• I am a retired first responder looking to refind my soul a little and fly fishing seemed like it would be a good fit, but the language and the equipment was all a little intimidating for someone who hadn't been fishing since I was a kid and if you caught it you had to eat it - so I quickly learned how to stop catching it. I'd looked into several intro to flyfishing options in my area and I as so appreciative that I found Bill Bishop. As I mentioned, I felt pretty clueless but Bill is so relaxed that I quickly felt at ease with him and was able to just absorb all that he had to teach me, which is everything I need to know to get started. He has even offered to take a trip to Cabelas to help me get set up with I need and more importantly what I don't. I would highly recommend Bill to beginners. I enjoyed every minute of learning with Bish =)
    Tina L.
  • I wanted to send you a message Bill, thanking you for taking your time, to share your knowledge, advice and patience with me.

    Your teaching diagrams, illustrations and models, along with your explanations, made it super easy to understand.

    I especially enjoyed the casting instruction in the river, after the quick lessons in your yard. Showing me how to read the river, identifying locations where trout "hang out", and casting techniques to reach those spots, was pretty exciting. Never thought I'd understand the entomology of insects, but I have a better understanding now, especially after seeing the visual aides you provided.

    Thank you again, Bill.
    Jim C.
  • Bill was very skilled in addressing casting basics, with an emphasis on form...this made it easy to understand and practice for a beginner like me.

    His ‘five essentials’ for fly casting simplifies the movements and gave me confidence, he has deep knowledge from his many years of fly fishing and shares tips… point your shot- fly line and fly follow the rod tip.

    His instruction is for anyone who’s between beginner to Intermediate level. If you know quite a bit about fly fishing but want to improve your knowledge and skills- his instruction is for you!
    Casey
  • I moved to the Treasure Valley last summer (2020) and went immediately to a local sports store where I met Bill Bishop. We struck up a conversation, of course on fly fishing, in which I had not done so since 1986. Being a little rusty he found out, he offered me a 1/2 day lesson. I met with him at his home and I learned about entomology, how to read the river, how to tie knots, about flies and how to cast in a hands-on atmosphere. After practicing in his front yard we then went down to the river behind his house to wet my line. I have to say it was one of the most educational and enjoyable days of my life. Bill loves sharing his expertise on fly fishing and has a great instructional skill. Whether you are a beginner or a little rusty, I highly recommend Bill Bishop to get you up and fishing.

    Thanks Bill, see you in the river!
    David
  • I first met Bill Bishop at a local Boise fly shop about 6 years ago. Since then he has helped me with expert fly-fishing advice, and in the selection of fishing equipment. I FIRST went fly-fishing (one time) in 1993. Then, began again on a regular basis in 2009. In 2001 I decided to improve my fly-fishing skills so I took one of Bill's fly-fishing classes in June.

    As an educator/trainer in many venues myself, I really liked his varied classroom and experiential, outdoor, practical-application, practice sessions. The class begins at his dining room table with gear terminology (examples of the 3 main types of flies), then moves through insect entomology (development), and fish "food" (what fish feed on, where, and when). Next are fishing knots (terminology and tying 4 basic ones at the table). Bill also includes "visual aids" in the form of a diorama he built, and several charts which ALMOST make the entomology section COME ALIVE! The "classroom" session is very laid back, with ample opportunities for questions and answers.

    The outdoor sessions begin with basic practice casting on the lawn with a yarn "fly". Then, after 30 minutes or so, the students move down to the Boise River to practice 3 types of casting (for real) in the water. This is first done with yarn, then actual flies. Whether a beginner, or novice, this stepped approach- allows the student to gradually acquire/improve on the basic skills of fly-fishing with confidence. ALL the practice sessions but especially the outdoor casting ones allow Mr. Bishop to give progressive feedback, constructive criticism, and praise for a "job well done"!

    I highly recommend the "Fish with Bish" class for beginners, novices, or anyone who'd like to "hone" their fly-fishing skills.
    Bob M.
  • Not long ago my brother came to town and I suggested we take a lesson from Bill just for the experience, thinking there wasn't much he could teach us we didn't already know. Wow were we wrong!

    We sat at Bill's kitchen table and he went over equipment, knots (I had never been able to tie a duncan loop, after showing us his method I can now tie it with confidence and it only takes a few seconds), insect entomology (very, very good information. I learned a lot I didn't know during this session) and much more. After the classroom session we went outside and practiced fly casting. I was shown a few subtle things to change and he had me casting more smoothly with a bit extra distance in no time. Did I mention Bill lives on the Boise River? We then went to the river where we were taught roll casting techniques.

    All in all I was amazed what "an accomplished" fly fisher could gain from a lesson designed to teach basic fly fishing.

    Best four hours I've spent in a long time while not actually on a river casting for that hungry trout.

    I would encourage anyone, either new to the sport or experienced, to take the opportunity to learn from Bill.
    Jim P.