Students' Page

Welcome!

This page will contain educational information for students to refer back to after taking a course.  This page also contains information related to past students of The Drag Free School of Fly Fishing (i.e. Desciptions of their experiences,  photograhs, and videos).  I encourage students to contribute these sorts of things to my weblog so that I can post them for everyone to see.  This page will also contain information concerning the volunteer efforts related to fishing that I have contributed to.

HERE IS A GREAT LNK FOR CASTING FAQ and TIPS

(COURTESY OF THE ATLANTA FLYFISHING SCHOOL WEBSITE)

http://atlantaflyfishingschool.com/casting%20tip%2010-00.htm

HERE IS A GREAT LNK FOR THE 5 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FLY CASTING  (pay attention!)

http://www.virtualflycasting.com/essentials.htm

STUDENTS

MIKE FOGEL

Mike Fogel is the Assistant Principal of Chino Valley Highschool in Chino Valley, Arizona.  Mike took my beginning fly tying course while I was working for Lynx Creek Unlimited.  Mike would often come into the store and I would show him various tying techniques as his skills progressed.  Mike has become one of my greatest friends and mentors and we fish together often.  Mike also joined the Prescott Fly Casters Club here in Prescott.  He has been an extremely enthusiastic student and is well on his way to becoming an avid fly caster and fly tier.  We accompanied each other to Tonto Creek on New Year’s Day one winter and we had a great time on the water.  Mike caught a beautiful male brown trout that stretched the tape at over 20″.  Here is a picture of Mike’s New Year’s day brute.

 ” I have been a delighted student of Jason’s for over two years.  He possesses the essentials of a great teacher and professional fly fisherman:  the highest level of technical knowledge and skill, terrific people skills, and fathomless patience.  Jason’s early childhood interest in fly fishing has emerged into a profession of which he has mastered both the science and art.  Very few can match his abilities to delicately drop a fly in the tightest of situations, understand the water’s culture to best “match the hatch”, or replicate any of the many fish food favorites on the fly tying vise.  With a smile and hand shake, he is always ready to share his knowledge with others in a manner like that of your most memorable teacher.  Whether you are the savviest of anglers or just a beginner, Jason will serve your need with care and precision.  I am grateful that he has found a home in Prescott, Arizona.”      -Mike Fogel

Pat Moomey

Jeff

Jeff recently moved to the Prescott area from California and he wasted no time getting in touch with me and taking my course.  He joined the Prescott Flycasters Club and came to one of our beginner outings at Granite Basin Lake.  He was quickly able to land his first fish (a bluegill) on the fly rod and is now on his way to becoming a great angler. 

Prescott Yavapai Indian Tribe Boy’s and Girl’s Club

For second year in a row The Prescott Flycasters Club hosted several kid’s fishing clinics with the Prescott Yavapai Tribe’s Boy’s and Girl’s Club and they were quite a success.  The kids were super enthusiastic to catch fish and it was a delight to help them out.  Teaching kid’s to fish is truly a highlight of my life.

TONY TURECK & BRUCE BARLEY

These two fine gentlemen recently took my Beginning Fly Fishing course and both of them were enthusiastic students.  The two of them will be travelling to Colorado later this summer and plan to put their new skills to good use.

 

RON WATSON

Ron just recently took some private lessons that covered a variety of topics such basic equipment, knot tying, “matching the hatch”, and basic casting techniques.  He seemed anxious to get out on the water with the gear he purchased a long time ago but has never gotten wet.  He will be moving up to Prescott some time next year and was very interested to hear about the fishing in this area.

 

Garrett Chartier

This fine young gentleman and I recently had a chance to get together and work on his casting techniques.  We accompanied each other to Oak Creek in Sedona where we both caught some of of its beautiful rainbow trout.  Garrett shows incredible enthusiasm and is WELL on his way to being a great  fly fisherman.  His ability CAN and WILL improve through practive on and off the water.  Teaching kids about flyfishing is a highlight of my life and it was a pleasure sharing my knowledge with Garrett.  AND BY THE WAY….Garrett is teaching his grandfather how to cast a flyrod.

Marty and Glenn Mecca

Marty and Glen recently finished the Beginning Flyfishing course that I offer.  Windy conditions prevented us from doing the casting portion of the course.  The first day we met we discussed the equipment typically used in flyfishing, practiced some knot tying skills, and spent some some time talking about the lifestages of aquatic insects and how to imitate them.  We continued the course at Goldwater Lake where we worked on various casting techniques, including the roll cast (Marty’s favorite),  overhead cast, and water cast.  We also touched on other techniques such as fishing streamers, playing and landing fish, and line hauling.  I am very anxious to hear about their upcoming trip to the Kern River in California.  Glenn had an interesting motto about learning a new skill……he said that “practice doesn’t make perfect, because you could be practicing wrong.  Perfect practice makes perfect”.  Now that makes sense to me.