Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 17 October 2025
My guests wanted to move guiding from Monday to Tuesday. I was luckily able to do it. Forecast for Monday was not horrible yet not good either, wind and possibly light rain. For Tuesday it was same temps about +4 celsius, yet no wind and no rain.
So circumstances was much better on Tuesday to have first casting experience and also fly fishing. We decided to fish our lake instead river as both would be difficult but at lake we would have one hour more instead driving one hour to river.
Casting practise went pretty well with men, they were able to learn pretty fast and also now and then really nailed it. Of course some issues as poise is missing, still they have good base to continue if they prefer so.
Lady had some problems which was kind of new as woman are normally easier to teach than man. Problem was not that she wouldn't listen noir trying to fix mistakes. It was more like my problem how to teach her how to make cast, there was too much wrist or none, always turning rod almost horizontal on back cast etc.
I started to get frustrated not because her, it was more for myself as I couldn't figure out how she would learn. Some learn by watching, some by doing etc. She told me she has to figure out somethings by herself before she is able to do.
So believe or not I tried something I would never thought. Backcast direction I could do so (luckily sun was shining) that she needs to be blinded by sun when watching Backcast, if she can follow line, backcast is too low. She really figure out that fast and we were on our way.
Then forward cast, she always strecth out arm so she couldn't really control direction. I tried to explain with different ways which has normally worked. So my last panic move was to take hammer and put her stand on front of wall. Then I showed how to use hammer and hit "nail", she took hammer and I pointed where to hit. She started to hit wall and figured out front cast. It was not perfect yet she got idea where to stop and which direction cast would go.
So believe or not desperate times needs despare solutions. Now last guiding and teaching for season is done and it is time to concentrate to my own cadting practise.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika from Finland