Casting instructor certification?

Rob Allen

Rob Allen

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Been thinking about this for years. Wondering if anyone here has done it?
Was it worth it?

I certainly don't need anyone telling me how to cast or teach but it might look good on my resume and be a tiny bit of a personal accomplishment.

What do you guys think?
 
Rob Allen said:
Might use it to attract paying students..
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Then yes …. But I always appreciate tips on casting. I may use some and not others but I have discovered you’re always learning or at minimum exploring. Learning what you like and don’t like. For
me …mastering the single haul led to many more successful branches of casting. Once you can do a decent single haul then the double haul, reach, steeple, and others become more easy…..At least it was for me. Everyone learns different, everyone casts a bit different, but everyone can learn to cast and with their own style and panache 😉 Except for the bamboo guys. They were simply gifted from birth… just let them be !!!!
 
It's worth it, if you want it for yourself and/or want to teach with some organizations that only want certified instructors! I have studied for mine for a long while and will take the test this spring or summer. Do I need it? No. I'm doing it for myself and to honor Aaron Riemer who was one of my instructors. I will probably work towards my THCI as well. I can and do occasionally teach casting.. with a focus on fishing and will even teach a new person knots and how to basically read water, if they need it.

So DO IT! If you want too. Lots of great guys at the FFF, local and nationally. The Saturday's at the River in Fall City is still going on informally and would be a great way to hook up with an instructor. Download the materials, study and video yourself casting or have someone look at the video(s) who can truly analyze your cast.

I would be happy to help you get started, I live and work in Redmond, WA. A good 6wt or 7wt is all you need with the appropriate line.
 
Apart from the potential $$ required to achieve CI or MCI status, there’s really no downside to pursuing Casting Instructor skills. A close friend of mind, an MCI who was involved in the early days of the FFI Casting Instructor program and someone I fish with a few times every year has an interesting take on the merits of becoming a Casting Instructor. First regardless of the prospective instructor’s casting skill, they not only make mistakes in their casting, but they probably haven’t made or witnessed all the potential mistakes fly casters make. The CI’s job is to not only identify casting mistakes, but demonstrate them and teach solutions to those mistakes. Teaching newbies is easier because they haven’t had decades of muscle memory doing things the wrong way, regardless how subtle those mistakes might be. Teaching experienced casters is more challenging than one might think. Becoming a CI or MCI isn’t about improving your casting, but instead improving the casting of others. Inevitably, being able to recognize casting mistakes and the ability to teach corrections, will, if you identify and pay attention to your own mistakes, make you a better caster.
 
Mike Cline said:
Apart from the potential $$ required to achieve CI or MCI status, there’s really no downside to pursuing Casting Instructor skills. A close friend of mind, an MCI who was involved in the early days of the FFI Casting Instructor program and someone I fish with a few times every year has an interesting take on the merits of becoming a Casting Instructor. First regardless of the prospective instructor’s casting skill, they not only make mistakes in their casting, but they probably haven’t made or witnessed all the potential mistakes fly casters make. The CI’s job is to not only identify casting mistakes, but demonstrate them and teach solutions to those mistakes. Teaching newbies is easier because they haven’t had decades of muscle memory doing things the wrong way, regardless how subtle those mistakes might be. Teaching experienced casters is more challenging than one might think. Becoming a CI or MCI isn’t about improving your casting, but instead improving the casting of others. Inevitably, being able to recognize casting mistakes and the ability to teach corrections, will, if you identify and pay attention to your own mistakes, make you a better caster.
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In that regard I'd probably be a horrible student unless the one teaching me has the last name Rejeff or something similar.
I am not very open to changing much about my own casting. :)
 
Rob,

I've also thought about pursuing FFF CI certification. A friend of mine did it, and he says it's a lot of hard work even if you're already a good caster. I'd like to be able to see and identify subtle casting errors (to correct my own and well and for others) because that has been hard for me. I still punch casts at times even though I know it buggers them up.
 
Rob Allen said:
In that regard I'd probably be a horrible student unless the one teaching me has the last name Rejeff or something similar.
I am not very open to changing much about my own casting. :)
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If you're not open to learning and/or adjusting your own casting, you probably won't have a good experience getting certified. The best casters in the world are constantly analyzing their cast and making adjustments. Nobody has a perfect cast, so we can all improve.

I was a decent caster before testing for my CI. I failed my first test (the vast majority of people who take the test fail their first try). My second test, I did really well on. Since that time, I have enjoyed casting even more than I ever have previously - primarily because it opened a door to continued learning and improvement. It aided me in developing a deeper passion for casting. My experience fishing has improved drastically as well, since I've developed a solid set of skills where I know that if I can't make the cast needed in a fishing situation, that cast likely isn't possible. Having said that, it's even more rewarding to work with students to improve their casting to the point where they are able to truly enjoy fly fishing.

If you're in it just to have a badge of honor to flash for potential clients, it's not a program that is right for you. If you're in it to continue a path of learning and improving with your students, it is very rewarding.
 
The best two fly casters that have personally helped me with my casting were a friend of mine who worked with the Wulff schools, and Joan Wulff herself. Neither one of them had any FFI accreditation at the time. There best ski instructor I knew wasn't PSIA certified. The guy I turn to when my golf swing goes to shit isn't a PGA guy either. If you have a conviction of of your abilities, go at it alone. The internet is a great place to showcase your talents and build some fly casting street cred. If you're serious about helping people with their casting, develop your own methods of instruction.
 
Rob, you're still in Pueblo right..? Not familiar with how these Casting Instructor Certificates are setup for you to qualify. Do you just need to take an exam or must you take a course with an exam once completed..? Are you able to take this course online then take the exam in person or would it have to be all taken personally in a classroom setting..? Are there any accredited schools nearby that could qualify you for getting your Casting Instructor Certificate..? I'm sure being not that far from Denver there should be something that's not very far from you. Depending how long the course is and how far away it is from you, you'd have to factor in the costs of accommodations and expenses..

If you're looking into expanding a side business into Fly Fishing, I'm sure having a Casting Instructor Certificate would help with getting started, look good on your resume plus offer another branch to your future business..
 

Become a Certified Casting Instructor

Fly Fishers International administers a Casting Instructor Certification Program. This page provides information about how to become an FFI Certified Casting Instructor.
www.flyfishersinternational.org
 
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