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WaterColor Resort, Florida - Fly Fishing School
This Florida fly fishing school offers first class instruction.
Sign up for an Orvis Fly Fishing School and bring a friend for half price
Make reservations for two people for the same school location on the same date, and save! Discount will be reflected in your order total at checkout.
Offer expires December 31, 2010.
Make reservations for two people for the same school location on the same date, and save! Discount will be reflected in your order total at checkout.
Offer expires December 31, 2010.
- Details
- If saltwater and warm water fly fishing is your game, WaterColor Resort fly fishing school is the place to be. Situated on the Florida Panhandle, it's the perfect environment to fish for some of the area's most sought-after species. This fly fishing school focuses on the challenges of salt and warmwater fishing for both beginners and experienced anglers alike. Staffed by professional instructors, you'll learn everything from setting up your fly rod, to fly selection and knots, to how to safely release your catch. The WaterColor Resort is home to the only Orvis-endorsed outfitter and guide service in Northwest Florida (Old Florida Outfitters and Shallow Water Expeditions).
You'll cover it all at WaterColor fly fishing school.
- Fresh and saltwater fly casting techniques
- Essential knots
- How to choose your gear and tackle
- Saltwater and warm water food forms and their imitations
- Proper fly selection
- How to read water and currents
- How to play, land, and safely release fish
For more information about Orvis Fly Fishing Lessons, call Toll Free 866-531-6213.
- Itinerary
Fly Fishing School Class Program
Watercolor Resort, FloridaFocus: Redfish, Sea Trout, Tarpon and Bass
Airport: Panama City and Fort Walton
Host Lodging: WaterColor Inn
Fishing: Depending on time of year and weather conditions, students fish ponds located on the resorts property, or the Gulf BeachDAY ONE Time Activity & Description 9:00 am Student registration at Old Florida Outfitters. 9:30 Introductions and discussion of fly fishing class program. 9:45 Classroom presentation: Lines, rods and reels. 10:30 The Orvis Method to Fly Casting part one; video on basic casting stroke. 10:45 Students report to casting area for demonstration on basic casting stroke; student fly casting lesson. 12:00pm LUNCH 1:00 Classroom presentation: The Orvis Method to Fly Casting part two; video on shooting line, false casting and roll cast. 1:15 Students report to casting pond for demonstration on shooting line, false casting and roll cast.; students casting. Video tape student fly casting lessons. 2:45 Knot tying seminar. Discussion on leaders and knots; students tying knots. 4:00 Classroom presentation: Discussion on equipment and accessories. 4:30 End of first day
DAY TWO Time Activity & Description 8:30 am Classroom presentation: Fly selection, how to choose and fish flies. Tips on how to handle, photograph and release fish. 9:30 Video analysis. 10:00 The Orvis Method to Fly Casting part three; video on the double haul. 10:15 Students report to casting area for demonstration on how to cast in windy conditions, and the double haul. Hook setting and fish fighting techniques. Student fly casting lessons. 12:00 pm LUNCH 1:00 Presentation on Orvis-Endorsed Fishing Trips. 1:15 Fishing trip; students report to bass pond for catch and release fishing and casting practice. 4:00 End of fly fishing school - Dates
Orvis Fly Fishing - Watercolor Resort, Florida
2009/2010 School Dates
December 2009 5-6 Saturday-Sunday 15-16 Tuesday-Wednesday January 2010 23-24 Saturday-Sunday 26-27 Tuesday-Wednesday February 2010 20-21 Saturday-Sunday March 2010 9-10 Tuesday-Wednesday 20-21 Saturday-Sunday April 2010 10-11 Saturday-Sunday 24-25 Saturday-Sunday May 2010 18-19 Tuesday-Wednesday June 2010 5-6 Saturday-Sunday 15-16 Tuesday-Wednesday August 2010 24-25 Tuesday-Wednesday September 2010 18-19 Saturday-Sunday 28-29 Tuesday-Wednesday October 2010 9-10 Saturday-Sunday 19-20 Tuesday-Wednesday November 2010 6-7 Saturday-Sunday 20-21 Saturday-Sunday December 2010 4-5 Saturday-Sunday 14-15 Tuesday-Wednesday - Lodging/Reservations
Lodging & Reservation Information
Watercolor Resort, Florida
Please contact the WaterColor Inn & Resort for lodging and reservations:
WaterColor Inn & Resort
34 Goldenrod Circle
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
www.watercolorresort.com
1-866-426-2656
Please mention you will be attending the Orvis Fly Fishing School.
- Why Attend?
Reasons to Attend The Orvis Fly Fishing Schools
Over the years, I have had many students tell me how “attending the fly fishing school has eliminated what would have been countless hours of frustration on learning how to fly cast on my own.” Students who have gone through the school with some fly fishing experience have commented, “I wish I had gone through the school years ago. I learned more in two days than in two or three years on my own.”
In the Orvis Fly-Fishing Schools, you will learn and participate in:
- The Orvis Progressive Method to Fly Casting – A time-tested method of
learning how to fly cast that is adaptable to most any type of fly fishing - Technical information on lines, rods and reels
- Hands-on knot tying
- Fly selection
- How to choose and fish flies
- How to safely handle and release fish
- Hook-setting and fish-fighting techniques
- Video analysis
- Reading water
Fly fishing is a wonderful sport that gives you a lifetime of enjoyment and takes you to the most beautiful places in the world. Whether you are a total beginner or have been fly fishing for many years, the Orvis Fly-Fishing Schools can handle all levels of experience. With a 4:1 student to instructor ratio, you are assured of plenty individual, specialized attention. Let the pros at the Orvis Fly-Fishing Schools teach you skills for a lifetime that will take you to the beautiful places.
Truel Myers
Head Fly-Fishing Instructor- The Orvis Progressive Method to Fly Casting – A time-tested method of
- Activities
Area Activities - Watercolor Resort, Florida
Watercolor Resort
(850-534-5000)• Golf (Camp Creek Golf Club) • Tennis • Spa • State-of-the-art fitness facility • A rare 220 acre coastal dune lake for canoeing and kayaking (complimentary to guests) • Complimentary use of bicycles • Canoe, kayak and sailing excursions • A private beach club accessible to guests • Acres of parks, gardens and foot paths • Woodland hiking and biking trails • Woodland hiking and biking trails • Four restaurants • Shopping Other Activities in the Area
• Nearby state parks and preserves (Grayton Beach State Park, Topsail State Park and Eden State Gardens) •Shopping • Dining and live entertainment - FAQs
Orvis Fly Fishing Schools
Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestion: Will we be fishing in salt water?
Answer - It depends on time of year and wind conditions. If certain species of fish are available and wind conditions permit, students fish the Gulf beach, other times students fish freshwater ponds located on the WaterColor Resort property.
Question: When does the school start and end? What will we be doing during the day? How long will we be fishing?
Answer - Refer to the school itinerary for the schedule.
Question: What is included in the price of the school?
Answer - Use of Orvis fly rods/reels, leaders, flies, and where necessary waders, vests and fishing licenses.
Question: Is lodging included?
Answer - No. Lodging arrangements are made separately by the students.
Question: Are meals included?
Answer - Lunch is the only meal included in the school tuition price.
Question: Where can I stay?
Answer - At the hosts’ lodging, or nearby lodging of your choice.
Question: How many people will be in the class?
Answer - That depends on the school. The range is 12 to 36 students, always with a ratio of one instructor for every four students.
Question: Do we stop the school because of weather?
Answer - No.
Question: How much time is spent in the classroom vs. casting and fishing?
Answer - See school itinerary on specific school page.
Question: Where is the nearest airport?
Answer - Nearby airport information is found on the specific school itinerary.
Question: Can you bring your own equipment?
Answer - Yes.
Question: Is this class for intermediate fisherman?
Answer - Yes. In casting, we adjust our instruction to the individual student’s level.
Question: How old do my children have to be to join me in this fishing school?
Answer - At the Cape Cod and Santa Rosa Beach Schools, youngsters should be at least 14 years old (because of the heaver tackle used). All other schools we recommend 12 years of age.
Question: What is the cancellation policy?
Answer - Should you need to cancel the school within 30 days prior to the starting date, we will issue a gift certificate in the amount of the cancelled school. That gift certificate may be used toward another school date of your choice.
Question: What other recreation is available near the school?
Answer - See information on specific school page.
Question: Do we fish for trout or other fish?
Answer - See information on specific school itinerary for the type(s) of fish.
Question: Will I be able to attend the same class as my son/wife/etc, even though I am an intermediate and they are a beginner?
Answer - Yes. In casting, we adjust our instruction to the individual student’s level.
Question: Are there opportunities for guided fishing afterwards?
Answer - Yes. See information on specific school page, school itinerary or inquire directly to your fly fishing school instructor.
- History
The Orvis Story
Fly Fishing Schools from OrvisTo one who has not acquired the art of fishing with a fly, let me suggest that a day or two with an expert will save much time and trouble. There are many little things that cannot well be described, and would take a long time to find out by experience, that can be learned very quickly when seen. It is not easy to tell one exactly how to fib with the fly.
-Charles Orvis
The Need for Teaching
A student who earns a diploma from the Orvis fishing school learns the values and ethics of good sportsmanship.
Leigh Perkins, the chairman of The Orvis Company since 1965, was convinced there had to be a lot of people out there who were just waiting to fall in love with the sport of fly fishing. Whatever their reason for holding back, whether intimidation by experts who made it sound too difficult, bewilderment at the vast array of gear available, or fear of just looking foolish, Perkins suspected that they wouldn't need much prodding to be "converted". He approached long-time Orvis employee Dick Finlay and another Orvis employee and expert fisherman, Bill Cairns, about overseeing a fly fishing school. Finlay was and experienced ski instructor and Cairns a gifted angler - a good combination for a school - so in 1966 Orvis announced the opening of the country's first fly fishing school.
Perkins later recalled that they hoped to get about twenty students for that class. But 150 people signed up, and the fly fishing school was an instant success. Orvis had identified a completely unknown market among American sportsmen, who craved the opportunity to learn from experts about this exciting sport. Orvis was hardly prepared for the result. As Perkins said, he practically had to dose down our rod-manufacturing shop to recruit temporary instructors until full-time fly-fishing school staff could be hired.
Fishi (second director of the fishing school), and Ben Upson, instructors at the fishing school in the late 1970s. Tom Rosenbauer, Ace Manley, Bruce Bowlen, Tony Skilton (second director of the fishing school), and Ben Upson, instructors at the fishing school in the late 1970s.
Comprehensive Fly Fishing Lessons
The fly fishing school was an all-expenses-paid weekend of casting lessons, knotting lessons, lectures on choosing flies and reading the water, and, of course, some actual fishing. Though nobody goes from tyro to old pro in three days, students were given a thorough introduction to the sport, including more than a few moments spent on conservation, natural history and stream etiquette.
A few minutes casting under the watchful eye of a skilled instructor can save the new fly fisher countless hours of confusion later, and prevent the development of many bad habits.
More than 10,000 students graduated in the first fourteen years alone. As the school program expanded, with the Manchester school eventually being joined by the trout-fishing schools in Missouri, Michigan, Virginia, and Idaho, and a school on Capt Cod focusing on striper and bluefish fishing, the total number of graduates had passed 39,000 by 2005. In 2006, Orvis hosted students at seven fly-fishing schools and three shooting schools, and projected the addition of twelve fishing and six shooting schools by 2008.
The Legacy Continues
The rise of fly fishing and shooting schools is an intriguing phenomenon in American sporting history. The school phenomenon that Orvis launched in the United States revealed yet another way in which American sport was evolving. Several generations ago, in much of America shooting and fishing were simply part of growing up. As a steadily increasing proportion of the population became urban, some traditional experiences were lost. Rather than learn fishing and shooting from parents, other relatives, and friends, modern people came to these sports at all stages of life, and from many backgrounds. With no other source of first-hand information than what they could read (the schools were established before the proliferation of video and DVD instruction), the new sportsmen needed answers to countless questions, and they needed a thoughtful, patient hand to guide them through the intricacies. The schools were above all else hospitable, with courteous, good-humored instructors and the most -- pleasant imaginable setting for instruction.
Instructor Ben Upson coaching a young fly fisher at the Orvis Ponds.
From a purely commercial viewpoint, Perkins and his Orvis team knew that the more people who were attracted to the fly fishing schools, the better Orvis business would be. But in less immediately tangible terms the schools were (and still are) also important. They represented the formalization -- to an extent previously rare and often nonexistent -- of an American sporting style. Judging from the response of the Orvis customers, it is dear that there are a great many people very interested in just such a style.
The following story is from the "A Sporting Education" chapter of The Orvis Story by Paul Schullery. This book is available on our website and covers 150 years of the history of The Orvis Company.- Reviews
- Q & A
- Stories
