Learn to fly cast from certified instructors in Houston, Texas. Texas Fly Fishers members are taught by fellow members who are certified fly casting instructors, and that instruction is part of the value of belonging to the club.
Certified fly casting instructors in Houston and across Texas
Several Texas Fly Fishers members are certified casting instructors through Fly Fishers International (FFI), the international standard for fly casting instruction. To earn FFI certification, instructors pass written and casting performance exams and show that they can spot and correct the faults in a student’s cast. Our instructors include Certified Casting Instructors and a Master Casting Instructor.
Between them they fish Houston-area lakes, Texas Hill Country rivers, and the bays of the Texas Gulf Coast, so our classes cover the casts Texas anglers need, from accurate short casts on small streams to the double haul for distance in coastal wind.
Casting instruction is part of your membership
When you join Texas Fly Fishers, you can learn from our certified casting instructors through the club’s casting program. As a member you can:
- Take fly casting classes and clinics, from the essentials of a good cast to the double haul.
- Use club rods, reels, and lines during classes if you don’t have your own gear yet.
- Keep improving alongside experienced casters at monthly meetings and club outings.
Whether you’re picking up a fly rod for the first time or want more distance and accuracy for saltwater fishing, learning from certified instructors is one of the best reasons to join.
Our certified casting instructors
- Ron Mayfield · FFI Certified Casting Instructor
- Jim Richards · FFI Certified Casting Instructor
- Ron Ridgeway · FFI Certified Casting Instructor
- Phil Shook · Certified Fly Casting Instructor
- Jeff Ferguson · FFI Master Casting Instructor (MCI)
- Gary Davison · FFI Certified Casting Instructor (CCI)
- Andy Payne · FFI Certified Casting Instructor (CCI)
› Meet our casting instructors
Casting class descriptions
Class dates are posted on the events calendar. Here is what you can expect to learn in each class.
Beginning Fly Casting – Getting started with a fly rod
The beginning casting class is for anyone who is new to fly casting, or who has picked up a fly rod and wants a solid start. No experience is needed. Our certified casting instructors explain and demonstrate the basic fly cast, then work with each student as they practice.
In this class you will learn:
- How to hold the rod: grip, stance, and line hand.
- The basic overhead cast: the pick-up and lay-down.
- The roll cast, for when there’s no room behind you.
- Why timing matters: letting the line straighten before the next cast.
- How to control the line and present the fly gently.
- Simple drills to keep practicing on your own.
This class is the first step in the club’s casting program and lays the groundwork for the Intermediate Fly Casting class, Learning the Essentials. The club will provide 5 wt rods, reels, fly lines and leader for those who don’t have their own gear. Because safety is extremely important, everyone will be required to wear eye protection and a hat. We are in Texas, so sunscreen and insect repellent are always wise.
Intermediate Fly Casting – Learning the Essentials: where do tight loops come from?
The intermediate casting class, Learning the Essentials, is typically limited to 10 students.
The intermediate level casting class builds on the initial essentials taught in the Beginning Fly Casting class and expands to include all five essentials of fly casting. It’s a relatively technical class with an emphasis that is chosen because it lays the fundamental building blocks required to perfect most casting skills and to make you a better fly fisherman. This intermediate class must be completed before participation in other intermediate or advanced classes. In this series of classes you will learn:
- The five essentials of fly casting.
- The rod tip must travel in a straight line path.
- Vary the size of the casting arch according to the line beyond the rod tip.
- Pause between each cast; vary the stroke length and the timing.
- Power must be applied at the proper place at the proper time.
- Keep slack to a minimum.
- How to analyze your cast and make adjustments to correct common problems.
- Practice drills that will help you build your casting skills in a step-by-step manner.
This course is taught in two or three 2-hour sessions: one indoor classroom session and two or three outdoor sessions. The club will provide 5 wt rods, reels, fly lines and leader for those who don’t have their own gear. Because safety is extremely important, everyone will be required to wear eye protection and a hat. We are in Texas, so sunscreen and insect repellent are always wise.
Intermediate Casting – Double Haul Clinic: the beginning of an addiction for which there is no cure
One of the essential tools needed by most fly casters is the double haul. Its power in increasing line speed and distance makes it the cast that fly casters ultimately need to be able to perform to achieve greater control over their fly line. Once learned, many experienced casters find it difficult to stop hauling.
This short clinic is designed to give the intermediate casting student the ability to use hauling techniques in their everyday casting and to start casting greater distances than can be achieved with a single hand cast. You will learn to:
- Single haul, used to increase rod load and line speed in one direction.
- Double haul, which is a haul on the back cast and a haul on the forward cast.
- Shoot line properly in conjunction with the haul to get the desired results of a well directed tight loop, at a greater distance than could be achieved without the haul.
Because this technique requires casting skill and coordination, the student must first complete the Intermediate Casting Class, Learning the Essentials. Class size is limited to 6.
This is a single-session, 2-hour clinic conducted outdoors near water. The club will provide 5 wt rods, reels, fly lines and leader for those who don’t have their own gear. Because safety is extremely important, everyone will be required to wear eye protection and a hat. We are in Texas, so sunscreen and insect repellent are always wise.
Fly casting lessons: common questions
Where can I take fly casting lessons in Houston?
Texas Fly Fishers offers fly casting classes in the Houston area for club members, taught by Fly Fishers International (FFI) certified casting instructors. Class dates are posted on the club events calendar.
Are your fly casting instructors certified?
Yes. Our casting program is taught by club members who are certified casting instructors, most of them through Fly Fishers International, including a Master Casting Instructor (MCI).
Is casting instruction included with membership?
Casting instruction from our certified instructors is one of the main benefits of a Texas Fly Fishers membership. Join the club, then sign up for classes as dates are posted. Some classes may have a fee when the club pays for materials or a venue; any fee is listed with the class. Class sizes are limited, so sign up early.
I have never cast a fly rod. Can I still join?
Yes. Members of every level are welcome, from first-timers to experienced anglers. Our Beginning Fly Casting class is made for people who have never cast a fly rod, and our instructors start with the fundamentals.
Do I need my own fly rod for a casting class?
No. The club provides 5-weight rods, reels, fly lines, and leaders during classes for anyone without their own gear. Bring eye protection and a hat.
Do you teach the double haul and saltwater casting?
Yes. Our Double Haul Clinic teaches the single and double haul for more line speed and distance, which is essential for casting in wind on the Texas coast. Members can also take the Saltwater Fly Fishing Academy.
