Fly Hitting Rod

[noahb2710]

I've been practicing a good amount the last month, and I think I'm getting better...most days. The last week though I've had a problem with both hitting my rod with my fly, and getting my leader all tangled up (these two aren't necessarily always together or a result of the other when they occur). I read on another thread about this that it means my loops are tight, but my rod tip isn't moving planes. My loops haven't been very tight usually though. Is this just inconsistency? And how can I fix this?

 

[silver creek]

You are casting tailing loops.

Search on Google using our forum as the search parameter plus the subject. Just like this:

https://www.google.com/#q=theflyfishingforum.com+tailing+loops+site:www.theflyfishingforum.com

Read away and ask questions if you want a specific explanation. But do you homework first.

A cure is the oval or Belgian cast

https://www.google.com/#q=theflyfis...tailing+loops+site:www.theflyfishingforum.com

This image shows Jason Borger casting a pronounced tailing loop.

Note the red line fly line path drawn in.

Note how the rod tip path is NOT a straight line. It dips early and then goes finally goes back up as the rod straightens. You are most likely starting your casting stroke too fast. This is called shocking the rod. Start slow and finish fast. Smooth acceleration with a hard stop is what you are after. The fastest acceleration occurs just BEFORE the stop.


Here is a good article for you to read:

Fly Casting: Overcoming the Tailing Loop - Fly Fisherman

 

[randyflycaster]

I had the same problem. I'm not sure what casting style you are using. If you're casting a la Joan Wulff, try not to pull your casting elbow back and forth. During the casting stroke your elbow will move back and forth, but mostly because of your body rotation.

Randy

 

[weiliwen]

Buy a cheap rod, then you won't cry if you break your rod by a big dumbbell streamer hitting it on the forward cast!

 

[ia_trouter]

Buy a cheap rod, then you won't cry if you break your rod by a big dumbbell streamer hitting it on the forward cast!

I'd lay off the heavily weighted flies until he figures it out. I somehow managed to go months before I whacked a fly rod for the first time. I suddenly understood just how easily I could shorten a fly rod if I did that very often.

 

[fredaevans]

I had the same problem. I'm not sure what casting style you are using. If you're casting a la Joan Wulff, try not to pull your casting elbow back and forth. During the casting stroke your elbow will move back and forth, but mostly because of your body rotation.

Randy

"Bang On" if your casting with a 2hander. Rod tip streight up/down on the forward cast, you are just looking for a busted rod with a weighted fly. That little lesson cost me my first 2hander ... :stretcher

 

[fishing hobo]

You are casting tailing loops.

Search on Google using our forum as the search parameter plus the subject. Just like this:

https://www.google.com/#q=theflyfishingforum.com+tailing+loops+site:www.theflyfishingforum.com

Read away and ask questions if you want a specific explanation. But do you homework first.

A cure is the oval or Belgian cast

https://www.google.com/#q=theflyfis...tailing+loops+site:www.theflyfishingforum.com

This image shows Jason Borger casting a pronounced tailing loop.

Note the red line fly line path drawn in.

Note how the rod tip path is NOT a straight line. It dips early and then goes finally goes back up as the rod straightens. You are most likely starting your casting stroke too fast. This is called shocking the rod. Start slow and finish fast. Smooth acceleration with a hard stop is what you are after. The fastest acceleration occurs just BEFORE the stop.


Here is a good article for you to read:

Fly Casting: Overcoming the Tailing Loop - Fly Fisherman

Silver, would it not be better if the young lad understood the basic overhead cast rather than introduce something else like the oval cast? He needs to sort out the basics 1st I think. I keep hammering on about getting a casting lesson by a pro for a reason, they will teach you the correct way. I spent over a year doing things my own way and so many things I was carrying out incorrectly. So much easier to be told the correct way, even then it took me time to absorb the teaching.

Learn to use the pulling motion and not pushing the rod back and forth. Would the OP understand this without a clear explanation?

I'm trying to explain the understanding gained based on my own experience so don't shoot me!

 

[don_p]

[ame]https://youtu.be/qCVvQKSdg4k[/ame]

 

[fishing hobo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfKpOJQDu9I

One of your top guys from USA :bowdown: demonstrates the pulling motion. I like watching Pete Kutzer's videos but I think Mr Korich's video is probably more useful to understand what I was saying.

OP, Just like to add that this cast will pull the rod leg under the fly leg and make it more difficult to tail but you still have to apply the power smoothly and not abruptly as Peter Kutzer's video shows.

 

[silver creek]

Silver, would it not be better if the young lad understood the basic overhead cast rather than introduce something else like the oval cast? He needs to sort out the basics 1st I think. I keep hammering on about getting a casting lesson by a pro for a reason, they will teach you the correct way. I spent over a year doing things my own way and so many things I was carrying out incorrectly. So much easier to be told the correct way, even then it took me time to absorb the teaching.

Learn to use the pulling motion and not pushing the rod back and forth. Would the OP understand this without a clear explanation?

I'm trying to explain the understanding gained based on my own experience so don't shoot me!

Of course, you are correct.

I added the oval cast comment to my original post after I read the post about heavy flies. The oval cast is away of keeping heavy flies away from the rod. I should have put that in a separate post.

I do agree that the original poster needs to get the basics down first.

 

[wjc]

Noah,

Here are the 5 basic essentials of fly casting in 5 videos of just a few minutes apiece, all in order and all on the same page.

I would watch them all in order (and probably several times) to make sure you understand what he's saying.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkh9mcCaQkg&index=1&list=PLsAamPhXiLq_o9rCKA-SIqaZf-RX52iQJ


After you've watched them - go to this series and watch them all, also in order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB9eJnh-NgU&index=1&list=PLsAamPhXiLq-tqw2toKk8iSH7aC5vB_wA

In addition to giving you an idea of what you should be doing, they will give you an idea of how you can analyse what you are doing wrong and how to correct it/them. If you follow his instruction plan and put in your rod handle time in an organized manner, you will notice considerable improvement in a relatively short period of time.

 

[roadglideguy]

for me it happens if I am not tracking corretly or have not anticipated a wind change!

 

[randyflycaster]

Many years ago I interviewed several excellent long-distance fly casters. They told me they watch their back casts unroll, then begin their forward cast just before their cast unrolls. (The loop will be in the shape of a candy cane.) If you let your back cast unroll a split second too long you will add slack to the line and it will start to fall. Also, if you're casting a fly with any weight, the line, after it unrolls, will bounce and you'll again add slack to the line. This defect is made worse when we execute our back cast with too much force.

With both of these casting defects the fly will hit the rod probably well below the tip. If the fly hits the tip you're lowering the tip from the target line.

Yes, if you're making short casts with light flies you can let your back cast completely unroll.

Randy