Flycasting Skills: for beginner and expert

John Symonds is a keen fly-fisherman and fishes for salmon, trout and grayling in the Wye and Usk catchments as well as the Welsh borderlands. He decided to become a certified casting instructor and guide as a retirement occupation and has successfully qualified to Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors (APGAI) single- and double-handed levels, and is an International Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Two-Handed Casting Instructor (THCI). John’s other interests include photography and graphic design. He lives in Hereford.

Philip Maher grew up by the River Suir at Ballycamus, Ireland, where he mastered the art of dry fly fishing for wild brown trout on slow-moving water, where presentation and accuracy are essential. Philip's skills were apparent from an early age. He won the first of many Munster Juvenile River Championships at the age of 8, going on to win All-Ireland Senior in 1995 at the age of 20. He was Captain of the Irish Team in the 1996 World Championships in the Czech Republic, finishing top Irish rod.

Already a proficient angler, Philip sought to understand more fully the mechanics and techniques of casting. He took the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) exams, passing both his Certified and Masters Fly Casting Instructor qualifications in one weekend. Subsequently he passed both his salmon and trout Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors (APGAI) exams.

Philip now lives in Canada.