OBSERVATIONS ON TEACHING FLYCASTING
MEL KRIEGER
These observations are not intended to be a comprehensive manual
on teaching, nor are they an analysis of casting a fly. They
are simply broad theories of teaching and learning that have
been pieced together from study, working with a wide variety
of other casting instructors and my own teaching experiences.
I sincerely hope that you will find something useful in these
notes beyond the "let the rod do the work" instruction
that many of us started with.
Mel Krieger
A sincere "thank
you" to the many educators and casting instructors who
contributed to this teaching manual, and especially to Dave
Engerbreston, Phil Krieger, Al Kyte, Judy Lehmberg, Frank Pepper,
Steve Rajeff, Jim Watkins, Danielle Yesavage and Jerry Yesavage.
Copyright
2000 by Mel Krieger
"It
is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative
expression an Knowledge"
Albert Einstein
Teaching
Instruction provides guidelines, focus and avenues of growth
for learners. Many instructors utilise a narrow corridor, teaching
an extremely concise style that is often comfortable for beginners.
Wider corridors usually emphasise more substance than style,
offering a broader base for growth, especially to intermediate
and advanced learners. Most sound instruction, in sports like
golf and flycasting, consist of analysis. Many instructors become
quite good at analysing the golf swing or the fly casting stroke,
a teaching skill that is primarily useful to the more advanced
student. There are a few gifted instructors who understand many
styles and can analyse the student as well as the casting stroke,
fitting one to the other without the loss of fluidity and athleticism,
actually helping the student to develop his or her own individual
style. Fewer still are the instructors who are also good communicators,
Able to reduce complex concepts to simple solutions, and who
are able to reach and connect with a wide variety of learners.
Finally, we come to the elite instruction: those rare, extraordinary
teachers, wondrous people who are able to inspire students to
want to learn, to grow, to understand that the climb is even
more exciting than the summit and who, themselves, continue
to learn and grow.
The quintessence of teaching is inspiration
"To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner.
Instruction begins when you, the teacher, learn from the learner,
put yourself in his place so that you may understand what he
understands and in the way he understands it."
Soren Kierkegaard
Learning
Both of us were intimidated. Ruth, a tiny sixty year old, was
taking my flyfishing course in Sun Valley, Idaho, and while
her concern was learning to cast a fly, mine was that I would
be spending two days attempting to teach one of the foremost
educators in America. We Survived and actually became friends,
but I didn't come away completely unscathed. During a lecture,
one of the students persisted in asking almost demanding - specific
answers to his questions.
" What is the exact length of a dry fly tippet? How many
casts do I make to a fish before changing my fly? Are green
waders more visible to fish than brown?"
After several interruptions and reasonably patient replies,
I lost it. "Pete," I said " you keep looking
for black and white but in fishing it doesn't exist. The beauty
of our sport is that it is more of an art from than a science.
We aren't dealing in absolutes." I rolled on, gathering
momentum. " There are no absolutes in fishing in fishing.
Damn it, there are no absolutes in life!" Silence filled
the room. Embarrassed, I finally spotted her amid the quieted
faces ad blurted " isn't that true Ruth?" Loud and
clear she replied "absolutely!"
As Omar Khayyam the poet concluded "evermore coming out
by the same door as in I went," I, too, attempted to find
absolutes in my latest passions, golf and speycasting. I've
read dozens of books and articles, submitted myself to interminable
video watching, attended clinics and even taken private lessons
----Looking for the secret, the holy grail. In golf, most of
the information comes from champions who obviously play well.
The damn fools, however, can't even agree on such basics as
grip, stance, ball position etc. etc. ad nauseum. Further, they
display a wide variety of styles and their explanations often
appear contradictory.
Our flyfishing world is no different. Who and what is the learner
to believe? I'm sure that all of these instructions and explanations
offer workable paths. If, however, most of these diverse paths
lead to the summit, it follows that the climb itself is most
essential to the learner. I'm confident that the great majority
of instructors first learn to cast a fly, and only after attempt
to analyse and communicate their acquired skills.
We ask a trick question in our instructor workshops. "
How many of you had to learn flycasting by yourself"? Invariably,
almost everybody raises their hand. The is a holy grail in flycasting.
The secret in learning to flycast is ---- to flycast! The real
secret in golf is-to smack golf balls! After hitting golf balls
at a local driving range, I commonly sit for a time watching
others. The good golfers, despite their varied styles, hit the
ball cleanly and consistently. The lesser players miss hit the
ball much of the time. So far in my golf search, I have found
only one reference to this simple truth. Harvey Penick, a hall
of fame golf teacher, explained to a beginner who requested
lessons "Go home and practice the golf swing until you
can consistently clip grass, and then come to me."
How would you learn or teach someone to balance on a two wheeled
bicycle? The answer, of course, is doing it. A similar concept
in flycasting would be the timing between back and forward casts:
an elementary concept, but a difficult execution for beginners.
Other than the most fundamental principles, these basic and
essential skills must come from the learner. The old wives'
tale, that overused cliché --- "Don't practice because
you may develop bad habits" is more of a deterrent than
an asset to learning, especially early learning. A better direction
would be Jean Paul Sartre's philosophy " To do is to be."
The quintessence of learning is doing.
Observations
on teaching Flycasting
INTRODUCTION
A. Explain
in detail the well planned curriculum of the course ( not forgetting
to indicate the location of the toilets!) A visual aid in the
form of a blackboard listing or a printed schedule for each
student is helpful.
B. Ask the class to indicate previous experience. For example
- How many of you are complete beginners? Previous flyfishing
instruction? Previous fishing experience? How many of you are
or have been tennis players? Golf? etc. Other useful questions
include " What do you hope to get out of this class?"
or "what are your goals?"
These types
of questions are useful because:
1. The student immediately becomes a participant.
2. hearing their expectations will help you to know something
of the student and to focus your instruction.
3. Knowledge of the past experience in fishing and in sports
will allow you to use helpful analogies, and to pinpoint much
of your teaching.
4. This relaxed communication will begin to remove much of the
student - instructor tension and intimidation that students
often fell in a learning situation. Many classes are composed
of both neophytes and experienced flyfishers. The following
are some possible introductory words:
a. To beginners: " This course is designed for for you.
We will explain every little detail beginning with something
like; This is the handle of the rod. Rest assured that there
are no tests, that everyone will pass this course."
b. To experienced flyfishers: " Although this class is
grounded in the basics that form the foundation of advanced
flycasting, we will address an extremely comprehensive flycasting
program. We will also work with you on an individual basis to
help you reach new plateaux and to solve specific casting problems."
Observations
on Teaching Flycasting
DEGREE OF
DIFFICULTY
Following the
introduction and before starting actual casting instruction,
give your beginning students some idea of the difficulty involved
in learning this new skill. Present a completely honest picture
of learning to flycast - how long it will take to be comfortable
in most fishing situations and what is involved in getting started.
It is important to correct any misinformation your students
may have. Many people outside our sport consider flycasting
an art form that requires the grace and practice of a ballet
dancer. The other extreme is even more damaging. It can be devastating
to a student to be told " Anyone can learn to cast in 30
minutes," and then to fail to do well after hours of practice.
Something like " I'm a complete klutz" or " I'll
never be able to learn this" goes through almost every
beginner's mind. Instil the notion that " Anything worth
doing is worth doing badly at first."
This is a good
time for analogies. Relate the degree of difficulty to golf,
tennis or other sports. For example, you might compare flycasting
to tennis in this fashion:
" learning to cast well enough to be comfortable and to
enjoy fishing will take about the same amount time as it took
you to keep the ball in play in tennis." Or " Although
flycasting is a discipline that requires practice, I don't think
think it is as difficult as most sports. A better comparison
might be the learning to ride a two wheeled bicycle."
Describe the
different learning curves, explaining the that every learner
has his or her own pace and style of learning. Some students
learn very quickly and then plateau, while others learn slowly
at first and then later make rapid leaps. Point out that one
learning curve is not better than another - only different.
The instructor
must believe that every student, regardless of his learning
curve, will succeed in making acceptable fishing casts and convince
the student of the fact - because it is true! There are few
people who can't ride a bicycle. I once taught an 85 year old
student with crippling arthritis who certainly couldn't have
handled a bicycle. He persisted and became a very competent
flyfisher.
And finally,
present a positive side of the degree of difficulty to the student.
The process of the learning is even more exciting that achievement,
and achievement always follows learning - a wondrous life experience.
Casting a fly and flyfishing entails a lifetime of reaching
new plateaux - of growing. While people reach their peak in
games like tennis an d golf at an early age and then decline,
our sport offers continuing growth. You will continue to learn
till the day you can no longer walk to the water.
The beginning
may be a bit difficult, but then the climb becomes wonderful.
A Zen saying goes, " When you reach the top of the mountain
- keep climbing!"
Observations
on Teaching Flycasting
SUBSTANCE
AND STYLE
As our sport
grows, the number of instructors and their teachings continue
to expand and become more and more diverse. The wide variety
of styles, descriptions and teaching methodology often appear
contradictory to the neophyte, creating confusing instead of
clarification, inhibiting learning rather than enhancing it.
A sideways glance at the game of golf offers evidence of that
point. Defining " substance" ( the part of flycasting
that is fundamental) and individual " styles" ( which
often vary widely between instructors) can be extremely important
to the learner. Making a distinct separation between substance
and style will clear up any previous and possibly contradictory
instruction they have received, and prepare them for the future
help that will undoubtedly come from guides, friends, shops,
books, videos, etc. A clear understanding will also guide students
to an acceptable amount of latitude in developing their own
style.
Despite the
fuzzy line between substance and style that exists among some
of our well known analysts and teachers, it will be helpful
to communicate some of the more important distinctions. A few
are listed below.
A. Substance ( Fundamentals)
- Timing between back and forward casts
- Loading the rod
- Straight line path of back and forward casts
- Basic loop shapes
- Mechanics of a flycast
The path of the rod tip during the casting stroke and the resulting
loop
Shapes ( i.e.. Good loops are created by a straight line path
of the rod tip.
Tailing or crossed loops are formed by a concave path, etc.)
Observations
on Teaching Flycasting
COMMUNICATION
A. Senses:
The corridors of communication
1. Visual - Seeing
2. Auditory - Hearing
3. Kinaesthetic - Feeling
B. Students
learn through all of these senses, which usually compliment
one another. What is the first seen is reinforced by hearing
as well as feeling. There can be, however, a huge variance in
emphasis. While one student may learn almost exclusively by
hearing or feeling. Feeling is the necessary sense for developing
muscle memory, an important ingredient for physical skills.
Start with these tenets of teaching, which utilise all of the
senses.
1 Demonstration - visual- by the instructor. Important to all
students and especially those who are strongly visual; these
closet "artists" who need to create a crisp clear
picture in their mind's eye to match and measure their own performance.
2 Explanation - auditory - by instructor. Critical to those
who we often label "engineers", people that have to
need to know why - to build a foundation for learning.
3 Execution - kinaesthetic - by student. Essential to all learners
and often the only way to teach those we call the "poets"
people who learn primarily by feeling and doing.
4 Analysis and Adjustment - auditory, visual and kinaesthetic
- by instructor and student.
C. Change. Although repetition is a useful practice in learning
to flycast, beware of repeating the same unsuccessful exercise
over and over again in the hopes that the results will change.
In other circles this is described as lunacy. It certainly is
a negative in learning as well as teaching.
1. Students
- if the results continue to be poor - change! Making the same
faulty cast over and over again is poor practice. The student
must do something - almost anything - differently.
2. Instructors - if the results are poor; if somehow you are
not getting through to your student - change! Try communicating
through different senses. Offer another message. Take a break.
Above all, do something different. Good instruction requires
more than a single teaching methodology.
D. Honour the
student's individuality. Rigidity in instruction is limiting.
All people learn differently.
1. Different learning curves require understanding and practice
from both instructor and student.
2. Match appropriate communication levels with the student's
personality. An insecure or apprehensive student must be gently
led to new discoveries, while an aggressive personality may
require challenging or strong commands.
3. Notice students who somehow avoid practice. They commonly
are either fiddling with their equipment or doing their damnedest
to engage you in conversation. These people are usually hesitant
to perform in front of you ( the instructor) and must be led
or commanded to practice.
4. Attempt to analyse a student's casts from a distance, perhaps
when you are with another student. Learners are often intimidated
when the instructor is at their side.
5. Do not make a hasty analysis after watching just one or two
casts, as developing casters are usually erratic. A much more
accurate judgement can be made after watching several casts.
Students may also enjoy a significant learning experience if
they are allowed enough time to correct a faulty cast by themselves.
6. Good form in casting is an important part of training. Make
sure, however, that your instruction does not inhibit the fluidity,
the athleticism, the balance and the comfort of a natural (i.e..,
Throwing) motion.
" The
true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence.
He inspires self -trust. He guides their eyes from himself to
the spirit
that Quickens him. He will have no disciple."
Amos Bronson
Alcott
INSTRUCTION
Instruction
in flycasting often comes in the form of "Do it the way
I do" kind of statements. Some instructors use the pulpit
of teaching to demonstrate their own expertise, and to put themselves
in the spotlight. Many of these instructors, without effective
teaching or communication skills and despite the best intentions,
actually impede learning. All too often, obtuse communication,
over instruction and inflexible rigid commands followed by statements
like Notice how I----, Let me show you--- are the usual instruction
modes. There are better approaches to this teacher- student
drama. The ten commandments below are a good place to start.
1 Humility-
To suppress an otherwise strong and healthy teaching ego.
a. Focus on
the needs of each student rather than instructor's teaching
or casting goals.
b. Encourage students to surpass their master.
c. Convince students that they alone are responsible for the
discoveries that brought them to new heights in flycasting -
that they are successful and creative learners over and above
instruction. This can be an important step toward the highest
level of teaching - instilling confidence an a love of learning.
2 Simplicity
- To reduce complex concepts to their lowest common denominator.
" The
man who can make a hard thing easy is the educator."
Ralph Waldo Emersom
a, Avoid lengthy
demonstrations and explanations. Present information in small
chunks.
b, Avoid over- instruction, allowing students " alone time"
- practice time without instruction- time to discover, to learn.
3. Flexibility
- note the diversity in the way people learn.
a. Adjust the emphasis on the different learning senses ( visual,
auditory and kinaesthetic) to fit each student.
b. Be patient with the slow learners and convince them that
their learning curve is perfectly normal(because it is!).
c. Challenge fast learners so that they can reach their full
potential.
4. Praise - A valuable teaching tool.
" There is no such whetstone, to sharpen a good wit
and encouragement a will to learning, as is praise."
Roger Ascham
a. Balance necessary critique with a sufficient and justified
praise.
b. Avoid using negative words like " terrible, poor, awful
etc."
c. Avoid the word "but" as it completely negates everything
that was said before.
"Your timing is perfect, but your loops are to wide"
may well be accurate, but is not the best of teaching. Use words
like"and" or "now" rather than but. Better
still, separate critique and praise. " Your timing is perfect,
keep up the good work." Later ( or earlier) " let's
improve those loop shapes."
5. Observation
- carefully watch and listen to your students so you can learn
more about them, beyond the analysis of their flycasts. Try
to empathise with learners - put yourself in their shoes.
a. Note any unrealistic or self critical perceptives, and build
their esteem, with more accurate assessments and reassurances.
b. Note their athleticism and ability to learn through the different
senses, in order to focus your teachings.
c. Note their personality and teach accordingly
d. Separate student casters if you notice any conflict. Commonly,
family members tend to be over critical of one another in a
learning situation. Separate them at the onset to avoid possible
problems.
6. Inspiration - The summit of teaching.
a. Communicate to all students their unlimited potential and
the joy of
learning.
b. Build their ego and confidence so they will be excited by
the climb and want to go on.
7. Humour -
Don't take your teachings and yourself too seriously.
a. A touch of humour in your teachings will allow the student
to loosen up and to develop a more relaxed student - instructor
relationship; a strong plus in all learning experiences.
b. Our quixotic fishing games are not that important in mankind's
continuing struggle. Too much or too little wrist in flycasting
may well be a problem, but it is important to keep it in perspective.
Don't take your teachings or yourself too seriously.
8 . Grow -
As a caster, as an angler,as a student, as an instructor and
as an
example.
9 and 10 -
These last two commandments are for you to add for your personal
direction, goals and strengths.
" If you're
very fortunate, you will understand that the complex and profound
path toward teaching mastery get two miles farther away for
every mile you travel."
" Do
not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things.
Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds: do not
overload them. Put there just a spark. If there is some good
flammable stuff, it will catch fire".
Anatole France
SIMPLICITY
"Have
you ever thought, not only about the aeroplane, but whatever
man builds, that all of man's industrial efforts, all his computation
and calculation, all the nights spent working over draughts
and blueprints, invariably culminate in the production of a
thing whose sole and guiding principle is the ultimate principle
of simplicity?"
"In
anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there
is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything
to take away, when a body has been stripped down to it nakedness."
Antoine de Saint- Exupery
Despite my
feeling that style and flair of Brownstone and Victorian buildings
have more appeal than the efficient geometric shapes off modern
constructions, there is the strong ring of truth in Saint- Exupery's
principles of simplicity. The perfect cast is a good example:
straight lines of a fly line and rod with no extraneous force
or movements or motions of the hand and body, all energy solely
directed through rod ad rolling line to the fly. These principles
of simplicity are also an integral part of both communication
and instruction.
Nelson Ishiyama,
a friend and the editor of my flycasting book, did more than
help me with words. Early in our work together, he asked me
if the purpose of the book was to teach people to cast. The
real truth was that I wanted to show my peers and the world
that, once and for all, the flycast would be completely and
perfectly analyses, that it would be carved in stone forever,
and the Mel Krieger would be recognised as the author of flycasting's
theory of relativity. Somehow I had trouble admitting this feeling,
so I agreed to adopt the more humble" will this help someone
learn to cast?" approach to everything we did in the book.
We spent a lot of time attempting to reduce complicated and
theoretical concepts in flycasting to more basic truths and
to simpler explanations. We eliminated photographs and illustrations
and many many words. A strange thing happened to me and, like
my transition from a killer to conservationist in catch-and-release
fishing, I began to enjoy this new direction, finally embracing
it not only for the book, but also in all my teachings.
Do not confuse
simple with elementary teaching, or for that matter easy instruction.
The reverse is usually true. Reducing a complex concept to its
simplest form is one of the most sophisticated communication
skills in teaching. For example, the problems of an intermediate
or even advanced flycaster could possibly be solved by the most
fundamental adjustment. It may be that a small change in hand
position or grip could modify a casting stroke that in turn
would solve a tailing loop problem. This kind of fine tuning
does not come easy. Simplicity invariably require more time,
effort and usually experience. A famous author once said at
the end of a letter to a friend " My apologies for this
long letter, if I had more time, it would be much shorter"
Have I solved
this relatively easily explained problem? Hell no!!! I still
get carried away with too much explanation, too many words,
too much critique, too many " let me show you" casts
and more. For all of us, however, understanding is the first
step in improving that complex relationship, that dichotomy
that exists between the simple " helping someone to cast
a fly" and the healthy ego that is necessary part of being
a good instructor.
" What the teacher is, is more important than what he
teaches"
Karl Menninger
Tight loops
Christopher
CONCLUSION
I believe the
essence, the real secret of learning flycasting lies almost
completely in the very able hands of the student, and the necessary
ingredients are persistence and patience; that the principal
role of the instructor is essentially directional and most of
all - encouragement and inspiration. I fell that the first requisite
in teaching flycasting is to communicate just that to the student.
Confronted with the usual photo cliché of a large fish
and grinning flyfisher , a recent convert to our sport wisely
observed " The fish takes far too much credit for his or
her catch. In fact, it is the fish that makes the decision to
take the fly!.
It is, dear
friends, the student who teaches him or her self to cast a fly!
The quintessence
of learning is doing
The quintessence of teaching is inspiration.
At some point the learner should understand that ultimately,
beyond the simple fundamentals of flycasting, they must stand
alone, and that the joy of self discovery is the real essence
of learning. That concept can only be communicated when people
develop genuine trust in one another. It may be well that the
only word that comes close to describing this ideal student-
teacher relationship is love This wonderful connection, this
exalted life experience of two or more becoming one is the summit
of our teaching mountain, our " raison d'etre."
The best
of luck.
Mel Krieger
