Precision Fly and Tackle really helped as well.
The number 1 thing that they both said is that I am actually a very good back caster which is the hardest for them to teach. My #1 flaw is forcing the forecast. This was very apparent when I watched myself on video.
Slow down, accelerate to an abrupt stop, and let the fly line fall, and then let the rod tip lower to the water. I was aiming and forcing the forecast. I've been doing that for 50 years. Now that I learned what I am doing wrong, I know what I have to do to correct and improve.
Another big mistake that I had always made was not starting my back cast with my rod tip almost on the water. I just wasn't properly letting the water help me load the fly line.
I can't say enough good things about the professional instruction that I received from TCO in Boiling Springs this weekend.
My advise for any beginner or someone wanting to improve is to not wait as long as I did. Take a course with people who know what they are doing and improve what you love to do sooner rather than later.
I grew up in nearby Camp Hill, PA so I kind of know the lay of the land so to speak.
I just turned 63 in years on the planet and really want to get better at fly fishing than I am right now. I am running out of time. I have been fly fishing ever since I've been a young boy, and have mastered every bad habit and mistake possible since I have never been properly instructed on something as simple as fly casting, line control, and knot tying.
My first trout ever landed was at this Rod & Gun Club in the Poconos when I was a very young boy turning over rocks looking for critters.
My grandfather was very frustrated and impatient with me when I did this. He would say "Hold my rod while I clean my glasses." Next thing I know I am saying "Grand Pa, I got one!"
That is how this all started. I forget how old I was. Maybe 6-8. When I was 9-10, grand pa took me to a Dude Ranch in Wyoming that was owned by one of his college classmates. The fishing was very easy and a great place for a very young boy who had no clue what he was doing.
I caught a lot of trout growing up in Camp Hill on the Yellow Breeches, Clark's Creek, Mountain Creek, etc. Mostly with flies, but also on spinning tackle as well.
I would always go to the Poconos too and fish my grandfather's R&G club, which eventually was my father's after my grandfather passed. My father died in 2117, and now I am the member.
I know that this kind of a club isn't for everybody, but I love it.
I am deep in the woods with no public roads paralleling the stream, but am less than a mile from Blakeslee in case I need something. There are two fly shops close by.
NASCAR drivers always say that it is better to be lucky than good. I have been lucky more than good in Wyoming, Colorado, and Alaska, but never lucky, and certainly not good on the difficult and challenging waters in Pennsylvania like the rest of the board fishes.
I have been lucky on upper Delaware River canoe trips but that was back in the late 1980's/early 1990's.
I forget which movie Clint Eastwood once famously said; "A man has got to know his limitations."
I have many of them, but the one that I think that I can do something about and not be as limited is my fly fishing. We all want to be better. I have figured out how to be good through practice at the only fly fishing knots that I think I need which are the clinch knot, double surgeon's knot and limited slip knot.
I just completed a two day beginner fly fishing course with TCO at Boiling Springs, prior to that I spent a day with Precision Fly and Tackle in Lancaster. Both were great and very helpful.
TCO had more resources, instructors, and time, but Precision Fly and Tackle really helped as well.
The number 1 thing that they both said is that I am actually a very good back caster which is the hardest for them to teach. My #1 flaw is forcing the forecast. This was very apparent when I watched myself on video.
Slow down, accelerate to an abrupt stop, and let the fly line fall, and then let the rod tip lower to the water. I was aiming and forcing the forecast. I've been doing that for 50 years. Now that I learned what I am doing wrong, I know what I have to do to correct and improve.
Another big mistake that I had always made was not starting my back cast with my rod tip almost on the water. I just wasn't properly letting the water help me load the fly line.
I can't say enough good things about the professional instruction that I received from TCO in Boiling Springs this weekend.
My advise for any beginner or someone wanting to improve is to not wait as long as I did. Take a course with people who know what they are doing and improve what you love to do sooner rather than later.
