David Brenna

David has been a fly fisherman for over 55 years. He started with a bamboo rod when he was 12, and is self taught. David’s passion for fly fishing was supported by an English teacher introducing him to panfish on a fly at a local lake.

David is a member of Fly Fishers International, recognized for casting certification and the contributions of Lee and Joan Wulff. His primary passion is fishing dry flies for trout and has explored many rivers and streams in the Pacific Northwest. 

David’s wife, Martha, is a dry fly fisher as well. David taught her to fly fish and in her twenty years of fishing Martha has advanced steadily. Every year the two road-trip to Kelly Creek, in Idaho, for world class fly fishing and all around enjoying the outdoors. Together they have fished numerous trout waters in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Alaska.

David’s goal with his Casting Academy is to provide the fundamentals of the “single hand cast,” teach the art of tying flies, and inspire the confidence and impart the skills necessary to catch fish.

David Brenna is a lifelong fly fisherman. He picked up a fly rod at age 12 in 1961 and began learning. In those years, while there was a rich history of fly fishing literature, it was far from readily available. David is self-taught, searching libraries for information that would help him understand the sport of fly fishing. In his Memoires, found in DryFlyPro.substack.com, you can learn about his committed self-education of the fine art of fly fishing. Along the way, David became an expert caster and instructor, fly tyer and avid dry fly fisherman, primarily fishing stream trout, from Wisconsin to Alaska.

His career was in policy: working for Legislators and Governors for over 45 years. He’s retired and is now dedicated to bringing his expertise to the new and fast growing population of new fly fishers.