About Us
Dennis & Verlie Grant
** Certified Master Casting Instructors and Examiners
** Certified Two Handed Casting Instructors
** Federation of Fly Fishers Casting Board Of Governors Emeritis
** RECIPIENT OF 2013 IFFF Lifetime Achievement Award for Fly Casting Instruction
Verlie and Dennis started the Atlantic Fly Fishing School in 1993, and by the end of July 2014 taught over 3500 prospective fly fishers at their facility in Brookfield, Nova Scotia. They have made numerous trips to Newfoundland teaching fly casting and hosting fishing trips for couples to the Gander River.
“Dennis is a magician with a fly rod” — Lanny Waller (California TV personality)
Dennis completed the Federation of Fly Fishers – Certified Casting Instructor Course in Sufferin, New York 1994. In 1995 he became Canada’s 1st Master Certified Instructor in Livingston, Montana and in 2007 successfully completed the TWO HANDED CASTING INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION, becoming one of only a few Instructors world wide to hold all three FFF Certifications.
In 1999 Dennis was the second Canadian ever to be elected to the Federation of Fly Fishers Casting Board of Governors. The FFF Casting Board is made up of 25 of the top teachers in North America and Europe and is responsible for developing casting instructor certification criteria and programs. He has been a member of five FFF standing committees including; the Two Handed Casting Certification Committee, the FFF Continuing Education Committee, Strategic Planning and the Ethics Committee.
Dennis has presented casting workshop programs at nine FFF International Conclaves including Livingston, and West Yellowstone, Montana; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; and Loveland Colorado. His appointment to the continuing education committee has taken him to locations in Canada and the USA to provide upgrading for certified instructors.
Verlie began her fly fishing experiences in 1992 and completed the Certified Casting Instructors Course in 1996 when she became the first FFF Certified woman instructor east of the Rockies. She is an accomplished fly tier and teacher.
Dennis & Verlie have appeared on fly fishing television productions and have organized classes, seminars and demonstrations for fishing organizations in most Canadian Provinces, the USA and the United Kingdom. They have presented talks and video presentations on fly fishing in the Atlantic Provinces to groups as far south as Florida, and performed casting demonstrations for major rod companies at fly fishing shows including Toronto, Gatlinburg TN, and Boston Mass. In 2005 Dennis traveled to San Francisco to teach SPEY casting and is featured on “The Art of Spey Casting”, a DVD of 17 of the worlds best spey casters.
Dennis has contributed articles to fly fishing publications including the FFF ‘Loop’ a quarterly for instructors, also Atlantic Salmon Association and Trout Nova Scotia newsletters.
Each year Dennis and Verlie conduct classes for Licensed Fishing Guides in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Dennis has been a member of the Canadian National Committee on Fishing Guide Training and Certification since it’s inception. They also hold free casting clinics for Canada’s veterans under the program Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Canada (PHWFFC or Project Healing Waters Canada), serving military personnel who have been wounded, injured or disabled, to aid their physical and emotional recovery by introducing or rebuilding the skills of fly fishing and fly tying and by using and enjoying these skills on fishing outings and as lifelong recreation.
In the past (prior to Covid) Dennis & Verlie traveled to Scotland and Ireland conducting casting clinics, teaching seminars for casting instructors, and administering Federation of Fly Fishers Instructor Certifications.
PRO STAFF
Amundson Outdoor
TIBOR Reels (Worlds Finest Fly Reels)
Airflo Lines ECHO Fly Fishing Equipment
RIO Fly Lines
Our friends in tackle sales
Backcountry Sports, Penticton
Admundson Fly Equipment
Trout Waters, Kelowna