Beginner casting question

[samanich]

If this has already been asked many times, forgive me, but there's something I don't understand (actually, two questions).


When making your initial cast on still water, I have been making a bow and arrow cast just to get the line out and then just making like 5 false casts to get distance on the cast and get my fly out of the shallows. Is this the way it is supposed to be done?

Then, the second thing I don't understand is: do you have to do this every time? Because you cast the fly out, strip it back in, then you barely have any line out once again. So, do you start all over, making your series of false casts?

In all, I feel like a bull in a china shop with my casts (false casts accidentally hitting the water, etc.) so I think it will be a lot more work before I actually am able to catch a fish.

 

[dwlemen]

Samanich,

Good day! I too would consider myself a beginner, but I have been reading (and practicing) some and will attempt to pass along what I have learned.

The general recommendation I keep seeing is to minimize false casting. Catch more fish with the fly in the water, and you increase the odds of catching a tree, etc. on the back cast, or "wind knots", or whatever, the more you do. The trick seems to be, that only with practice, can you run a lot of line out with a single cast. So, until you (and I) get good enough to run enough out, we have to do it in bits.

Orvis has some great "how to" videos on casting. How To Fly Fish For Trout, Bass & More | Learn Fly Fishing With Orvis I have watched all the basic ones multiple times, sometimes on my phone right before starting to practice casting.

Good luck.

Peace,

-Dave

 

[pnc]

Shooting line is how this is refered to. Using a weight forward line will be easiest to begin with.
For the most part I never strip line all the way back. Usually fly is worked in what is percieved as a fishes strike zone. Or worked through a cut or the like , then lifted and recast. Keeping fly where it counts.
Only practice makes for better casting. And only practice keeps it sharp when you get there.
Take a look at , Lefty Kreh's videos on casting. Think they might help.

....... pc

 

[karstopo]

One advantage fly casting potentially has on the others is that one doesn't have to strip or reel in all or even most of the line to cast again. There are so many places and fish that people go after, but I know when I'm fishing out of a jon boat out on the lake I can position the boat to where I'm casting to the structure, make a few strips and pauses in the zone with fish, pick up the line off the water and repeat. Ideally, I'm covering more fish holding water than I could with conventional tackle. I might pick up 30 feet or more of line to make the next forward cast. So the line is in front of me in an amount that's close to what I need for the next cast, the water tugging on the line loads the rod as I pick it up off the water with a backwards motion of the rod. Naturally, the line follows the rod tip and loops behind me and then I move the rod forward after an abrupt stop of the backwards motion and then the line loops forward to the target.

To get the line out initially, I just make a roll type cast out in front of me and sling out enough to commence to fishing.

When I sight fish, I have some line peeled off the reel at my feet (boat or kayak) and some past the rod tip. The amounts vary depending on the situation. Ideally, I want enough line past the rod tip to load well for a single, zero or one false cast shot at the fish and enough line at my feet to cover the expected distance of the shot. Say the shot misses, I make one or two strips and fire again in short order. No pulling in almost all of the line.

Fly fishing is very efficient for covering water and also in sight fishing if you leave most of the line out between casts, whatever type of casting you might need to do. One just can't do that with spinning or bait-casting gear. I will make a few false casts if I'm really trying to thread the needle through, around or under tough cover. Here again. fly gear wins over the others as it can be made to cast beyond obstacles in a non-straight line. Fly casting lets one get deeper into some types of cover, under a dock is an example. The idea is to best position yourself if you wade, fish from shore, or are in some type of craft to maximize the advantages of fly fishing. I've seen people set up too far from the target or structure and that lowers accuracy and also requires more stripping in of line before one can pick up the line off the water. Sometimes, you can't reposition fishing from a shoreline or the options get limited when wading around deeper water, but if you can move to a better position, do it.

 

[dennyk]

The Orvis casting videos are a very good suggestion. I think they would be very good place for you to learn the basics.

Like it has been mentioned, your ability will improve with practice.

Denny

 

[silver creek]

If this has already been asked many times, forgive me, but there's something I don't understand (actually, two questions).


When making your initial cast on still water, I have been making a bow and arrow cast just to get the line out and then just making like 5 false casts to get distance on the cast and get my fly out of the shallows. Is this the way it is supposed to be done?

Work on these skills: Dynamic roll cast, roll cast pickup, shooting line, double hauling.

Here is why:

I will get line out of the rod tip onto the water. Instead of a bow and arrow cast make a dynamic roll cast with a haul to aerialize the line, then I shoot line into my backcast and forward cast using double hauls.

With a normal roll cast you lift the rod and let the line hang behind you. If you have room behind you, you can do a dynamic roll cast in which you bring the line behind or behind and to the side of you and then cast without stopping. The momentum of the fly line going back, helps load the rod for the forward cast and you can cast further on the roll cast. If you haul on the roll cast, you will be able to cast even further.

You can let the line down and then do a pickup to go into false casts or in my case, I do double hauls on my forward and back cast and shoot line into the cast. You will need to learn the double haul, and then learn to shoot line into the forward cast. Then learn to shoot line into the back cast. Then shoot line on both the backcast and forward cast if you really need to cast far or shoot only into the forward cast.

YouTube

YouTube

YouTube

Then, the second thing I don't understand is: do you have to do this every time? Because you cast the fly out, strip it back in, then you barely have any line out once again. So, do you start all over, making your series of false casts?

Usually, there is a certain area on the still water you are targeting. Once you have fished that area, you do not need to bring the line all the way back in. Do a roll cast pickup and shoot line to cast back to the target area.

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4BO0Jl5ZC8

 

[pnc]

D'oi...... just hit me. Saw Sarasota. Should you have the time or inclination. The SFF, Suncoast Fly Fishers will be meeting in two weeks. At the Walter Fuller recreation facility in St Pete. We meet the third Thursday of every month here. Meetings start at 7pm. Casting help at 6pm. MCI's , CCI's always at meetings. And 40-50 others that will have you shooting line in 10 minutes ! It's easy once you know how.
I believe there is a club near you but don't know the name. As far as clubs go. The SFF,. is known to be the friendliest. And is the biggest in state. We have members that drive for hours to attend meetings & outings. Forsaking clubs much closer. Don't think every other club in the state. Combined , can match the experience and competance levels found with the SFF.

....... pc

 

[bumble54]

As a beginner, have you had any lessons/instruction to guide you through your first steps.
The basic principles of the cast remain the same no matter how much line you have outside the rod tip, of course it's a damn sight more difficult if you only have a few feet to work with.
As the line gets shorter, start to raise the rod tip, you should aim to have between one and two rod lengths of line out, you then execute a roll/flick forward cast to lift the line into the air in readiness for the back cast, don't try to start the back cast on too short a line, it will not go well, get the line into the air in front of you. If a fish should take on the short line as you raise the rod, just complete the roll/flick and the fish will be hooked. Do everything smoothly, no need for power, learn how to feed line into the back cast, this will cut down on false casting. in all honesty there is only one real "short cut" to better casting and that is lessons from a professional instructor, worth their weight in gold IMHO.

 

[samanich]

Thank you everyone for all the words of advice!

Work on these skills: Dynamic roll cast, roll cast pickup, shooting line, double hauling.

Here is why:

I will get line out of the rod tip onto the water. Instead of a bow and arrow cast make a dynamic roll cast with a haul to aerialize the line, then I shoot line into my backcast and forward cast using double hauls.

With a normal roll cast you lift the rod and let the line hang behind you. If you have room behind you, you can do a dynamic roll cast in which you bring the line behind or behind and to the side of you and then cast without stopping. The momentum of the fly line going back, helps load the rod for the forward cast and you can cast further on the roll cast. If you haul on the roll cast, you will be able to cast even further.

You can let the line down and then do a pickup to go into false casts or in my case, I do double hauls on my forward and back cast and shoot line into the cast. You will need to learn the double haul, and then learn to shoot line into the forward cast. Then learn to shoot line into the back cast. Then shoot line on both the backcast and forward cast if you really need to cast far or shoot only into the forward cast.

This made it pretty obvious to me that I don't know much about fly fishing because it took me a good 3 times of reading this before I got an idea of what you were saying. Those videos definitely helped.

D'oi...... just hit me. Saw Sarasota. Should you have the time or inclination. The SFF, Suncoast Fly Fishers will be meeting in two weeks. At the Walter Fuller recreation facility in St Pete. We meet the third Thursday of every month here. Meetings start at 7pm. Casting help at 6pm. MCI's , CCI's always at meetings. And 40-50 others that will have you shooting line in 10 minutes ! It's easy once you know how.
I believe there is a club near you but don't know the name. As far as clubs go. The SFF,. is known to be the friendliest. And is the biggest in state. We have members that drive for hours to attend meetings & outings. Forsaking clubs much closer. Don't think every other club in the state. Combined , can match the experience and competance levels found with the SFF.

....... pc

I think I'll try to make it to that, because my casting really needs help and I feel like watching videos on it can only do so much. It would be much more useful to have someone there point out all the things I'm doing wrong. Plus the prospect of having me shooting line in 10 minutes is a hook... How long do the meetings usually last?

Also, what are MCIs and CCIs?

As a beginner, have you had any lessons/instruction to guide you through your first steps.

No, I've been trying to learn from youtube videos and the two fly fishing books I have. All of which are useful, but definitely don't match having a live teacher. No one I'm close to in the area is a fly fisherman. One of my professors in college was, and it makes me wish I had gotten some lessons from him at the time.

 

[samanich]

pnc... just checked and I'm off work that day... I'm in!

 

[pnc]

SFF meetings start at 7pm , some last till 9 pm. But not usually. Depends on agenda, speakers, other things.
MCI's , CCI's are master & certified casting instructors. Casting before meetings from 6pm til 7pm. There are also scheduled casting clinics several times a month free to all members.
If you check the Suncoast Fly Fishers web site. There are schedules under calendar agendas.

....... pc

 

[kevind62]

As you probably figured by now, this was a loaded question. There will be at minimum, 10 suggestions for every casting situation. And there are a myriad of casting situations dependent on the water you're fishing.

When I'm on the water I like to watch people cast just to see what kind of technique/style they're using and how each one does it. You'll notice that no two are exactly alike in the same technique. Find one that fits your mechanics, is easy for you and works for you in a given situation.

As pnc mentioned, keeping your fly in the "strike zone" is important. Though, this "strike zone" has as many variations as there are rivers in the US. It can be anywhere from a 3 - 5 ft area to 40+ yards long and half the width of the river. Don't be overly concerned with the "keep your fly in the water" theory. Granted, you'll likely not catch any fish while your fly is "flying" through the air, but in reality it's only out of the water for 3 - 5 seconds tops with false casts. Sometimes it's just as quick or quicker to whip your line forward make 1 or 2 false casts than it is to work up in to one of the more complex casting techniques.

If you're making 10 - 20 or more false casts to get your fly back where you want it, or get it out to where you want it on your first cast on the water then you probably need to seek some professional help to figure out what you're doing wrong. Reading books and articles, and watching videos are all great, but nothing beats good ol' hands on teaching. My nephew recently just got in to fly fishing. Set him up with a nice, inexpensive, quality rig. Gave him several pointers and explained things to him as best I could over the phone (he lives in SC and I live in AL). He watched several videos on youtube, and read some articles. Practiced as often as he could in his yard and at a pond. Went fishing on a river close to his house a couple times and calls me frustrated. "Man, I don't know about this fly fishing thing." Scheduled a trip with him. Got him on the water and watched him. Big loops in his line and flies wadded up in a bird nest about every third cast. Stood behind him and took him by the wrist and made him let me cast with his hand so he could "feel" what I was trying to say. Took only two casts and he's like "Oh!!! Now I see!" He was off and running after that and never let up. Had a great day on the water and he landed several fish. One bow just over 20". He was pretty excited and his frustration was a distant memory.

So in short, try several different styles for as many situations as you think you'll encounter. Find one that works for you. Also, don't be afraid to make a "hybrid" out of a casting technique. Adjust any technique you learn to fit your body mechanics.

 

[fishing hobo]

SFF meetings start at 7pm , some last till 9 pm. But not usually. Depends on agenda, speakers, other things.
MCI's , CCI's are master & certified casting instructors. Casting before meetings from 6pm til 7pm. There are also scheduled casting clinics several times a month free to all members.
If you check the Suncoast Fly Fishers web site. There are schedules under calendar agendas.

....... pc

OP do your self a favour and go with this advice. Trying to advise someone to cast on internet forum doesn't work that well. Go find a pro instructor.

 

[clsmith131]

Make sure that your line weight matches rods weight. Also, if you are using weight forward line, make sure that you did not spool it backwards (the reel side of a weight forward line is thinner than the "head"). Just from what you were saying, I wonder if your line is too light. Other than that, get an instructor or watch youtube. I watched youtube videos on my phone between attempts. Also find a space with 150ft of clearance, cut the barb off a fly that you see yourself using and practice as much as you can. It shouldn't take long for you to develop a serviceable cast. You don't have to be a master caster to catch fish. You do have to be able to make the appropriate cast for any given situation.

This is probably the most intimidating part of fly fishing, but worry not. The frustrations you face now will soon be replaced by others as you pass this obstacle and move on to the next. That is probably my favorite aspect of fly fishing: one will never know all there is to know about this "sport" (more like way of life)...Although there may be a few here that believe they do.

 

[flav]

Here's how I often get line out of my rod tip after stripping almost all my line in on a retrieve. Wiggle your rod tip back and forth quickly a half dozen times with the tip of the line still in the water so the surface tension holds it, and letting the line slip through your fingers. If you do it quickly you'll probably have 10 to 20 feet of line outside your rod tip, you can do a quick roll cast to get the line straight out in front of you, and then you can do a quick overhead back cast using the surface tension of the water to put extra load on the rod. If I add a haul and shoot a little line I can easily cast over 50 feet with just that single backcast. No false casting required.

 

[jkim]

Here's how I often get line out of my rod tip after stripping almost all my line in on a retrieve. Wiggle you're rod tip back and forth quickly a half dozen times letting the line slip through your fingers. If you do it quickly you'll probably have 10 to 20 feet of line outside your rod tip, you can do a quick roll cast to get the line straight out in front of you, and then you can do a quick overhead back cast using the surface tension of the water to put extra load on the rod. If I add a haul and shoot a little line I can easily cast over 50 feet with just that single backcast. No false casting required.

So true. I usually turn the drag off when just trying to get the fly line our of the rod tip by wiggling it back and forth. After I have about 20' (depending on... ) of line from the rod tip I turn the drag knob clockwise again then I make an actual cast, either by a roll cast or by single or double hauling if more distance needed.