You might be asking yourself, do I need a fly fishing lesson or do I simply want to hire a fly guide? The question is...do I want to go home with fish and a fun experience, or do I want to go home with a full understanding of how to fish so I can do it by myself next time? Here's a comparison of the two.
On a guided trip the guide does every thing except teach the client how to fly fish. He will select the fly, tie it on the tippet, tell you where to cast, and even set the hook. He will release the fish and repeat the process. The client will catch a lot of fish but when the day is over the client won't know any more about fly fishing on their own than when the day started.
A good comprehensive lesson will include detailed hands-on instruction on the HOW TO of everything fly fishing. How to assemble the equipment. How to cast. How to be on the water. How to select flies. How to read the water. You learn the facts, and then you practice. We also follow up the day with a question and answer session to discuss things you might not have asked on the water! And we end the day with a trip to the local fly shop to help the client get the equipment they need to make their fly fishing experience a good one.
There is a difference, and before you choose either a lesson or a guided trip, I hope you'll carefully consider what you're really hoping to accomplish.