I have to say... When I say OTF as the second post on the thread I was like, here we go... lakes and buggers.
On the real, fishing in a lake out of a toon stripping in wooly buggers would be a great way to have a first experience. You'd have an opportunity to work on your cast from the bank and from a sitting position with little to no brush in your backcast, you'd be able to cover a lot of water, and you would have an opportunity to catch fish.
That said, my suggestion is the same as MC's: go find yourself a smallish slowish stream, and learn to fly-fish somewhere that you can learn the mechanics of a drift. Casting into a lake is not a very responsive way to fish. A current gives you feedback, and provides a more interactive trip IMO.
Unfortunately I don't know the spots near P-town very well. I know there are places on the Clack where you could learn, but that likely are not ideal for a variety of reasons.
If you are coming down to Eugene anytime soon and want to fish, PM me. There are two holes in particular where I learned to fish that are simple to cast into, provide an excellent mix of hydraulics, and are near can't-miss when it comes to fishies.