Fly Casting Technique

[David Lee]

I think if the fly goes where you want it to go and you don't hurt yourself or anyone else while doing it, then I guess it is just fine.

There's a lot of truth in that .

BUT - what happens when you're "out" of it ?? I can (and do) bomb lead-core waaaaaay out there , also not half-bad in tight (I started flycasting on a Smallmouth stream you could spit across , goof up , and you're fishin' for birds) . But give me a floating 5 wt. line and tell me to hit 65 feet ...

It ain't gonna happen .

So ..... find a friend that has a FIRM grip on proper flycasting , or rent somebody that is FFF certified and learn the right way to do it . In the end , how many of us are REALLY happy w/ our casting ? Can you curve-cast a popper around and behind a brushpile ? Can you cast downstream and get 15 feet of slack before drag sets in ? When the Shad are at 90 feet , can you cover them ?? Are you "beat-up" after casting for 9 hours ??

None of this is pointed at anyone except myself , I know I'm drifting off-topic ... But why not stack the odds in YOUR favor ? I WILL work to learn the "right" way to do it , and maybe become a good caster someday . David

[Adam Grace]

Hey guys I believe good casting technique is important

Too many fly fishermen simply "get by" with their casting. I believe that casting is one of the most important aspects of fly fishing. If you cannot deliver the fly properly to the fish you will strugle to catch fish and maybe strugle to enjoy this sport. I fly fish to challenge myself, as well as many other fly fishermen that I have talked to.

In my mind casting is a great art The better your casting the better you can present the fly to the fish and hook up more often.

Some fly fishermen don't care about casting and "get by" and still catch fish, mostly indo-nymhers(don't want to offend). But there is a whole other side to the art of fly fishing. I hope you all get to experience the technical side which offers more rewards of self accomplishment in this great sport.

Experienced and accomplished instructors like Jeff Putnam offer a relatively inexpensive means to improve fly fishermen's skills. Jeff has helped me more than I probably relize. I am lucky to work with an instructor like Jeff and recieve the free casting instruction that he has offered me over the years.

Proper casting takes time along with the breaking of a few bad tchniques.

I truely feel that good casting makes the sport more enjoyable

[SullyTM]

Boy Howdy! Hitting a spot 65 feet upstream with a 5 wt.?! Not in my lifetime. At the local creek I frequent you can literally spit across the width of the water, unless I get in the water. Then I can actually cast some fly line. The good thing about this Forum is you never know who will offer opinions...Adam makes an excellent point about "getting by". I try not to take things to seriously when it come to fly fishing, however, "understanding" how to get better makes for a better day on the water for me. I too like to challenge myself...just how do you tie that bimini knot? Gotta go. Time to practice my curve cast...David's testing me later. Thanks.

[gryhackl]

Sully
I have a video format of Lefty's "Aids To Casting Instruction" on my
desktop which I'll be happy to email to you. It's like golf, in that once a few fundamentals are in place, it sort of just comes together for you.
Lefty's Aids illustrates a couple of these fundamentals and I'm sure
they'll help.
Tom

[Stevie J]

A great exercise to help become more effecient and thus use less energy and motion is to practice casting with just enough energy to keep the flyline in the air. Casting slowly,while maintaining a good loop, will teach us to trust the rod more, get our stops right and use our muscles less. We all use WAYYYY to much energy.