HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE: Read through all the bold face type in the document first. This will familiarize you with the topics and information herein. Then read the entire document. Most questions you have will be answered.
FFI Fly Casting Skills Development:
Its Audience, What It Is, and What It Is Not
The audience is all new and experienced fly fishers, whether in clubs or groups, at shows or individuals. Everyone has access to this, regardless of FFI membership.
The goal of the Fly Casting Education Program and its Casting Education section is to inspire and assist fly fishers to become more knowledgeable and accomplished fly casters. Better casting skills yield more fishing opportunities.
Fly Casting Skills Development allows casters to practice and learn casts in the Foundation, Bronze, Silver, and Gold proficiency levels in a progressive fashion at their own pace. Fly Casting Skills Development is meant to be a fun, self-paced way of improving casting skills from beginning to advanced distinct from the FFI instructor certification program. One may wish to receive documentation for achieving a skill level, but this is optional and described in the next section. FFI Certified Instructors may choose to use these as a basis for student lesson plans. Importantly, it is not a test and is not an instructor certification program. Achievement of any level does not imply or certify instructional skill.
Documentation and recognition for Bronze, Silver, and Gold must be done in order and requires verification by a facilitator (Single Hand Certified Instructors may skip to Gold if desired). At the Bronze level, the facilitator may be an observer (such as a Club member), a Silver or Gold level award recipient, or a FFI Certified Instructor. Silver and Gold levels require a facilitator who is a FFI Certified Instructor or a FFI member who has achieved Gold Level.
To receive recognition at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, the successful participant and facilitator(s) must complete the confirmation form and mail this in to FFI with the appropriate fee (FFI membership required). Signatures, printed names and dates of achievement are required. At the Bronze and Silver levels, participants may complete casts over any time interval needed for self-pacing, and different facilitators may be used until the level is successfully completed. The participant is responsible for sending in the completed confirmation form with fee to FFI (see mailing and emailing options below). At the Gold level, a participant must must achieve all casts at once with the facilitator. Participants that achieve more than one development level may choose to send in all confirmation forms and request and pay the fee for only the highest level achieved, if desired. The recognition package includes a recognition certificate and a pin corresponding to the level achieved.
Facilitating Fly Casting Skills Development
Facilitator is defined as, “someone who helps bring about an outcome by providing assistance, guidance or supervision.” Regarding Fly Casting Skills Development the facilitator is in turn a teacher, demonstrator, cheerleader, and evaluator. When acting as an evaluator in Bronze & Silver, the facilitator, provided there is enough time, may coach the participant to help them achieve immediate or later success with a particular cast. Extensive coaching, especially in a group setting may not be possible. A separate lesson should be utilized for that. With either a group or individual, the environment must be encouraging and helpful. Avoid criticism and help the participant succeed. This should be easy for a certified instructor, but do not allow your knowledge/expertise of casting, instructing or examining to translate into an intimidating test environment. You are there to help participants become better anglers through better casting and confirm that they were successful or provide guidance so they can at least practice correctly for a follow up session(s). Gold Level facilitators may briefly coach the participant before the scoring starts.
Facilitators must be prepared to easily demonstrate all the casts and know the desired outcomes for success.
At Bronze and Silver levels, the fly or line/leader needs to land in a certain place without any loop size or shape criteria. One is not concerned with loop size and shape at Bronze and Silver level except that as casts become more difficult, loop size and shape will need to improve in order to succeed. At the Gold level, there is a loop size and shape requirement.
Choose an appropriate venue and have the course or courses set up ahead of time.
An open space such as an athletic field works well. Adequate parking and restrooms are necessary. As a rough guideline, you will need a minimum of one course and one facilitator for every 2-5 people but see the Efficiencies for Larger Groups section for ways to gain efficiencies. Take casting space, wind direction, sun angle, and temperature into consideration. Wind into the casting arm side is unsafe. Avoid having casters looking into the sun or waiting in the cold or heat. Keep foot traffic out of the backcast area and keep the courses at least 20 feet apart. Eye protection is required. In a large group setting, such as a show environment, having a greeter that can answer questions about the program and that keeps track of a queue of participants is nearly mandatory. See course layouts below.
Note that doing FCSD for a group of 5 or less is very different than a larger group.
See the Efficiencies for Larger Groups section. Foundation and Bronze level grid score sheets are available for printing.
Have everything you need to be successful.
Ilustrations of course layouts are below. In general, you need a tape with 70 ft. capacity and ten markers or cones (such as soccer cones) for targets. Target zones are 2 ft. from the center of the cone, or 2-4 ft. either side of the tape in some cases. A measuring device such as a 4 ft. length of rope can be used, stretched straight for 4 ft. or folded in half for 2 ft. Have at least one copy of the FCSD quick reference guide for each facilitator, along with clipboard and pen, and at least one confirmation form for each participant at each level you are doing. At a show or with a large group, have extra rods rigged on a rod rack. If in a group, water and snacks are a nice touch, and keep an eye on your participants for fatigue or other issues. Asking people to tell you in private about any medical concerns is a good idea. Finally, keep an eye on the weather and take shelter for rain, snow, and especially thunder and lightning.
Understand your audience.
Ask: who are the beginners? They are best served by Foundation level. Those uncertain if they are ready for Bronze level could try a trial PULD cast at 35 ft. with the facilitator advising where to start based on results. Ask if anyone already has Bronze or Silver and wants to progress. Fortunately, courses are easily modified to meet each level. Due to unique skills at each level—Bronze, Silver, and Gold must be done in order (Single Hand Certified Instructors may skip to Gold if desired).
Explain and demonstrate the casts.
In general, it takes about 15 minutes to demonstrate all casts at a given level. Facilitators should be able to demonstrate each cast with ease. When describing the casts and levels avoid using terms such as test, exam, task, certify, and certification. Use terms like level, cast, achieve, achievement, award and confirmation.
Get started with attempts at confirmation!
This is not a test, but it is about developing skills. Make it as low key as possible and remind people that Bronze level is not beginner. Take a moment to review their tackle, so that they are set up for success (reference Angler Guide: Performance and Tackle Guidelines). It should take about 20-30 min. to observe a participant casting through a level. Instruct them that the first “run through” is a way to understand the casts and how to achieve them. Some casts they will be able to do, some they will need to work on over time. To avoid bogging down set a limit on practice casts to one cast (doesn’t count) and attempts to three casts. Once the attempts are over, constructive feedback may be given. Use the confirmation form to record all casts achieved. Encourage the participants to keep trying at their own pace to achieve all the casts at a given level and emphasize the relevance to fishing!
Don’t get bogged down.
In a group setting, avoid coaching during confirmations and keep in mind all participants are awaiting a turn. Avoid more than three attempts at a challenge by participants and do not provide individual casting lessons. Those who want to work on individual challenges should do so after the whole level has been done and then at a separate designated area so others can attempt the whole level.
Celebrate the achievements, thank participants, and do the paperwork!
When participants achieve a skill level, announce it to the group! If feasible, have a white board upon which the greeter can document achievements. Make sure you fill out the paperwork completely and that the participant understands how to get the recognition package if they wish. See Documentation and Recognition above.