A year at The School of Trout

A collection of images from the world's finest fly fishing school

by Todd Tanner - Saturday, Mar 25th, 2023

Words: Todd Tanner. Images: Tim Romano and Jeremy Roberts.

There are days when I’m not convinced our society can tell the difference between a blessing and a curse. That said, I do think it’s easier for fly fishers to make that particular distinction — if only because we’re tied, however tenuously, to the real world; to nature.

We’re all tempted, of course, to shut our eyes and surrender to the momentum of American culture; to focus on the number of fish we just caught, or the size of that last big brown trout, or the shiny baubles of our sport — the rods and the reels and the flies. It’s the path of least resistance, and it requires far less effort on our part. At the end of the day, though, fly fishing offers possibilities beyond mere inertia. It's a direct conduit to the natural world; to those brief interludes of clarity and purpose that sparkle here and there amidst the insistent gloom of modernity.

Nature protects us and transforms us. Our time on the water is a shield against a culture grown numb and increasingly brittle. And beauty remains a balm for the soul.

One of the blessings — and it is truly a blessing — of running a small fly fishing school is that I get to work with several stellar professional photographers. Which means that I’m afforded an opportunity to see fly fishing, and nature in the raw, though their lenses as well as my own.

It becomes an obligation, then, to share images from our time together. Tim Romano and Jeremy Roberts are two of the very best, and their photos from their time at the School of Trout speak for themselves. My only hope is that you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.

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A blanket hatch of trout food — mayflies — on the Henry’s Fork, home to The School of Trout. (photo: Tim Romano)

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The Railroad Ranch is the spiritual center of western fly fishing. The old ranch buildings date back to the days when the Harriman and Guggenheim families entertained the rich & famous on the banks of the Henry’s Fork. (photo: Tim Romano)

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John Juracek, who is known far and wide as the finest casting instructor on the planet, shares his wisdom with the Tao of Trout class on a late September morning. (photo: Tim Romano)

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Casting is an integral part of fly fishing, and the lawn overlooking the Railroad Ranch stretch of the Henry’s Fork is the perfect place to master the requisite skills. (photo: Tim Romano)

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School of Trout instructor Brant Oswald, who has decades of experience as an angler, a guide and a fly fishing instructor, delves into the finer points of dry fly construction. (photo: Tim Romano)

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It’s not always about the fishing. Our time on the water is a sublime way of connecting with the entirety of the natural world. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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The world-famous Millionaire’s pool, where wild rainbows rise to mayflies and caddis, also offers a view of the majestic Tetons. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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A School of Trout instructor demonstrates a specific nymphing technique. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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Under a master’s tutelage —in this case, School of Trout instructor Tom Rosenbauer — students learn that fly casting is both an essential skill and a doorway to grace. (photo: Tim Romano)

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While spring creek fishing is incredibly enjoyable, it also demands focus and awareness. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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The Box Canyon on the Henry’s Fork can be one of the world’s most enlightening classrooms. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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The distant Tetons, which lie just south of Yellowstone National Park on the Idaho/Wyoming border, arise from the early morning darkness. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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Sight shouldn’t hold a monopoly on our angling. School of Trout instructor Pat McCabe demonstrates the benefits of feeling the rod load while casting blindfolded. (photo: Tim Romano)

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Golden aspen leaves frame instructor Tom Rosenbauer as he wraps up an on-the-water demonstration at the Tao of Trout class. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)

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Head fly casting instructor John Juracek demonstrates the importance of stealth and accurate casting at the 2022 Spring Creek class in Oregon. (photo: Jeremy Roberts)