Fly fishing schools

Fly-fishing Schools

Group and private schools in the classroom and on the stream. Casting instruction and masterclasses.

Teaching Philosophy

A teacher should exist for his or her students. The role of a teacher is as a conduit for knowledge. I use multiple techniques of explanation to break down difficult concepts and make them easy to understand and begin to master. Every individual learns differently and at a different pace. Some are visual learners, others learn by doing. I have taught thousands of beginners and anglers of all levels and have a patient and inspirational approach. Learning should not be a bland academic experience, but instead should be filled with fun. After all, the sport of fly-fishing is not calculus! My job as a teacher is to be effective in my instruction and certain that no one is left behind.

I have taught clinics for Trout Unlimited, local chapters of the FFF, private instruction on the water, Orvis introductory courses as well as the Orvis corporate school programs. I have been teaching fly-fishing for over 15 years, especially the art of fly-casting. At an event where I had to teach 100 children between ages 5 and 15, one TU luminary remarked afterwards that “I have never seen anyone that is better at getting someone who has never held a fly-rod to cast 30 feet in just fifteen minutes!” Experience counts, and my passion for teaching and the joy I get out of seeing the students absorb knowledge will show.

Back for another year! 2025!

Master Fly Casting Classes with Erik Helm, Open to beginner through advanced casters!

April 3rd 4th 10th and 11th.

Beginner and master classes in fly-casting available this spring in the driftless!

What does $100 buy these days? Not too much... except if you invest this fee into improving your fly-casting.
That is money well spent! What if you could take that $100 and by taking a master class, optimize your time on the water and learn what you never knew existed? Well... here it is! Open classes April 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th, from noon to 3 pm. Come for the casting master class, and use those new skills on the water all weekend! Land more fish and less bank side bushes and trees! Better than spending $1000 on a new fly rod marketed to "Improve your casting."

Beginning through advanced casters welcome! Class is held in the lovely park here in Soldiers Grove Wisconsin.
How would you like to be able to cast in super-tight situations? Roll-cast 50 feet? Change directions in your cast? Avoid trees and bankside brush? Here in the Driftless our streams are often choked with brush, and the big trout
love the cover! Solve problems on the stream by not by-passing holding water for more open casting areas, but get your fly where it needs to be! Reach mend, steeple cast, roll cast, learn the Belgian cast, form open and tight loops as the situation demands?

I have taught literally over 3,000 people the art of fly casting over the last 20 years.

This class is limited to 3 persons. Go fishing with new-found skills!
Class is $100 each. Learn new skills and then go apply them on the weekend here in the Driftless where we have over 1000 miles of spring creek trout fishing.

If you are interested, reach me by Erik.helm1@gmail.com or through classicalangler.com
I have to fill the class in order to hold it, so 3 people need to sign up. All for $100 each.

These classes filled up quickly for the past 3 years.

Testimonial from a few years back:

"Erik is quite good at explaining the "why's & wherefore's" of casting, why different casts may be needed, and
because of his small class size he had opportunity to work with each of us pretty extensively. He said yesterday we likely saved 4-5 years over trying to figure this stuff out on our own, and I firmly believe him. I was throwing some pretty tight loops with accuracy today..." Tom Vezain