On Oct 12, 7:03*pm, Giles wrote:




The best advice you've gotten so far is to teach where catching fish
is as certain as is possible. *After all, the point of the whole
exercise is to look cool......while catching fish, right?

The kid wants to be a guide ( according to original post ) and I'd,
therefore, assume he's well past the "getting him hooked" stage. One
thing guides do is teach and therefore the chance to be taught well is
a chance to learn more than the casting, it is a chance to get a
glimpse into how to teach this particular topic.


As for propagating bad habits, everyone does that to one degree or
another. *And fly casting ain't rocket science.
There's many a weekend duffer who will outshine many a "pro."


I think that this is like any other education we try to provide for
our children ( and other loved ones ). The higher the quality of
that education, the better. The father/ son team spending time
together in the outdoors is great and important, as a family bonding
deal. But if my son expressed the desire to "be a guide" ( any
potential trade ) and wanted teaching, I'd try to afford a quality
education. Sure that could be a "weekend duffer" if that duffer
actually outshines the available pros. Sure he's young and the guide
thing likely a passing notion ... but supporting passing notions is
part of the parenting gig, imho.

FWIW, I would not spend the bucks on lessons for myself ( lord knows I
suck and could use them ) but wouldn't bat an eye at spending on them
for my kid or wife.

And not because ( as rdean suggested) of potential strife caused by
trying to teach someone close. My wife and I got along just fine,
but it soon became clear that I don't really understand casting
mechanics well enough to explain why, for instance, "that tailing loop
was different than that other one, different cause" I could often
'see' what was needed, could often take the rod and first duplicate
her problem then show her a better cast that 'fixed' it, but I was
poor at putting it into words that she could translate into physical
acts. I used to teach dog training to others as part of making a
living and know that practice ( at teaching ) improves results, and
regardless of skill level at the task being taught, since teaching it
is a separate skill ... good casting teachers need to know how to
TEACH casting, not just cast, ime.

With my wife and I, the end result of my teaching was she caught fish
at places like the Henry's Fork Ranch, the Missouri, Firehole and
Madison and she's 'hooked" .... but she and I both feel she needs
better casting instruction than I am able to give, if she is to avoid
many future frustrations, progress quickly, and come closer to
reaching her potential, as an angler. I'd think that coming close
to true 'potential' would be even more important for a kid with
guideglitter in his eyes.