The Fly Cast

[dougm]

If you folks have questions about the fly cast, I will be happy to help.

[Fish Bones]

Hello Doug:

Thanks for that kind offer and thanks for participating in this forum.

Btw folks… we are certainly fortunate to have Doug Macnair to offer casting help. Doug has a ton of experience in teaching fly fishing and casting. He has taught countless newbies how cast and has shown some self-proclaimed experts how to troubleshoot and fine tuner their cast.

Doug Macnair is an "is-was" who has made several transitions during his time on planet Earth. He is an advocate of fly fishing as a way to enjoy life the way God intended, appreciating the beauty of His works. Having made a career in the U. S. Army, Doug has been many other things to other people, sometimes thought of as "good," sometimes as "bad." Along the way, he authored a number of articles and a book or two for the government. Unfortunately, the majority of his published works have little to do with fly fishing. However, his first love remains the gentle art of fly fishing. Fascinated with the fly cast in his early years, he remains to this day a student of the art of the fly cast–studying, learning and exploring its dimensions. He is the author of Fly Fishing Texas: A Guide to Fishing Texas Waters©; Fly Fishing for the Rest of Us©, a "how-to-do-it-manual" now in draft; and the editor of The Wright Hatch©, a pocket-sized book covering the hatches on 32 of Vermont’s best rivers and streams.

Doug’s first love is teaching others the art of fly fishing - especially the cast - focusing on either the inexperienced fly fisher new to the sport or the experienced fly fisher looking to improve his or her skills. As a close second, trying, field-testing, and evaluating new products is his next most favorite pastime. Watch for his timely updates on recent product developments thought to be of advantage to fly fishers.

Doug will try to respond to your casting questions on this forum so ask-a-way!!!

[Gordon Bryson]

Doug, when are you going to be in Tyler again? Sure enjoyed your presentation at LSFF last year and hope Steve and Tim have persuaded you to come again.

[Bahama Momma]

Doug:

I've been having trouble with tailing loops. I can't seem to get rid of them. I've read some casting books but still have trouble. Any advice?
:shock:

[dougm]

Originally Posted by Gordon Bryson

Doug, when are you going to be in Tyler again? Sure enjoyed your presentation at LSFF last year and hope Steve and Tim have persuaded you to come again.

[/quote]Hi Gordon,

Thank you for the nice words. Steve and I have exchanged words regarding a return visit sometime this Spring ...

Doug

[dougm]

Originally Posted by Bahama Momma

Doug:

I've been having trouble with tailing loops. I can't seem to get rid of them. I've read some casting books but still have trouble. Any advice?
:shock:

The nightmare of every fly fisher ... and a great way to tie ittsy-bitsy knots in the tippet. Over the years I've heard all sorts of reasons for the tailing loop; most are wrong ... at least nine times out of ten. Typically, the problem stems to the transition from the backcast into the forward cast. You must be very careful not to accelerate too quickly into the forward cast. If you do, the sudden sudden surge of power will travel down the line to the tippet and "jerk" the fly. Try watching your line in the backcast and at the end allow your line to straighten. Think smoooooth as you move into the forward cast.

Doug

[DAVY WOTTON]

Doug,
I would like to add a few comments further to that you wrote. Yes, l more or less aggree with what you have to say, and you and l both know that you need the student at hand to be able to correct that problem.
When l started fly fishing, bamboo and to some extent fiber glass were the materials used. Bamboo rods do require a much slower casting stroke, load the road and let it do the work for you, unlike of course the modern day fast action grahite rod. tailing loops were in my view less common in those days.

I had a student at one time that was able to form knots in the fly line way back from the leader connection, he had the most unreal way in which he rotated his arm, we got him on the right track eventually, AFTER SOME SURGERY, just kidding.

For sure watch the track of your fly line, that is what causes the problem, via what you transmit by energy and rod handling control.
I have also found in some circumstances that changing the rod, by definition of the action has helped many students. ie a fast action to a more moderate flex.

I would also add that if there is not a good configuration of flyline to leader to fly relationship this also can create problems. Typically a heavy weight fly attached to a light leader scenario, being one of those. or a light weight fly line and a heavy weight fly. You need a balance through out the configuration of those.
Wind of course is another issue.


My advice to any of you guys out there is go and get good casting intruction before you develope inherent faults that become ingrained, they are the devil to correct , it is like riding a bike, you do not think about what you have to do to make it move, pedal it, second nature.
Same also for fly casting. Its not what you do it is how you do it !!!. :cry: :lol: