Casting Practice.

[Snuffy]

Learning to fly cast and doing it correctly is much the
same as mastering the golf swing. You learn the mechanics of
the golf swing on the driving range and putting green, and the
fly cast on the casting pool or on the grass. Either discipline is
challenging to say the least. Just like the different shots in golf
the many different fly fishing casts require practice,practice,
practice. I realize this is like preaching to the quire, but it would
be interesting to know how often you guys practice?
We have a great fly fishing club here in Grants Pass and
a neat casting pond. Its strange, that even with this pond,
very few folks avail themselves of its benefits. Grants Pass is a
picturesque area and just getting out for a little casting
practice is salve for the soul. We have a few excellent fly shops
here and some great casters. Anyone of them is more than
glad to help a person with their casting problems. Well, nuff
said. I'm sure this bores you guys to tears. But, practice makes
perfect. Cheers,

Snuffy:holy:

 

[fshfanatic]

I am the "tiger woods" of fly casting. I dont need to practice.

Actually I get out a couple times a week so I dont get to practice. Plus, it has always come somewhat natural to me. I am lucky.

 

[BigCliff]

Like Mike, I pretty well only "practice while fishing". I realize that this is far from being the ideal time, with live fish to distract you and all, but I can't help but think of practice time as fishing time. The exception to this is when I haven't used my big rod in a while and will be using it. Goiong from the 4wt to the 9wt is quite a jump, and the timing adjustments with the cast and the haul need some adjustment.

 

[dougm]

Hi Snuffy,

Wise words my friend! I followed golf for years and never once heard of Arnold Palmer going to the practice tee. (I can't believe I said that...) Practice doesn't make perfect; it makes you better. Even with a bad back, I still practice 3 to 4-times a week.

I encourage - make that "demand" - my students devote a minimum of 30 minutes three time a week to casting practice ... off the water. They are not exercising to catch fish, they are exercising to master the cast.

Thanks for your comments...

Doug

PS. How are things in God's country?

 

[Snuffy]

Doug,

Things are great out here in God's country. Lot of rain
this year and it looks like many of the fisheries will really benefit.
Have to agree with one statement. "Practice makes you better."
There is only one guy who is perfect and we know who that is.
Heading for my bunker on that one. Yikes. I try to hit the pond
for casting practice a couple of times a week. The pond is the
place to try all the experimenting. On the water ya might miss
the big one. Cheers,

Snuffy:army:

 

[tie one on]

When you are practicing, what are you practicing ?

I know that may sound like a dumb question, but are you casting for distance, accuracy, what ? All these come into play when you are in the water. I do agree that with the others "practice makes you better". When you can master dropping that dry so it looks so "ah natural" to that trout 2' below the surface you have just begun your journey. Personally practicing in the water is best. If you are in a more wide open area take some time & experiment, don't be afraid to try new casting techniques. When I've been teaching a friend I always take him to wide open water until he becomes more comfortable.

Keep practicing,

Always in the Water,

Tie One On

 

[Snuffy]

Tie-one-on and ya"ll,

Cannot fault your logic. How some ever, when ya ain't
out fishin it don't hurt to practice at the pond. I practice the parts
of my cast that are giving me fits. Fly casting lets me take the
edge off untill I can get out on the water again. Hope this finds
ya well and appreciate your comments. Cheers,


Snuffy.:army:

 

[Fly Guyusa]

Practice doesn't make perfect! Perfect practice makes perfect! You want to be sure you are doing things correctly. Our fly fishing clubs have an hour before regular meeting for casting on a nearby pond. I have at least one rod rigged in my garage and pick it up a couple times a week and go through some simple drills on the lawn. Always starting with a short line and keeping it in constant contact with the tip as I false cast, slowly increasing line length. Trees with low branches allow side arm practice, sprinkler heads and mail boxes are good targets. As a guide, I am on the water frequently but also fish on days off. In Florida, weather isn't a problem. On a windy day, I will practice casting in the wind. The last thing I do is a few casts for distance.
Doug's book is excellent, and highly recommended!

 

[sandi roberts]

Well,
I compete in casting, and its as fun to me as fishing! An order to get good at fly casting, you have to practise! Now, I live in the Colorado mountains at 9200 ft altititude! With snow and sub zero weather in the winter it becomes hard to practise! However, quite a few of the contests that I participate in are in the winter months! Its not unusual for me to be at a park on the weekends, where the field is covered with snow, and I am out there practising! Let me tell you, it pays off!

Sandi

 

[JBinUTAH]

I am not yet a very good caster. I go to the local park and practice every once in a while. Not often enough by any means. It has helped. When I am in Idaho we are on the golf course so I tend to practice in the evenings there more. I try and feel my rod load, cast a little longer, and when that feels good I practice accuracy. Seeing how it drops and saying to myself, "ok, that was good. How did I do that". Consistency isn't there yet. :icon_redf

 

[KGP]

Time being limited, I usualy practice on the water. I am doing it for fun, not for a living. Although I would love to have enough time in my life to actualy practice AND fish. :smile:

 

[steve l. johnson]

I have been casting rather intensively for the past two years, some of my sessions run several hours, several times a day, I work my schedule around my casting.
Some of my most intensive casting is with a Scientific Angler's 8.5 ft. 6 wt. rod-I like Ultra 4 fly-line and a fairly long leader, using yarn flies of a hot-pink color provide for good visibility out in the ranges that I cast...128 feet with this rod, with a slight fudge-factor for elevation gain purposes, most of the time just over a hundred feet, 108, 113, numbers like that.
The trick about this rod is the cost...$20 at a pawn shop, rod, reel, line, leader, everything...
I would say this is the one rod that seems to fill the bill for everything, but back to practice, try some back and forth loops on a low plain, with the rod straight out in front of you, watch your gradually accelerating loading move and keep those loops narrow, switch back and forth as time goes by elevate your casting plain, and eventually you will be 90 degrees, straight up.
This is also the time to try your double-hauling techniques, with your line hand pull as you pull off the ground to make your back cast, then as your back-cast straightens out pull again on the fly-line between the reel and the first stripping guide, you'll get a motion going and its just back and forth and easy as 1-2-3-.
We'll back to the fly rod and some more olympic casting...

 

[hardhat]

In the past I was getting my practice when fishing. However, I found myself getting into bad habits. Now I try to get out 1-3 times per week. I break down my "lesson" into segments. This seems to help me maintain my muscle memory. I enjoy the practice and the practice helps me be more sucessful when fishing.

 

[hardhat]

On a side note, as part of my practicing rountine I make sure that my equipment is maintained and working properly. If not properly stored and or spooled, line can get cross threaded. It is best to store the spool upright and not on its side. I also clean and lubricate my lines and reels frequently. I use Loon or Zipcast to keep my line in good shape.

 

[troutbum]

I only practice on the water now.There was a time when I would go to the park with a hoop from a lawn dart set and work on accuracy.Now I force myself while fishing to throw different cast's.ie,roll casting while wading in waist deep water,sling shot casting in tight spots and throwing big curves into my cast's.Once the form is good and your timing is on,I think one should do all their casting while on the water.Now if i am on new water i bring my "A" game and dont practice at all,but on water that I catch trout from everyday of the season,I can often be spotted throwing different cast's just for the practice.
Tight Lines
Aaron

 

[troutbum]

As far as cleaning my line goes,I find that to much cleaning damages line.I personally clean my line's twice a year, once at the beggining of the season and again when the season is over.I use Johnson's "no more tears" baby shampoo and simply run the line through a damp cloth,then again with just water on the cloth.What is ment by "cross threading"?I think I know but in my 20+ years of angling I have never found this to be a problem.
To each their own I suppose.
Tight Lines
Aaron

 

[tbrillinger223]

I have noticed that cliff stated earlier in this post about jumping from a 5wt to a 9wt, Its kinda ironic as I am going in the opposite direction. I normaly cast a 9wt. and just picked up a 5wt.

as for practice, every chance i get on and off the water. not only the actual cast, but presentation and technique. practicing in actual fishing conditions is great, even better if you catch fish. Every time I go out I look at it as a practice session with catching fish as a side effect.

 

[hardhat]

Troutbum, I live in AZ. where it is too hot for the lizards this time of year. Clean water is scare in the desert. Still I try to get out for 20 minutes here or there for enjoyment and to keep form. I do the same for my bow practice, 20 minutes here or there. The park lakes in the area are loaded with algae and a variety of other plants and the water is stagnant. In other words the water is dirty. I do not wish to have dirty lines nor dirty line go through the guides. I found that soaps can make things tacky. If you have ever had a line hang up that would be a cross thread. Congrads for never having had that happen. I wish I lived nearby some of the areas I fish in the western state but I do not. So I try to plan ahead for those trips and to cope with climate I live in. So different stokes for different environments.

 

[sandfly]

casting to fish is not practice....I fish 4 to 6 days a week when possible, but still practice in between...Also casting a 5' 2wt and a 9' 12 wt is no differencs except the weight...all other aspects are the same...

 

[burns]

The same tuning fork rings in my loins (for all you Tin Cup fans) when see a trout rise to my fly as when I bust a solid 300-yarder down the pipe.