Fly-Fishing Lessons
Everybody starts somewhere. Our lessons take you from “never held a fly rod” to casting, reading water, and hooking your first trout — patient, hands-on, and taught on real water near Boone. All gear provided.
Lessons & Rates
Taught on real water near Todd and Boone — not a parking-lot casting drill. Every lesson is private and paced to you.
Fly-Fishing Lesson (3 hours)
$125 / person
Three hours of hands-on instruction: the casting stroke, knots and rigging, and how to read moving water. Rods, reels, and flies provided.
Quick-Start Essentials
$350 / person
$450 for two
Our most popular start: a lesson and a guided wade trip together, so you learn the fundamentals and then catch fish with them the same day.
Ready to fish once you've got the basics? See our guided wade trips, or try something different with Tenkara.
What You'll Learn
- A simple, repeatable casting stroke
- Essential knots and how to rig your line
- Reading water — where trout actually hold
- Choosing a fly and presenting it well
- Hooking, playing, and releasing a fish
- On-stream etiquette and safety
Who It's For
Complete beginners
Never held a fly rod? This is exactly where to start.
Kids & families
A patient, encouraging first lesson the whole family can share.
Visitors to the High Country
Learn a new skill on one of the oldest rivers on Earth.
Anglers leveling up
Sharpen your cast, your drift, and your water-reading.
Your Instructors
Barefoot Guides is a locally-owned outfit in Todd, just north of Boone. Owner and lead guide Jim Stein and veteran High Country guide Kelly McKoy teach every lesson themselves — patient, unhurried, and genuinely happy to start you at the very beginning.
Common Questions
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Our lessons are built for first-timers — we start with how to hold the rod and go from there.
Do you provide the gear?
Yes — rods, reels, flies, and everything else are included. Just bring weather-appropriate clothes.
Do I need a fishing license?
If we fish during the lesson, North Carolina requires a license for anglers 16 and older. We'll tell you exactly which one to get.
Where are the lessons held?
On real water near Todd, a short drive north of Boone — we'll share the meeting spot when you book.
Is it good for kids?
Absolutely. Kids do great with a patient one-on-one lesson, and it's a wonderful thing to learn together.
What's the difference between a lesson and the Quick-Start?
A lesson is three focused hours of instruction. Quick-Start Essentials adds a guided wade trip afterward, so you put the lesson to work catching fish the same day.