History
The American Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) started a certification program for fly fishing instructors in the early 1990s, but it was not very popular and not accepted in Europe because the requirements were too low. The different levels of fly fishing education in Europe and the USA had therefore made it necessary to develop an examination program for fly fishing instructors adapted to European conditions. The start of this resulted from a conversation between Günter Feuerstein and the then chairman of the Fly Casting Instructor Certification Program of the FFF, Tom Travis in Livingston, Montana in 1995.
Certification program
for Europe
After intensive discussions and preparations, the FFF-Europe Flycasting Instructor Certification Program (FFF-Europe FCICP) was founded in 1996 in partnership with the FFF based in the USA. The affiliation agreement stipulated that no American exams could be held in Europe and vice versa. The European examination program was to be able to act independently in all respects. Only a symbolic dollar per member went to the USA in order to be allowed to use the trademarks of the FFF.
However, an organization as a European association and thus a membership for ordinary fly fishers could not be realized, because according to the will of the American FFF in Europe it was only allowed to act autonomously in the area of the examination program (FFF-Europe FCICP). The FFF-Europe fly fishing instructor program developed steadily in the following years, instructors from 12 European countries had in the meantime completed the world's most demanding examination.
Become a member
You love fly fishing and want to spread the spirit of your passion among as many anglers as possible to make them part of our always growing family. We welcome you to become a member of the European Fly Fishing Association!
The termination of partnership with FFF
Today IFF
In 2006, the responsible persons of the FFF-Europe FCICP were informed that the American FFF now also wants to claim the European territory for itself and, after its takeover, to put the European instructors on an equal footing with their American colleagues who are certified according to much lower levels. In case of non-compliance, the European partners would be deprived of the right to use the FFF name and its insignia.
This means in plain language that according to the will of the Americans only examinations according to the American level would be allowed in Europe in the future and all the money collected for this, as well as the additionally demanded FFF full memberships and renewal fees for certificates would flow into the USA. Since the European instructors could neither support the loss of their independence nor supervision by the USA and also the adoption of the FFF levels as well as the transfer of European funds to the States was out of the question, the partnership with the FFF was terminated with overwhelming agreement of the FFF Europe instructors.
Double Hand Instructors Program
and Guide Program
In 2010, in addition to the already proven one-hand instructor program and the master program, the two-hand instructor program was completed and the first two-hand instructors were certified in St. Petersburg (RUS). The following year, in cooperation with Hedmark University College in Elverum (NOR), the certification program for fly fishing guides was launched, whose graduates now receive not "only" a guide certificate from EFFA but also a dipolem from Hedmark University.
Thus, for the first time, an international fly fishing organization can offer training in all relevant areas.
EFFA Open
International Fly Tying Championship
The organization is also active in the field of fly tying. With the EFFA Open, the international fly tying championship was launched in 2012, which is open to all fly tyers worldwide and each year crowns the best fly tyers in various categories.
