Gallery Schools
The Gallery School is a fun and educational new format to “on-stream” schools. This school blends a combination fishing and observing without the large number of anglers of traditional on-stream schools. This format will allow individual anglers to receive more attention and to learn observation skills. Learning new techniques and observing other anglers are vital to understanding the subtleties of fly fishing. So come alone or bring your friends and spend some time with me on the water having fun and learning at the same time.
The schools will take place in Western Wisconsin. Anglers must have a valid Wisconsin License and Trout stamp
Gallery School sizes are limited to 3 participants plus the guide. This measure keeps the group small allowing for a quality experience for the participants.
The length of the class will be 4-5 hours from arrival time to finish and the cost is $70.00 per participant. I will provide rod, reel and flies for the class at no charge. Waders and boots are an additional $10 each for the outing. Height, weight, inseam length and shoe size need to be provided in advance, to facilitate me in providing you, a reasonably comfortable fit. Although I do have a good selection of rental waders and boots, manufacturers only make a limited number of size configurations for an infinite number of body types.
Here’s how The Gallery School works:
Participants, including the guide, will fish and observe on a rotational basis. This rotating format is the basis of the Gallery School and allows participants to experience, observe, comment and ask questions as we fish our way through the prime water holding lies identified by the guide.
The HOT SEAT is the term referring to the angler who is actively fishing in the rotation. The Gallery refers to those anglers who are observing. The Gallery is allowed to ask questions, make light-hearted comments, but most importantly, observe the other angler, while the guide selectively interjects with instructions.
The angler rotation changes in one of three(3) ways:
1. The angler in the Hot Seat hooks or “touches” a fish but does not land it.
2. The angler in the Hot Seat hooks and lands a fish.
3. The angler in the Hot Seat does not touch, hook, or catch a fish. At this point the Gallery becomes restless and the guide will make the determination whether to move to a new piece of water or continue the rotation.
* The guide(me) reserves the right to control the Gallery at any time for inappropriate behavior, intentions to insight a riot and lude and lascivious gestures (the lawyers made me put that in).
The Gallery School provides an opportunity for fly anglers to see that fishing can be fun in small groups as well as a valuable learning experience. The rotational format allows for all anglers to participate equally while also learning the valuable skill of observation. By participating in a Gallery School, anglers will learn techniques that include every aspect of fly fishing from selecting your fly and identifying prime holding water to how to hook and land a fish properly.
I have structured this class in a number of different ways over the years depending upon your needs or requirements. We can insert a short (1/2 to 1 hr) classroom/dry land portion, that includes the basic fundamentals. I find this can be very helpful.
I am no longer guiding or running classes on the weekends, instead providing my services on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, now through Oct 15. Weekends have gotten too busy with recreational traffic(canoers, kayakers, hikers, dog walkers(I love dogs) and other anglers), to provide folks the quiet, relaxed nature experience I would like them to have.
Grab a few friends and sign up for this unique and economical opportunity to fish with me in my Gallery Schools.
Individual Lessons and Classes
As always, casting and tying can be taught on an individual basis. Need a tune up before the big fishing trip? Want to learn how to tie flies but the class times don’t fit your schedule? Never hesitate to set up an individual lesson. One on one learning is often the best way to cut down the learning curve and enable you to improve your skills faster. Cost:$40.00/hr
