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| FCFF Private Casting Pond = Practice Casting |
E.I. Fly™3X: Beginner & Intermediate Level
The 3X course has been designed to combine half the 2X and half the 4X courses. Why? 70% of the 2X class format is classroom lecture and the other 30% is spent casting on our private pond. In other words, the 2X course is an in-depth introduction to fly fishing; however, we don't actively try to catch fish. The 3X course can be customized to meet your needs, but a typical day goes like:
- 10am-12am: Knot Tying, Gear and Equipment Review, etc.
- 12am-1pm: Lunch
- 1pm-3pm: Casting on Private Pond
- 3pm-6pm: Fly Fishing Home Waters...Catching Fish!
Rate/Time: Donation Only
- (1) Angler: suggested minimum donation is $30 per hour
- (2) Anglers: suggested minimum donation is $25 per hour, per person
- (3-4) Anglers: suggested minimum donation is $20.00 per hour, per person
- Maximum: 1-4 students
- Age: 14 years and older
- Hours: 8-10 hours
- Monday-Sunday.
- By appointment only. Please call to set up a day/time that works best for your schedule.
Equipment Needed: We maintain/offer a limited supply of equipment (i.e. waders/wading boots). If you have your own fly rod, waders, wading staff, please bring them. We recommend the use of polarized sunglasses, hat, appropriate clothing, camera; and bring some food-beverages.
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| Casting Lessons and Catching Fish! |
About our Educational Platform: Defining Fly Fishing Emotional Intelligence
Founder, Mark Foley defines it as “A fly fisherman’s ability to facilitate knowledge from our past experiences while managing future expectations, so one can enjoy the intellectual process and emotional experience of fly fishing in the now, or present.”
In other words, emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence (IQ), nor is it the triumph of the heart over the mind…it is the union of both which creates the now. When an angler can combine both his/her EQ and IQ, this is the now...this is what EFFC is all about. That being said, unlike traditional fly fishing schools, the E.I. Fly Fishing System™ offers an innovative approach to teaching and guiding.
Why E.I. Fly Fishing System™
FCFF Teaching Model:
- Many fly fishing schools utilize a teaching model that results in a student-instructor ratio that can be as high as 15:1. Inherently, this teaching model creates an educational platform that is highly dependent on the student’s ability to comprehend technical fly fishing information at a fast pace. In contrast, the E.I. Fly™ courses have been designed to focus entirely on your individual needs. We accomplish this by offering the lowest student-instructor ratio and employing innovative E.I. Fly™ teaching techniques. The combination of the two creates a dynamic teaching environment allowing our students to comprehend at a steady, progressive pace.
- Whether you choose the beginner or advance E.I. Fly™ lessons or guiding, we teach both the Science and Art of fly-fishing. Why? To be present in the "now," and to understand what you are doing as a fly fisherman, we strive to create a union between the science (i.e. Intellect) and the art (i.e. emotion) of fly fishing. Teaching anything less, in our opinion, would be wrong.
Donation Only?
Most businesses run on a profit platform. The core function of this platform is to produce a product, or provide a service, and then sell said product/service at the highest profit margin possible. This should not be a novel concept; we Americans are exposed to this model 24/7. But, rarely do we engage in an organization that offers products or services on a donation only platform...only pay what you can afford. So, why have we chosen this model?
We believe...
- In a payment system that allows everyone to participate, regardless of your financial circumstances.
- In providing an educational resource for your community. You know..."give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish, feed him for life."
To meet our core values as fisherman, and to meet a growing public demand for cost friendly methods to engage in the great outdoors, we thought a donation only concept would be the best approach. But, truth be told, people struggle with this concept. For example, people have said, "I read that you are a donation only not-for-profit organization, but how much does a class cost?...what is your hourly rate...seriously, how much do you want to make...you can't work for free...what's the catch...is this some type of scam?" People have also questioned the credibility of our services by suggesting, "well, if you are not charging an hourly rate, the lessons that you provide are probably not worth much."
We realize our donation only payment system, especially in the fishing business, is 100% cooky! We understand that people might have a hard time understanding our motives, and more importantly understand how to make a personal donation. So, rather than swim upstream with this issue, we have created a suggested minimum donation amount. The S.M.D. covers our expenses, which include all equipment, fly tying materials, prizes, gas, and other miscellaneous items. In other words, we give our time, knowledge and expertise for FREE. If you can not meet the S.M.D., please, ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Final Word
We love to teach! We love to share our knowledge! If you have any questions, or if your ready for your fist lesson, please feel free to contact us at 603-315-8800 or firstcastflyfishing@yahoo.com
Thanks
Mark