Paul, you've received some good advice from all. I taught my two
grandsons when they were 14 and 13 how to flyfish. They took to
casting right off, just by watching me. With kids that age, you have
to make sure they catch fish - they tend to lose interest. Catch a
fish and you've "got" 'em. I took the two of them to the Rapid River,
what I consider my home water, and within a day they were casting
fairly well and catching fish on dries.

Within the week, they were casting *very* well. I took them to
Labrador and Idaho where they continued to improve at their own pace.
The guides that we had along the way gave them valuable info on their
fishing. Remember it is more than casting. Mending was the hardest
thing for them to do, but they eventually got it. Tuck casts, aerial
casts, mending casts where tricks they picked up watching me and other
fishermen (and with help from professional guides). They also had
trouble with knots, but after much practice, they stopped relying on me.

Their casts are probably not classical and with many faults, but they
cast accurately and catch fish. Catching fish is very important.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot: When the pretty little females start to get
their attention and the hormones kick in, forget fly fishing. Girls
become more important. Sadly my two oldest grandsons, now 25 and 24,
haven't fished for several years. The oldest just married, and has
promised to go to the Rapid with us next June, so maybe.......

Dave (with fingers crossed...)