Curious About Fly Fishing? Learn How With Free and Low-Cost Quality Classes.

No place I'd rather be than standing in a river hooked into a big fish. | photo by Ken Baldwin

You want to learn how to fly fish, or maybe you are just a little bit curious about what fly fishing is. You want to see if it's a fit but are unsure where to start. The internet is a good beginning, but a better beginning is a free class with hands-on instructions.

What I'm talking about here are old-school, in-person lessons, where you show up to a class and are taught by an instructor who answers questions and gives examples in real time.

The first choice and the one with the farthest reach is Orvis. Orvis is a brand synonymous with fly fishing; even if you aren't a fly angler, you've probably heard of it. They have been around the fly scene forever and play a big role in supporting the fly fishing community.

Fly fishing doesn't discriminate between men and women. | photo by Ken Baldwin

Orvis Free Classes

Orvis classes are located throughout the U.S.. To find the one closest to you, just go to their website and type in your zip code.

The Orvis 101 class is a great way to start from the beginning. It covers the basics of fly fishing, the gear, terminology, knots, how to set up, and an overall coverage of getting started. You don't need to bring your own equipment; Orvis will supply all the gear.

Fly fishing is a great activity for couples. | photo by Ken Baldwin

After you take the 101 class and decide that fly fishing might be for you, you can take the Orvis 201 class. This moves the class onto the water, where you apply what you've learned in the first class to the real thing. You go deeper into casting techniques and get an opportunity to catch fish. By the end of the 201 class, you will know if fly fishing is for you or not.

A Good Instructor Makes a Difference

Craig Kinzer is an example of the level of instruction you get in the Orvis class. He is a retired professor and now the fishing manager at the Richmond, VA Orvis store. He's been fly fishing for 50 years and came out of retirement to give back to the fly fishing community. Teaching people how to fly fish is his way of doing that.

At the end of the beginner series of classes, Craig and Orvis organize fly fishing outings to blue-ribbon rivers and streams, where students can continue receiving informal instruction and fish some amazing water.

Other Options In Fly Fishing Classes

With a quick search on the Internet, you can find other options for free or low-cost beginning fly fishing courses.

Other Fly Fishing Courses Around the U.S.

Community Fly Fishing in Denver

Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids, Michigan

TCO Fly Shop in Pennsylvania

LL Bean courses throughout the East Coast

Project Healing Waters, fly fishing lessons for Veterans

Headwaters Outfitters in North Carolina

Kern River Fly Shop in Kernville, California

Off the Hook Fly Fishing in Northern California

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Fly fishing can be a lifelong journey to the planet's most beautiful environments, completely submerging yourself in nature. | photo by Ken Baldwin

The Beginning of a Love Affair

Not everyone will take to fly fishing. But for those who get bitten, it can be a lifelong transformation into something that will give you more than you thought possible. This is said with no exaggeration. Ask anyone who considers themselves a fly angler, and you will see just how consumed they are with the sport. This won't happen to everyone that learns to fly fish, but to those that get bit, it can be transformative. KB

"The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover