Alabama School of Fly Fishing

Westover, Alabama

@alabamaschoolofflyfishing

Whether you’re just starting out or already well on your way, we can help you get the most from your fly fishing journey.

Rick Shelton, Fly Fishers International Certified Casting Instructor

We will be rescheduling our “Foundations of Fly Fishing” class for beginning fly fishers for Saturday May 10th, 2025 to a later date this spring/summer. Watch this page/follow us @alabamaschoolof flyfishing on Instagram for details on this and others classes coming soon! We are also teaching private and small group lessons every week.

Email us at rwshel10@gmail.com or call or text us at (205) 531-6193 for more information about this class or to schedule a private lesson.

Our Classes

We offer classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced fly fishers, as well as private fly casting lessons for individuals and groups on all levels. We can also tailor lessons to your needs, whether it’s learning to double haul for a trip to the Bahamas or perfecting your roll cast for stalking redeye bass or wild trout in the creeks of Appalachia. We teach folks of all ages. All equipment is provided (or you can bring your own gear).

All of our classes and lessons here in Westover are taught on our 7 acre lake. We believe that learning to fly cast on the water is an essential element of a fly fisher’s growth.

Foundations of Fly Fishing Class

This 3 hour class for beginning fly casters will include demonstrations, discussion, and practice in the following areas:

Introduction to Equipment including fly rods, reels, lines, leaders, and flies
Basic Fishing Knots
Elements of Fly Casting: including essential terms, casting grip, stance, and stroke
Basic Fly Casts: including the Roll Cast, False Casting, the Pick Up and Lay Down Cast, the Roll Cast Pick Up, among others
Extending the Fly Cast
Fly Line Management and Control
Fundamental Fishing Strategies
How to Practice

Fees

“Foundations” class: $150/person

Individual lesson: $70/hour

Group/customized classes: Contact us

We can bring the school to you!

Contact us to schedule a customized class for your business, club, church, or social group. We’ll bring everything to your location!

About Rick Shelton

Rick is a Fly Fishers International Certified Casting Instructor. He has taught casting to individuals and groups for over 15 years. Rick is also on the Casting Advisory Board for the Southeastern Council of Fly Fishers International. He is a published author and has taught writing and writing instruction for 25 years to students and teachers in schools across the Southeast. Rick is an associate editor for “The Loop,” Fly Fishers International’s Journal for Fly Casting Professionals. His article, “Marking the Path,” appears in the Fall 2022 issue.