Seven Steps To Learning Fly Casting

Pickup, false cast and delivery

Rule #2: The shape of the loop is determined by the path the rod tip travels before the stop.

False casting is the same casting stroke as normal casting but without the delivery of the fly. We false cast to shorten or lengthen our casts, change direction, dry our fly, or even delay our delivery to wait for a rising fish. False casting is also a good way to watch loops form and learn to control their shape. Pick up the line as usual. As the line lays out above and behind you, make your forward cast as usual. (Stop and wait.)

This time when the line lays out straight in front of you, rather than dropping the rod tip to the water, repeat your back cast. (Stop and wait again… Stop and wait, stop and wait.) Make several false casts in succession being careful to watch your loops as they pass the rod tip. Make the necessary adjustments to your stopping points to affect the shape of the loop. Make 3 or 4 false casts and then a delivery to a designated target. If the line piles up, your loop is too wide and you will need to move the rod tip in a straighter path.

Pickup, false cast, delivery, hit a target

Rule # 3: The fly will go in the direction the rod tip is traveling when it stops.

First, the fly will go where your rod tip is pointing when you stop it and form a loop. In a perfect world, your loops are tight and the line will lay out in a straight line to the target. Yet, there are additional factors that affect accuracy. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume there are no external elements (i.e. wind) to affect the cast. The most accurate casts result from a perfectly perpendicular (not off-the-shoulder or side-armed) rod and a tight loop that lays out straight toward the target. We refer to this as a perpendicular plane. Since we almost always add more power than is needed to make the line lay out fully, the fly wants to continue beyond a straight line. Thus, for every degree a caster cants the plane of the rod off the shoulder, the fly will go a corresponding distance past the target. When accuracy is paramount, use a perpendicular cast to the target. To practice, pick a variety of targets around your practice area, and then add the elements (wind strength and direction, bushes, trees). As the distance increases, it will surely challenge your accuracy.

The line hand

Line control enables you to lengthen or shorten your line, set the hook when a fish strikes, add energy to the cast (hauling line), stop a fish from running, strip line in to land a fish and other techniques to help you cast and fish effectively. Once you have made your delivery, place the fly line under the index finger of your rod hand so that you are in control of your line.

1. Before you begin pick up the line, take the line from your finger on your rod hand and hold it with your free hand (line hand).
2. When casting, keep your line hand and line the same distance from your rod hand at all times. Hold your line hand next to or ahead of the rod handle. Move your two hands in unison as you false cast. This will avoid unintentionally pulling the line (hauling) or creating slack. It will also prevent you from inadvertently hooking the line on the butt of the rod handle or around the reel.

Line control

Line control enables you to lengthen or shorten your line, set the hook when a fish strikes, add energy to the cast (hauling line), stop a fish from running, strip line in to land a fish and other techniques to help you cast and fish effectively. Once you have made your delivery, place the fly line under the index finger of your rod hand so that you are in control of your line.

False cast, shoot line, and deliver

Shooting line enables you to cast farther. When you stop the rod to make a delivery and allow additional line to travel through the guides, you are shooting line.

Pull an additional 6 feet of line off of the reel and let it lay at your feet.

While holding the fly line in your line hand while you cast, make a false cast and create tight loops in front and back. (“Stop and wait. Stop and wait.”)

When you decide to deliver the line, add a little extra energy, stop the rod solidly to form the loop, and then let go of the fly line in your line hand and allow it to shoot through the guides adding length to your cast. You must stop the rod before letting go of the line or the line will not shoot. (“Stop and wait. Stop and let go.”)

Once the line is on the lawn or water, place the line under your rod hand finger, and strip in the additional line you shot by stripping it in behind your finger.