Washington Fly Fishers International Fly Casting Fair
The Washington State Council of FFI will hold a Fly-Casting Fair, Sunday April 19th. The event will offer Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced and Women’s Casting classes. There will be a no-charge Walk-In Casting Clinic. Fly casting Skills Development Courses will be available for anglers to work on targets, distance, roll casts and reach mends. All instruction will be taught by FFI Certified Instructors & Master Casting Instructors. Equipment suggestions are: 9ft. 5wt. rod. Leader & tippet should be a minimum of 7-1/2ft. with bright yarn attached as a fly. The WSCFFI strongly recommends that all visitors wear protective eyewear (sunglasses, etc.), hat and sunscreen. The following courses will be offered. Early registration is recommended to ensure your place in a class.
BEGINNING FLY CASTING CLASSES
MORNING CLASS 9:00 a.m. $40 – 10 Participants
Instructors: Steve Hiller, C.I. & Matthew Jockers, C.I.
You will learn: Pick-Up and Lay Down cast, Overhead / False Casting and Accuracy casting.
Equipment: 9ft 4wt or 5wt rod. WF floating line. 7.5ft tapered leader with yarn fly.
AFTERNOON CLASS 1:30 p.m. $40 – 8 participants
Instructor Ryan Smith, C.I.
This class will cover the fundamentals of fly casting. Students will learn the Pick-Up and
Lay Down cast and Overhead cast.
Equipment: 9 ft 4wt or 5wt rod. WF fly line. 7.5ft tapered leader with yarn fly.
BEYOND FOUNDATION SKILLS CLASS – Improving your skills for Fishing success
Instructors: Trisha Campbell, C.I. and Todd Parker
9:00 a.m. $40 – 7 participants
This class is for Beginner/Intermediate casters that have done some fly fishing but wish to improve on the basics: roll cast, casting in different planes, casting from dominate and non-dominate sides, better accuracy and distance. This class will help build on the skills need for the Bronze and Silver Levels of the FLY CASTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Program.
Equipment: 9 ft 5wt, 6wt or 7wt rod. WF fly line. 7.5ft tapered leader with yarn fly.
WOMEN’S CASTING CLASS
Instructors: Marion Hiller, C.I. and Ruth Sims, C.I.
9:00 a.m. $40 – 8 participants
This class is for women anglers who consider themselves as beginners and want to
develop foundational fly fishing and casting skills. The course will focus on learning and
refining the roll cast, pick-up & lay down cast, overhead and false casts for accuracy at
various distances.
Equipment: 4wt – 6wt rod. WF floating line & 7.5ft tapered leader with a yarn fly.
ADVANCED FLY CASTING CLASS
Instructor, Tom Camarrata, C.I.
9:00 a.m. $40 – 8 participants
This class will explore casts to use in windy conditions. Shooting line, single / double haul and sidearm casting will be explored to help you succeed in adverse weather conditions. Whether you are on a lake or on the sound, these casts will help you catch more fish.
Equipment: 5wt to 8wt rod. WF floating line & 7.5ft tapered leader with a yarn fly.
NOON FLY CASTING DEMONSTRATION by World Casting Champion Maxine McCormick
GOING THE DISTANCE “Reach those fish with longer casts!”
Instructor: Molly Semenik, C.I., M.C.I. Level III examiner, THMCI, Mentor
1:30 p.m. $60 – 7 participants
This class is for Intermediate and Advanced casters or anglers that have achieved Silver & Gold level of the Fly Casting Skills Development Program. This course will cover improved loop shape, increasing line speed and double hauling.
Please work on your distance cast and measure how far you can cast; 50’, 60’ or 70’+. Equipment: 4-6wt rod. Floating WF line with 7.5ft tapered leader and a yarn fly.
INTERMEDIATE CASTING CLASS
Instructor: Pat Peterman, C.I., M.C.I. Level 1 examiner
1:30 p.m. $40 – 8 participants
Participants will have their casting evaluated and be given instruction to get to the next step
in their journey as anglers.
Equipment: 9ft. 5wt rod. WF floating line. 7.5ft tapered leader with a yarn fly.
WALK-IN CLINIC – 9:00 a.m. to close. No Charge $7 donation appreciated
Don Simonson, C.I. MCI Level 2 Examiner
FLY CASTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COURSES – Open All Day
Fly Casting Skills Development (FCSD) is a fun way to improve casting skills for all fly fishers in a self-paced fashion. There are four levels from beginner to advanced: Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold. How accurate is your casting? How is your distance casting? These and all other casting skills can be evaluated and sharpened at the FCSD courses. Do it alone or with a group of friends.
Bronze Casting Skills Development
This level is designed to strengthen your foundational skills.
- Pick Up and Lay Down (PULD) at 35’
- PULD at 35’ Non-Dominant Side
- Horizontal PULD Cast at 35’
- Shooting Line to 40’
- Accuracy to 25’ and 35’ Targets
- Minimum 35’ Roll Cast, Dominant Side
- Distance to 50’+
Bronze Sessions: 10:45-11:45 am Course B (space for 6) 1:30-2:30 pm Course B (space for 6)
Silver Casting Skills Development
The Silver level is equivalent to that of an Intermediate caster. Silver is just hard enough that a coach or more advanced caster would be helpful when learning the skills.
- PULD and Shoot 45’
- PULD and Shoot 45’ Non-Dominant Side
- Belgian Cast and Shoot
- Minimum 35’ Roll Cast, Non-Dominant Side
- Accuracy to 20’, 30’ and 40’ Targets
- Right Reach Mend
- Left Reach Mend
- Distance to 60’+
Gold Casting Skills Development
This Gold level is the most challenging of the four levels. To be signed off at the Gold Level a FFI Certified Casting Instructor or a FCSD Gold Level person must conduct the run-through.
- Four false casts at 40’ with 4’ loops on the back and forward casts
- Seated/Kneeling Cast & Shoot to 40’
- Curve Cast
- Slack Line Presentation
- Roll Cast Pick Up and Shoot
- Back Cast Delivery
- Non-Dominant Side Accuracy to 20’,30’, and 40’ Targets
- Distance to 70’+
Silver or Gold Session: 2:45-3:45 Course C (space for 6)
No Charge, a $7 donation appreciated!
Pre-Registration Recommended. Walk-ins welcome all day.
Introduction to Fly Tying “The Wooley Bugger Challenge” – 9am to 4pm
Attend the “the Wooley Bugger Challenge” with a chance to win a “special” prize. A fly tying Vise for use and materials will be provided to all participants.
This class is free, walk-ins welcome, “first come, first serviced”. A $7 donation would be much appreciated!
Fly Tying Skills Development Center – 9am to 4pm
Need some fly tying skills help? This class’s instructions will work with you to one-on-one to help you improve you fly tying skills with a chance to win some fly tying material.
This class is free, walk-ins welcome, “first come, first serviced”. A $7 donation would be much appreciated!
An EDHO Trout X 5wt with Airflo 2 Line and a Winston Air 2 5wt with Airflo 2 line Raffles
Attendance for all classes is limited. Don’t miss out – Click on the “Class Sign-up” button to signup for a class.
Participants in casting classes or the other events are welcome to bring their own fly rods. Please attach yarn to your leader. No hooks please. If you don’t have a fly rod, you will be able to borrow one for the classes.
FFI would appreciate a $7 donation from members of the public for participating in the Walk-In Clinic and Skills Development Course and the Fly Tying Classes to help cover the costs of the Fly Casting Fair.
You can also make a $30 donation to the FFI Washington Council to help support our mission is to ensure the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters continues by focusing on conservation, education and a sense of community.
Class Signup Instructions:
- Click on the “Class Sign-up” button
- Click on the Fly Casting Class that you want to sign up for
- Fill out the Class Enrollment Information and Questions
- Fill out your credit card information to pay for the class
- Click order the order confirmation button which will send a class signup email to you
- within the emailed Class Conformation email, click on the download class ticket print out the ticket
- Bring the Fly Fishing Casting Class Ticket to the Pickering Barn for check in at the Fly Fishing Fair Registration Table.
Location
Issaquah Pickering Barn, 98027