I was introduced to fly fishing when I was in my 60’s. I immediately discovered the peace and solitude to be found out on a stream, enjoying nature and the quiet rhythm of fly fishing. Unfortunately, as I became more involved in the fly-fishing community, I was inundated with the rules of the “right way to cast, retrieve, stand, hold your arm, etc.”
I started to lose the joy of fly fishing that I had experienced initially and was tempted to walk away from fly fishing. Then, I saw Matt’s website, CNY Fly Fish (cnyflyfish.com).I had not had any formal fly-fishing instructions, just a lot of “experts” telling me everything I was doing wrong! I decided to take personal instructions from Matt. It was
the best choice ever!
Matt is an expert in the field and yet, he has not lost the joy of what fly fishing is really about. As a woman, I felt extremely comfortable with his methods and kind way of actually teaching me, rather than showing off his own skills! That was over 10 years ago, and I am grateful that Matt reinforced what I thought fly fishing was REALLY all about. That is, enjoying every beautiful, relaxing moment that you are standing in a stream casting regardless of the number of fish you catch! I recommend Matt to anyone who is interested in fly fishing, even those experts who think they know everything!!
Written by Janie Felix