fly fishing weekend 2026
A dream of mine has been to host small groups for fly fishing instruction at our small studio and yurts in Bethel, Maine. This past weekend that dream became a reality! I got together with fellow registered Maine guides John (Johnny) Scangas and Mike Jones. We came up with a curriculum focused on making the beginner - intermediate fly fisherman more successful, less intimidated, and prepared for most fly fishing circumstances.
The weekend started off with with a 3pm checkin on Friday. I was onsite from 3-5pm to help attendees settle in and find their yurt. Than we met for a guide cooked breakfast at the gallery at 8:30am Saturday morning. Class started at 9am, we broke for another guide cooked lunch at 12. Than more classes, followed by outside casting instruction around 2pm, and a class wrap up at 5pm (we ran over a bit!).
Kielbasa Hoagies for the win!
Johnny diving into the details
Mike getting in depth with dry flies
Maine guide and casting instructor Mike Jones imparting his casting knowledge
Johnny always putting in time with clients, even when class is not in session
Simplifying entomology
We focused on the basics of fly fishing, bug simplification, tactics, rigging, leader setup, breaking down water, safety, ethics, and so much more.
On Sunday we met for a second guide breakfast at the gallery. We gathered our thoughts and gear and headed to the river. Me, Johnny, and Mike split into three groups. I instructed on streamer fishing, Johnny on nymphing, and Mike dry fly. This gave us the ability to make the groups smaller and really dissect the nuances of each fly fishing tactic and give more hands on training. The ability to see the differences going from one group to the other was a huge benefit for the attendees! You could see their skills and understanding improve in the time we spent together!
I cannot say enough about the group we had! They were a group that were eager to learn, did not hesitate to ask questions, and formed a sense of camaraderie! I continue to be amazed at the people I meet through fly fishing. The close friends I have made simply by being part of this beautiful sport keeps growing. I am happy to say this group only increased that number! Thank you to the awesome Fly Fishing Weekend Group of 2026! You rock!