Dusty Wissmath on Teaching Fly Fishing, Travel, & Conservation | TCO Flycast Ep. 6 from TCO Flycast

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Dusty Wissmath on Teaching Fly Fishing, Travel, & Conservation | TCO Flycast Ep. 6

1 hour 40 minutes Posted Apr 13, 2026 at 6:09 pm.

Intro and guest introduction 00:01:15 Dusty’s background and early fishing in Missouri 00:02:10 Family influence and early fly fishing 00:02:31 Trips to Wyoming and Montana 00:03:38 College and wildlife biology path 00:04:40 Career shift into finance 00:05:15 Moving to East Africa for conservation work 00:06:24 Mountain gorilla research and tourism impact 00:08:20 Life working in Africa 00:09:32 Transition back to the U.S. and Pennsylvania 00:10:05 Starting a fly fishing school 00:12:08 Discovering a passion for teaching 00:13:09 Teaching beginners while guiding in Wyoming 00:14:31 Mentorship from Lefty Kreh and Joan Wulff 00:15:54 Why words matter in teaching casting 00:18:13 How to become a fly fishing instructor 00:19:26 Why you should never “throw” a cast 00:21:08 Teaching beginners vs experienced anglers 00:23:22 Casting is the easy part 00:24:25 Traveling and learning new fisheries 00:25:32 Hosting trips around the world 00:27:28 Building relationships in the industry 00:29:26 Why you shouldn’t wait to take a trip 00:32:00 Setting expectations with guides 00:33:14 Defining your goals on a fishing trip 00:34:20 Montana overview 00:41:39 Iceland overview 00:45:54 Patagonia overview 00:52:28 Belize overview 00:55:18 Couples trips and non-fishing activities 01:02:19 Dusty’s book and writing process 01:05:11 Making fly fishing more accessible 01:08:57 Choosing the right teacher 01:10:10 Conservation and fish handling

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Bill sits down with Dusty Wissmath to talk about teaching fly fishing, hosting trips around the world, and building a lifelong connection to the sport.From growing up in Missouri to working in East Africa and eventually building one of the most respected fly fishing education programs in the country, Dusty shares the path that shaped his perspective on teaching, conservation, and travel.This episode dives into casting mechanics, why the right words matter when teaching, how to approach bucket list trips like Patagonia and Belize, and why fly fishing should feel like an invitation rather than a barrier.Topics include:-How Dusty got started in fly fishing-Working in wildlife biology and conservation in Africa-Transitioning into teaching and building a fly fishing school-Why language and teaching style matter in casting-Becoming a fly fishing instructor-Hosted trips to Montana, Iceland, Patagonia, and Belize-How to choose the right destination and guide-The importance of setting goals on fishing trips-Conservation, fish handling, and catch and release-Writing a fly fishing book and making the sport more accessibleChapters:

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