I have a letter, dated April 14, 1978, that was addressed to Lee Wulff in New Hampshire. I sent that letter after I learned from Ed VanPut that the Wulffs were opening a fly fishing school on the upper Beaverkill River. In that letter, I asked Lee if the Wullfs would need an entomology instructor. 

A short time later, I received a response indicating that the Wulffs were interested and wished to meet. 

After we met, I received a call from Lee advising that I was hired, and would I write the entomology chapter for the school handbook? I did that, and it was incorporated with the text. 

The Wulff School of Fly Fishing began operation in May 1979. There were two schools each week. One ran from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, and the other from Sunday evening until Thursday afternoon. I taught the entomology class on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. (The weekday schools were eventually discontinued.)

When the school began, Ed Van Put, George Renner and I were the instructors, along with Joan and Lee. Students met at the schoolhouse on Friday and Sunday evenings for orientation and to get to know one another.  

Classes began on Saturday and Monday mornings, right at 8:30, with the introduction of the instructors. After that, Joan provided an overview of the course, then lectured on the basics of fly casting. 

During Joan’s lectures, Lee, Ed, George and I would hang out on the porch, waiting for Joan to finish her lecture, so the students could begin casting instruction. George would entertain us with an unending series of jokes, which often resulted in raucous laughter. More than once, Joan had to tell us to keep it down while she was teaching.

Both weekend and week schools followed the same format. Joan provided lectures about the different aspects of fly casting, beginning with the role cast, the basic cast, false cast, shooting line and advanced casting techniques. All casting lectures were followed by hands-on casting instruction. 

Casting was always followed by a non-casting session. On Saturday and Wednesday mornings after the second casting session, I led the students to the Beaverkill, where we discussed, collected and observed immature mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. 

After entomology, students returned to the classroom for knot tying. Three basic knots were taught: the improved clinch, double surgeon’s and the nail knot. 

After knots, it was off to the Bonnie View, which was just down the road, for lunch. 

After lunch, there was more casting instruction, followed by lectures with Ed and Lee about reading water, the impact of water temperature on trout biology, and about wading. Dinner followed. There were no formal evening sessions, but students could return to watch Lee tie flies or visit with instructors.

On Sunday and Thursday mornings, after more casting instruction, students donned waders and walked to the Beaverkill, where they were shown a variety of different fly fishing techniques. Those sessions at the river were broken into two groups. The afternoon of the last day was dedicated to more advanced casting instruction and videotaping. That’s when each student was filmed completing a series of different casting techniques, then evaluated. 

After I had taught the entomology session for a few years, Joan asked if I would assist with casting instruction. When I told her I was hesitant because I had never taught before, she explained that she would tutor me. Which she did. So while at the Wulff School, I not only became a good casting instructor, I finally learned how to fly cast, thanks to Joan.

We had up to 22 students in each school. And I can tell you as a long-time instructor that teaching fly casting is not an easy task. It’s especially difficult to correct old habits, especially with men who have learned to cast improperly.

I worked at the Wulff School about 12 years, during which time I met a lot of wonderful people, and really learned how to teach. Sometime during that period, Larry Rockefeller purchased the Bonnie View, renamed it the Beaverkill Valley Inn and upgraded the cuisine and accommodations.

Then, sadly, Lee died in 1991 while re-certifying his pilot’s license. Joan carried on for several more years before turning over management to her son, Doug. The last year that the Wulff School functioned under the management of the family was 2024. The school was sold to Charlie VanDercook and Paul Barnett in early 2025. The school will continue to operate under the Wulff name and on the Wulff property.

There’s a certain melancholy and sadness associated with penning a story like this. I spent a lot of time with the Wulffs.

Looking back, I remember very chilly spring mornings, teaching, then welcoming the warmth of the big fireplace at the Inn, waiting for lunch. Then after the last class, Joan would invite me up to the house, where we would snack on smoked salmon and talk about the school and fishing. So it’s just very sad to see the original Wulff School come to an end after 45 years. Lots of fond memories with Joan and Lee. We’re witnessing the end of an era.