Certified fly fishing instructor or pig in a poke courses?
In principle, anyone can call themselves a fly fishing instructor. This is actually common practice, as only a fraction of the instructors who charge for this are actually trained and can prove that they have been trained. This is where various organizations and associations come into play. They work to ensure that the end user can be presented with a good product in the form of a really successful (not to be confused with sociable) course. The greater the hurdles in the final exams in terms of casting and teaching, the more the prospective instructor has to deal with the subject matter. In addition to his experience as a fly fisherman, which is undoubtedly an advantage for passing the instructor exam, the instructor learns during his preparation for the exam not only how to improve his personal casting style, but also how to structure individual casts and even how to organize a course. This knowledge and a little psychology are necessary in order to be able to assert yourself on the "market" later on. You don't become a good fly fishing instructor through an exam alone, but it is a good foundation on which to build successful work. No matter how great your internet presence is, or the most expensive advertising or the biggest slogans in the best magazines, they are as effective and powerful as successful work as an instructor and the word of mouth that comes with it. An instructor is only as good as the work he does. This saying is more true than ever in today's fast-moving, highly networked world, but some casting instructors don't seem to take this to heart and are then surprised at the lack of interest.
The first steps in fly fishing
A prospective fly fisherman usually turns to a fly fishing colleague first when he wants to make his first casts. Later he may contact an instructor in the club, but many, especially those who have little free time to learn fly casting and fishing themselves, look for the shortest route by turning to a certified fly fishing instructor. You expect them to meet your needs quickly. This is where the certified instructor comes in, because unlike the uncertified casting instructor, they can be expected to at least meet the recognized standard of an instructor of the respective organization.
Even before the associations took on the role of instructors and corresponding training programs, there were of course good instructors. There were a few of them whose reputation has survived to this day and who have been able to stay in the scene for many years and decades. They deserve great recognition because they have made a valuable contribution to fly fishing, be it through their own input or by passing on existing knowledge in the correct form and in a pleasant atmosphere. These creators, whether certified or not, also deserve my recognition. However, the instructor landscape in Europe has changed fundamentally in the meantime due to more intensive engagement with the subject matter. The requirements for an instructor have become much higher than they were 20-30 years ago. People have generally become more critical and question things more than ever. Quality is in demand.
Where can you look for a good instructor in Europe? What exams in this field actually exist here? What can the aspiring fly fisherman base his decision on?
Basically, any exam is better than none, but of course the name "certified instructor" alone can give customers the illusion of competence. A few years ago there was this overly clever (some call it fraudulent) instructor from Tyrol who, according to his explanations, had himself tested by an organization overseas (which did exist, but which does not issue exams and does not even know the man), even issued him a brilliant certificate as a "Master Flyfishing Instructor" and, as a bonus, even had a $5 certificate issued over the Internet, which gave him the title of Dr. h. c. in fly casting and which he promptly put on his website. As if that wasn't enough, he also gave out titles like this to his employees and colleagues and even wanted to set up a European instructor organization. But since lies often have short legs, the fraud came to light beforehand. This is not a joke, but a true story! So you can see what some people can think of to gain a competitive advantage. This was an extreme isolated case, but the Internet offers the necessary platform for such people.
In order to find reference points as a beginner that you can really orient yourself on, you have to take the exams and the organizations behind them. Below you will find the individual tests arranged in the approximate order of international acceptance. Of course, the order reflects a broadly supported but subjective opinion, and there may well be one or two people who see the order slightly differently.
International Fly Casting Instructor Certifications
EFFA Certified Flycasting Instructor - The most wanted certification!
The instructor exam of the European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA) with instructors in 14 different European countries is without doubt the most difficult exam in the world in terms of requirements. It was created in 1996 as the FFF-Europe fly fishing instructor exam and has been continued and optimized by the independent EFFA since 2006. The exam requirements are adapted to the very high level that prevails in Europe in the field of fly casting. The constantly optimized professionalism in the conduct of the exams is also exemplary. There are two certification levels for single hand rods at EFFA, the EFFA Certified Flycasting Instructor (Basic) and the EFFA Certified Master Flycasting Instructor. Besides that EFFA also offers a doublehand instructor certification and a guide exam. All EFFA instructors and guides that you can find on the EFFA website are actually active and up to date with the latest developments in casting techniques. This ensures that only the best instructors are recommended. The EFFA certificate is generally considered "the most wanted" in Europe.
Read more about the requirements
FFF-Europe Certified Flycasting Instructor
The level of the FFF-Europe instructors and master instructors corresponds to that of today's EFFA instructors and many of them have not only passed both exams, but are now members of the European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA), which was founded in 2006. The FFF-Europe is no longer active. The FFF-Europe exam program was previously a partner of the American FFF, but the FFF-Europe exam requirements in the didactic, but especially in the casting area, were always adapted to the European level and thus much higher than those of the American FFF.
AAPGAI Instructor (only very few non-UK members)
AAPGAI (Association of Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors), founded in 2003 by some of the members of APGAI, which has existed since 1962, currently has just under a hundred members and is active almost exclusively in the UK and Ireland. AAPGAI is not only active in the fly fishing sector, but also trains in the entire field of game angling, from spin fishing to fly tying, and also administers exams in these areas. AAPGAI brings together many of the active instructors in the British Isles. AAPGAI developed from APGAI in order to achieve an even higher standard. The AAPGAI exam is not quite as difficult as that of the EFFA and the former FFF-Europe, but its requirements have recently been significantly increased, making the program more demanding than the American FFF exam program. The two-handed program is actually very demanding. The AAPGAI program is divided into Provisional, Advanced and Masters.
FFI (former FFF) Certified Flycasting Instructor
The examination program of the FFI, formerly known as IFFF or Federation of Fly Fishers short FFF (not to be confused with the much more difficult FFF-Europe program!) is a good program, but one that is still tailored to the American market. The test is therefore less demanding in terms of requirements than those of the EFFA, FFF-Europe or AAPGAI. The FFF Master Test roughly corresponds to the EFFA Basic Test in terms of casting technique requirements. There are also very good casters and instructors in the USA, but they have not yet been able to assert their demand for higher criteria within the FFI. The FFI also tests across US borders as the FFF used to, but all the money is paid to the USA. The test consists of a Basic, a Master and a two-handed test. Only one examiner is required to administer FFI Basic tests, which is a very delicate matter, as a single examiner cannot perfectly monitor the entire cast. In addition, the test takes usually place behind closed doors. This often leads to speculation as to the legality of obtaining individual tests. Due to this fact and the relatively low requirements for Europe, this test is considered too easy for the European market and is therefore not accepted by some organizations. The two-hand program is demanding, but very Spey-focused and does not pay due respect to the pioneering underhand technique that is common in Scandinavia in particular. The test is therefore not recognized in this area.
National Programs
GAIA Instructor (UK)
The GAIA (Game Angling Instructor Association) is the largest instructor association in the UK with over 300 instructors. It combines the programs of APGAI, STANIC and the Scottish SGAIC. This association and mutual acceptance of the simpler exams was also what led to the split of many former APGAI members and the founding of AAPGAI. The GAIA has around 300 members on the islands and is also active in all areas (including spin fishing, for example). GAIA is the only organization that can provide qualifications to be recognized by the national issuing body for trainer licenses in the UK. The requirements are very broad and cover the entire area up to the child protection program for trainers prescribed by law there, but the general requirements are not that high. For example, the candidate must demonstrate various basic casts appropriately using his own equipment, although appropriate is not defined more precisely. The GAIA program is divided into GAIA Instructor Level 1 (assistant instructor) and GAIA Level 2 (instructor).
F.F.M.G.P Brevet Professionnel "Moniteur Guide de Pêche de Loisirs"
In France, a separate exam for Guide de Peche (National Guide Exam in France) was introduced in 2003. The certificate is issued by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Agriculture. Working in this field in France is only possible with a national guiding license. The program is varied and in the area of fly fishing is also based on the former FFF-Europe program, but is much simpler in terms of the requirements in the area of fly fishing and is almost exclusively focused on pedagogy and the philosophy of fishing and less on learning casting techniques, etc.
Fly fishing instructor of the Swiss Fishing Federation (SFV)
This exam was developed a few years ago by two trainers from the local association as a basis for providing training for the association. Although the program has a broad basis, from water protection to entomology, it has not achieved any significant international acceptance on a technical level, which means that Swiss people interested in training fly fishermen are more focused on international exams, particularly those of the internationally active EFFA.
