Upcoming Schools and Classes for May and June 2024
This class is designed to take the mystery out of fly selection!
One of the biggest challenges that beginner and intermediate angler's face is trying to determine what fish are eating and how that relates to the flies that you should be using. You will learn a lot about bugs and their life cycles as well as other food organisms that fish eat. After getting pretty in-depth though, we will simplify things for you and make the process seem much easier and understandable than you ever imagined.
*No equipment or experience necessary. A basic handout that outlines the program will be provided and you may want to bring along a pen to take some notes.
Our Beginner's Fly Fishing Program is a great way to get introduced to the sport! This two-hour lecture session will take years off of your learning curve. We guarantee it.
Join us for an informative session on Getting Started in Fly Fishing which covers the basics on what you need to do to get the ball rolling, where to go, and what further steps to take to become a proficient fly fisher. We will take a look at the 6 basic things that you need to understand and also clear up some of the common myths and misconceptions that surround the sport.
Students are recommended to bring a 5-6 wt rod and an 8-9 wt rod although one or the other will work if that is all you have. Equipment can be provided if needed! This class is limited to 6 students and will be offered three times throughout the season, Spring, Summer and Fall.
* If you don't think that this class greatly improves your fly casting, we'll give your money back!!!
We offer a two-hour Basic Fly Casting Class designed to teach you these fundamentals and we guarantee you will learn to be a better fly caster.
*Please note, a rod, reel, line and leader set-up is required. It is typically best that you learn on your own equipment but if you don't yet have an outfit, we can easily provide one for you. Just kindly let us know in advance and we will have the gear waiting for you.
Spend a day learning the basics of fly fishing. Held at Briarwood Sporting Club....which happens to offer some of the best fishing in the region. This class will be "Women Only" and will be taught by guide and instructor Katie Johnstone.
These schools are a combination of classroom lecture and hands-on practice capped off with the opportunity to catch and land your first fish on a fly, or first of a particular species. This is a great way to “get your feet wet” in the sport of fly fishing without having to make a huge investment in gear.
Plan to arrive at the location (map and details provided) at 9:00 a.m. Topics covered will be basic equipment, knots and leaders, rigging, basic fishing technique, basic and intermediate fly casting, basic entomology and fly selection and of course the fishing! You should plan on the day lasting until around 5:00 p.m.
Prerequisites: None. This class is designed for anglers who have a basic understanding of the equipment and such, but is looking to learn more about fishing for something other than trout. All equipment/flies/gear can be provided but you are of course welcome to bring your own.
We offer a two-hour Basic Fly Casting Class designed to teach you these fundamentals and we guarantee you will learn to be a better fly caster.
*Please note, a rod, reel, line and leader set-up is required. It is typically best that you learn on your own equipment but if you don't yet have an outfit, we can easily provide one for you. Just kindly let us know in advance and we will have the gear waiting for you.
Mad River Outfitters is proud to sponsor the official Midwest Fly Fishing Schools. No equipment required on these so an easy way to get a thorough and comprehensive introduction to the sport. You'll probably catch your 1st fish on a fly as well!
These 2-day fly fishing schools will be held at Sunnybrook Trout Club near Sandusky, Ohio, or Briarwood Sporting Club near Bellefontaine, Ohio. Centrally located for students from Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton and Cincinnati!
Day 1
• Introduction to Fly Fishing• Rods, reels and lines seminar
• Basic Fly Casting Clinic
• Lunch
• Knots and Leaders Seminar
• Fly Casting Part 2 and Video Taping
• Basic Equipment Seminar
Day 2
• Basic Entomology and Fly Selection• Fly Casting Video Reviews
• Lunch
• Rigging and Approach seminar
• Fishing!
• Graduation
One of the biggest challenges that beginner and intermediate angler's face is trying to determine what fish are eating and how that relates to the flies that you should be using. You will learn a lot about bugs and their life cycles as well as other food organisms that fish eat. After getting pretty in-depth though, we will simplify things for you and make the process seem much easier and understandable than you ever imagined.
*No equipment or experience necessary. A basic handout that outlines the program will be provided and you may want to bring along a pen to take some notes.
Brian will cover proper leader design and selection for all types of fishing situations and then show you how to attach everything, easily. You will come away from this class with the skills needed to become a much better fly angler! This may be the most important class that you ever take regarding fly fishing, period.
*No equipment necessary and two handouts are provided. This is not a beginner's class. You will want to have a basic understanding of rigging, leaders, knots etc. before taking this class.
These schools are a combination of classroom lecture and hands-on practice capped off with the opportunity to catch and land your first fish on a fly. This is a great way to “get your feet wet” in the sport of fly fishing without having to make a huge investment in gear.
Plan to arrive at the location (map and details provided) at 9:00 a.m. Topics covered will be basic equipment, knots and leaders, rigging, basic fishing technique, basic fly casting, basic entomology and fly selection and of course the fishing! You should plan on the day lasting until around 5:00 p.m. See the Calendar page of this website for scheduled schools. Scheduled dates are also listed below for online registration.
Prerequisites: None. This class is designed for complete beginners or someone just getting into fly fishing who wants to jump start their learning process. All equipment/flies/gear can be provided.
