Fly Casting Education Program
Become a Certified Instructor

Looking to become a Fly Fishers International (FFI) Certified Casting Instructor (CI)? You are in the right place! On this page you will find the requirements, recommendations, resources for CI certification, information on preparation, finding a mentor, and registering for a CI exam. To begin your exam preparation, register for the FFI Casting Instructor Certification Program (CICP) email list to receive important communications regarding updates, exam prep and other CICP information. Click here to register. We especially recommend reviewing the CI Candidate Roadmap. This guides you through the entire process and provides links to valuable resources, finding a mentor, and arranging a practice test to see if you are ready for your exam.

Requirements for CI Certification

• You must be a member of FFI. Click here to join or renew.
• Attend a required CI Teaching Workshop via Zoom. We recommend that you take the workshop at least 6 months before your exam. Click here for a workshop schedule and to sign up.
• Plan ahead and register for an exam when you predict you will be ready or as your mentor advises. There are no refunds of exam fees after ninety days before an exam date. Click here to read the exam fee payment/refund policy.
• Pass both a Written Exam and a Casting Performance Exam that demonstrate your teaching and fly casting abilities.

Strongly Recommended

• Register for the FFI CICP email list to receive communications regarding updates, exam prep and other important CICP information. Click here to register.
• Mentoring - The most important piece of advice for a CI candidate is to work with a mentor. Mentors assist with preperation, tell their candidates what to expect during a test, and when their skills and knowledge are at the correct level for testing. To find a mentor, go to Find an Instructor, Mentor or Examiner or contact the Casting Coordinator.
• Practice Tests - Starting several months before testing, participate in at least one full practice test, and ideally more. Practice tests provide the opportunity for candidates to get detailed feedback and experience in exam situations. It may be helpful to have the practice test be given by someone other than your main mentor(s) in order to get a broader perspective on your progress.
• Some candidates find it helpful to work with a casting partner or "buddy" who is also preparing for the CI test, but this should not be viewed as a substitute for proper mentoring.
• Use of video recording of your casting, along with a motion analysis app, such as OnForm, can be an invaluable help.

Resources for CI Certification

• Click here to register as a CI candidate on the email communication list
• CI Candidate Roadmap
• CI Exam
• CI Study Guide (membership required)
• CI Preparation Video (membership required)
• Find an Instructor, Mentor or Examiner
• FFI Fly Casting Definitions
• FCEP Events Calendar - dates of exam events, preparation events, and how to register
• Financial Commitment
• Frequently Asked Questions

Additional exam opportunities may be arranged by emailing the FFI Casting Coordinator at casting@flyfishersinternational.org.

Expectations

All Single and Two Hand Casting Instructors are expected to maintain proficiency in teaching and casting skills consistent with this level of certification by instructing, casting practice, and continuing education. All new and existing certified Casting Instructors should adhere to our Professional Expectations and Code of Conduct. There are opportunities for All Single and Two Hand Casting Instructors to bring their individual talents and energy to the Fly Casting Education Program by volunteering for some of its many teams. Advancement to Master level is encouraged.

 

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CI Exam -- Frequently Asked Questions

Preparation

What is the most important thing I need to do to prepare?

• Use the exam and the CI Study Guide along with FFI video resources. Find a mentor who is current with the CI exam requirements.

Do I need a mentor?

• Mentors are not required, but experience tells us that candidates with mentors who have taken at least one practice exam are far more likely to understand and meet exam requirements.

How much time does preparing for the test usually take?

• It varies based on initial skill level, commitment, and time spent on preparation. Most candidates take 1-2 years to prepare.

How do I prepare for the teaching tasks?

• See the CI Study Guide for help with this. Ask to observe your mentor's teaching, if possible. Teach as many people as you can, especially basic skills like pick up and lay down cast and roll cast. Teach as much as you can, preferably along with a FFI certified instructor. Prepare scripts for your teaching tasks and review them with your mentor. This can easily be done remotely. Practice and polish your scripts.

What is covered in the written exam?

• The written exam covers casting mechanics, fly tackle, knots, and teaching. If you know all the material in the CI Study Guide you should have no trouble with the written exam.

How will I know when I am ready to take the exam?

• Successful completion of a practice test, with a validated examiner, is the clearest indication of readiness.

Test Day

How is the day structured?

• The performance and written exam are typically taken on the same day, but sometimes the written test will be given to a group of candidates the day before. Exams begin early in the day and proceed one by one until all the exams are completed. 

What happens in the performance exam?

• The lead examiner will find you and introduce the examining team which will consist of two examiners,and sometimes one or two examiners-in-training. You will be given a brief overview of, and allowed to ask questions about, the performance exam process. You will be given time to warm up before the exam begins.

Will there be spectators?

• Spectators are not allowed during the examination.

Fly Fishers International Exam Structure and Scoring

I attended a workshop by an FFI instructor at the annual FFI Fair. Does this count as the CI Teaching workshop?

• No, the CI Teaching Workshop is a requirement that should be completed well in advance of the performance and written exam.

What is the purpose of the CI Teaching Workshop?

• The purpose is to relay fundamental information about instructing fly casting, including fault correction. Workshop attendance meets certification requirements for two years from the date attended. It is free and you are welcome to attend the workshop as many times as you like.

If I fail the written test, can I still take the performance exam on that day?

• Yes, but if you pass you will need to retake the written test on another date within one year.

If I pass the written exam and fail the performance exam, do I need to retake the written exam?

• No, as long as you retake the performance test within one year. If you retake it more than one year later you need to retake the written test.

The exam says I cannot fail more than 2 tasks in the Casting Demonstration Section. What if I fail 2 tasks and have a “B” (Borderline) on another task? Or 1 “F” and 3 “B”s; or even 5 “B”s? Do I pass in any of these situations?

• No. All of these will be considered as 2.5 failures and the test requires 2 or fewer.

Do I need to take the full 5 minutes for each teaching task?

• No. Refer to the CI Performance Test where it addresses time considerations.

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Interested In A Different Certification?

For information on the available resources to become a THCI, MCI, or THMCI choose one of the following.