There’s a belief floating around the angling community that the fastest way for beginning and intermediate trout fishers to improve their skills is to sign up for a top quality class or attend a first-rate fly fishing school. I’ve thought about that assumption a fair amount over the years, and while schools make a ton of sense for some folks, they’re not necessarily the right approach for everyone. If you’ve been wondering whether you should invest the time and money to attend a fly fishing school, or participate in angling classes, I’d suggest looking through the information below. If you find that something really resonates, you may be better off skipping school and finding another path forward.

Guides

If you have the financial wherewithal to hire a guide, you might find that it’s easier to simply do whatever the guide suggests rather than trying to master the sport. Fly fishing schools usually prefer students who hope to understand things at a deeper level. If you just want someone to tie on your fly and tell you where to cast, and when to mend, and when to set the hook — and if you can afford the $600 to $800 daily fee — then fishing with guides might be a reasonable option.

Going Solo

Some people prefer to figure things out on their own. If that’s how you feel, then why spend your hard-earned cash on classes or a school? (Or for that matter, guides and outfitters?) If you’re the kind of person who really enjoys working through stuff on your own, then be true to yourself and skip the instructors. There’s definitely something to be said for taking your time, moving at your own pace, and solving all those fly fishing puzzles without anyone else’s help.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

Be honest with yourself. If you’re convinced that you’re already a good enough angler and there’s no real reason to improve, then don’t waste your time with fly fishing classes. Enjoy yourself on the water and leave the class time to folks who will actually benefit from it.

The Jack Of All Trades

Some people like to dabble in a wide variety of pursuits without limiting themselves or concentrating on a specific activity. If fly fishing isn’t your main focus, then you should probably ask yourself whether you want to go to all the effort and expense that comes with a fly fishing school.

Curiosity Killed The Cat

Many fly fishers are curious about why some techniques work better than others. If that’s not you — if you’re content to fish without diving deeper into the sport or solving all the puzzles it presents — it might make sense to skip classes that could take you further down the rabbit hole.

Your Finances Are Limited

Let’s face it. For a lot of us, classes would cost money that could be better utilized elsewhere. If you’re doing your best just to put food on the table, keep a roof over your head and afford basic health care, it’s probably not a good idea to spend your money on fly fishing classes or a school.

Your Time Is Limited

Free time can be an awfully precious commodity. If you have a limited amount of time to devote to fly fishing, you’ll want to ask yourself whether you’d rather spend that time fishing as opposed to going to class.

Nobody Knows …

How can you tell if the instructors at any particular fly fishing school will be excellent teachers with a solid grasp of the material they’re tasked with sharing? And if you can’t be sure that you’ll have access to exceptional instructors, why take the plunge at all? At a minimum, you’ll want to do your due diligence before you sign up for a class or a school.

Physical Fitness

We’re not all the same. For example, some of us have physical issues that make it difficult to fish. If you struggle with balance, or wading, or some other aspect of the physical side of the sport, you’ll want to make sure that a fly fishing school can accommodate your limitations before you sign up for a class.

You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

If you’ve been fly fishing and fly casting for years, you might find it difficult to learn new skills. There’s an old saying that goes “empty your cup so that it may be filled.” You have to be open to instruction if you want to take your fly fishing to a higher level. If that’s liable to be an issue, you might want to think long and hard before you attend a fly fishing school.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to tell you that you should skip school if you have the time and the financial wherewithal to attend, and if you really want to learn more about the sport while you improve your skills. Fly fishing classes can be incredibly helpful for anglers who have a solid idea what they’re getting into, and who want to take their angling to new heights.

That said, every single one of us can benefit from being intentional with our fishing. Attending a fly fishing class or school should always be a conscious choice rather than an uninformed or impulsive decision.

Todd Tanner has been writing about fly fishing since the 1990s. In addition to Hatch Magazine, his work has appeared in Men’s Journal, Fly Fisherman, Newsweek, Field & Stream, Forbes, Sporting Classics, MidCurrent, the NY Times and a number of other quality publications. He also owns and runs the internationally-acclaimed School of Trout fly fishing school. To learn more about the school and its programs, head here.