Fly Fishers International was created in 1964 by influential fly anglers who felt the need for an umbrella organization and collective voice for the fly angling community. Their mission is “… to foster the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters through conservation, education, and inspiring a growing community of fly fishers.” The original name was Fly Fishing Federation and, indeed, it was and still is a federation made up of fly-fishing clubs. The new name was adopted in 2018 by way of reflecting the organization’s embrace of individuals and other aligned groups.
Small by comparison to Trout Unlimited, the FFI nevertheless maintains a full roster of conservation goals and projects that align with those of TU. In fact, TU is listed as an official partner.
The FFI’s unique contribution to the sport of fly angling, however, has been the development of the Certified Casting Instructor program. Begun in the early 1990’s by casting luminaries such as Mel Kreiger, Jay Gammel, Joan Wulff, Gary Borger and Steve Rajeff, the program set out to provide trained casting instructors with a commonly held knowledge of how to cast and how to teach others. From the beginning, it has been a rigorous and challenging program that requires the candidates to master a progressive series of casting skills, to understand the mechanics and the even the physics of an effective cast, and to master the principals of effective teaching.
Today, there some 1500 Certified Casting Instructors teaching students in forty countries around the world. In addition to CCI’s there are also those who have gone on to become Master Casting Instructors and/or Two-Handed Casting Instructors. As a group they are eager to come out and share their knowledge at virtually any opportunity. The two casting clinics held so far by the Truchas Chapter were made possible by volunteer Certified Instructors coming from as far as Albuquerque and Taos.
Becoming a CCI is a journey that often begins with the individual angler’s desire to simply make a better cast. We all catch fish with whatever technique we happen to have, but discovering the gratification of making that nuanced presentation in a challenging situation can be the first step toward the CCI challenge.
Truchas is beginning a series of Open Casting Practices on Saturday, July 11th at the Santa Fe Recreational Sports Complex. These gatherings will offer an opportunity to practice and develop your casting skills in community with other anglers. Instructional assistance will be available on request. Who knows, perhaps it could the beginning of your journey to certification.
