Well after struggling to try and get the hang of casting i decided to book myself a casting lesson im off down to cornwall for a holiday soon fishing on the "Little Dart" so i thought id best get some proper advice, its for next saturday on Lockwood Beck in north yorkshire it will be in a group of 5 and from 10am-3pm and your allowed to fish after the lesson too, not bad for £50 really. Anything i should prepare for? ive got most my kit sorted out so i should be fine, just alittle nervous i dont want too look a fool but i guess we all need to start somewhere

you wont look a fool ,why are others there buddy but to learn and it is money well spent ,go enjoy yourself have a great day and tell us about it when you get back, good luck.

bruce.

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

good on ya pal , i took spey casting lessons about 10 years ago best thing i ever did was money well spent.

I had my first lesson today,i've never fished before and it was money well spent from the out and i caught as well,what a bonus...it only took about 10 mins to get into the swing of things there were lots of other anglers around but i dont believe i looked a fool so i think you will be fine i had a great day and i'am sure you will to.

Webmonkeyuk,
go with an open mind, listen very carefully and be prepared for your hand, wrist and arm to ache with newbie tension.
Ask every question that pops into your head while you are there, you've paid for the answers and you won't look stupid because the others will be thinking the same.
After the lesson, enjoy turning what you heard into reality by practising as much as possible. I had my first lesson this season and I felt like an incompetent bafoon on the lesson, I couldn't reproduce the instructors's delicate smooth casts, but a few weeks later, I've reproduced some beauties.
Enjoy it, and please tell us how you get on.

well i went yesterday and have managed to improve abit truthfully im still not producing a decent cast every time but i can manage it more than before. im getting to grips with the roll cast which i could never do before and ive learned the figure of 8 retrive, the only thing is the coach only really showed us to cast with the right had traping the line at the cork and shooting by letting go so ive still got to teach myself to hold the line with my left hand and get the timing right with that and there were no hualing technics. i guess it was only a begginers session and there were 5 of us rather than 1-1. the only problem im coming up against is losing the fly now i dont know if its down to the knots (which im not too good at) or my casting, i was fine with the practice wool but as soon as we went fishing the trouble started. its all down to practice though

Here is an easy knot for you >>> http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/Davy-knot.htm or >>>http://www.animatedknots.com/improvedclinch/index.php
Both are good and nice and easy to tie .
It is possible that you can "crack" the fly off also , are you hearing a sound a bit like the crack of a whip ??

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Cheers Danny

Co-Founder of S.S.F.D 2010

thanx for the knot links, i was using a blood knot. as for cracking the whip i was doing it maybe once or twice if my timing broke down but it wasnt doing it all the time. the guy next to me on the session was doing it alot like i say though its all down to practice really isnt it ive got myself a fly fishing book to read through so hopefully i can get to grips with the hauling side later on as im gonna spend a good few months getting the casting timing sorted out first

Have a read at this thread and watch the vids.

How long practicing before you go trouting ?

I also had my first lesson today. Went to Fisherwick lakes in Lichfield and i have to say i enjoyed it no end. The instructer (Chris) was informative and patient even though i kept "cracking my wrist". The price is only £12 for a 40 minute lesson which before i knew it had turned into an hour and a half. I will be out practicing this week and booking another lesson for next week.