Celebrating 50 Years of the TU Fly Fishing School

by Michael Traugott

Delaying an anniversary celebration is always difficult, but Covid-19 was responsible for the Trout Unlimited Fly Fishing School (TUFFS) waiting a year to celebrate its 50th. But this past June at Ranch Rudolf, we did. I’ve been an instructor for 47 of those years, and it was worth the wait. An officially sanctioned activity of the Michigan Council of TU, the volunteer instructors at TUFFS were recognized this year with the Art Neumann Award for their sustained efforts to support the Council’s mission across this period.

TUFFS started in 1971 as a way to help TU members improve their casting skills. But it soon expanded its mission to include instruction for members of the general public and as a way to promote the conservation and preservation of coldwater resources that form the basis of many TU activities.

All of the TUFFS instructors are volunteers, and most have been with the school for decades. I participate because of the joy and satisfaction of seeing students learn and develop their casting skills. I can see it when their eyes light up as their practice cast lays out in a straight line instead of in a puddle or when they catch a trout on a fly they tied the night before.

The students come as individuals, as couples, and sometimes as multigenerational families. Many of them are repeat students because they enjoy the experience and the setting as well as learn more about the sport. Occasionally, there has been a notable student like the ambassador from New Zealand, who comes from one of the fly fishing meccas of the world.

Our approach to casting instruction is to explain the dynamics of line control, the way in which the fly line follows the tip of the rod, and how a tight loop improves accuracy. One goal is to have the students understand the mechanics of casting, so the line settles on the water in a straight line, and what might be the cause when it doesn’t so they can make an adjustment.

TUFFS is held once a year on the “free fishing” weekend in Michigan. There is a full curriculum that runs from Friday at noon to Sunday afternoon. The emphasis is on casting instruction, the basic skill for successful fly fishing, and it is offered at three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Most of the participants are beginners; some have fished before—even with a fly rod—but would like to benefit from expert instruction on the basics of casting. The intermediate students have experience fly fishing but want to work on their specialty casts. The advanced students spend more time on the stream to learn the necessary skills for success in specific fishing situations. There are about 50 participants each year, occasionally more.

Over time, the school has developed a curriculum that combines a detailed and specific approach to casting as well as an introduction to entomology and fly selection and how to choose appropriate tackle for particular fishing situations. The students only need to bring waders to the school as loaner rods and reels are provided, along with a small selection of flies, leaders, tippet material, and essential tools. Each student receives a copy of a handbook that summarizes all this information that they can take home as a valuable resource.

The instruction takes place in the classroom with practice on the lawn and in the stream. In the basic curriculum, Friday afternoon involves an introduction to the principles of casting and lawn practice. On Saturday morning, students pass through a sequence of in-stream demonstrations in groups. They cover dry fly, nymph, and streamer techniques, as well as a demonstration of insect life found in the typical trout stream. The casting demonstrations deploy “pink trout”—metal fish anchored in the stream in typical lies, with the instructor demonstrating fly presentations in those circumstances. In the afternoon, there is more practice and then an in-stream session to try wading and learn the difference between casting and fishing. Sunday morning has various activities involving student choice of casting and in-stream work, and graduation takes place after lunch. There are also evening activities that include fly tying sessions, videos, and presentations by instructors about different aspects of fly fishing, including conservation.

TUFFS runs based on continuous evaluation and improvement. A small group of instructors acts as an administrative committee that meets monthly for planning and logistics. We conduct a survey of participants after every school measuring satisfaction and soliciting suggestions for improvement. Those results are built into a careful review of the content and structure of the school. As one of the longestrunning fly fishing schools in America, we think we are well organized and structured but understand, for example, that the technology of tackle is continuously changing, and there are always new online resources that participants can consult.

If we were to design a location to teach fly fishing, it wouldn’t look very different than Ranch Rudolf. Located in Northern Michigan, not far from Traverse City, the Boardman River runs through the property. There are extensive lawns and two ponds for practice casting. In addition to a dining room and bar for evening socializing, there are well-equipped rooms for presentations, including video projection.

To learn more about the TU Fly Fishing School, go to www. TUFFS.org.