I am still relatively new to fly fishing and struggling with good casting. Yet I would like to take my canoe to the local lake. Does anyone have tips for sitting snd casting? Thanks.
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I am still relatively new to fly fishing and struggling with good casting. Yet I would like to take my canoe to the local lake. Does anyone have tips for sitting snd casting? Thanks.
Practice a bit sitting on a stool on dry land. It really doesn't make much difference but you will feel more comfortable.
It is difficult for me to assist you without being there with a one-on-one instruction, but, if you will concentrate on not casting a fly rod and, instead, concentrate on unrolling a fly line behind you on the back cast and unrolling it in front on the forward cast, it will help you to better understand the techinques of using a fly rod. You cast a spinning rod and a casting rod, but, you unroll fly line with a fly rod. Look at your back cast and watch your fly line unroll and do not come forward until it has unrolled behind you and then bring it forward and let it unroll in front of you before lowering the fly rod. This takes much less effort on your part.
What rainbowchaser recommended, with sitting in a chair, is good advise because when you are in a canoe, you are closer to the water and you will need to concentrate on holding the fly rod and line up higher on your back cast or it will hit the water behind you.
The above is offered as help. Most people are just too agressive with the stroke with the fly rod and do not allow the fly rod to do the work for you. A nice slow movement of the fly rod back to a stop and then a slow forward movement of the fly rod to the front stop is all it takes. The backward and forward movement should be a smooth movement with no agressive push of the rod hand coming forward. Just one smooth stroke back and forward with a short wait for the line to unroll behind you and in front of you is all it takes. Most try to really push the fly rod on the forward stroke thinking this is the movement needed and it is not.
Just trying to be helpful and nothing more.....
Thanks for the tips. I hadn't thought about practicing on a stool.
I do a ton of fly fishing out of a canoe, in fact I am not sure that I know how to cast a flyline in any oher position than sitting in a canoe! As far as equipment goes, a long flyrod will definitely help in picking the line up off the water and going into a soli back cast. Other than that, you need to learn to cast while keeping you weight centered in the canoe. I have a friend that goes on a small mouth trip with me every spring, we both fly fish out of my canoe and the canoe barely moves as we cast.
tjulian,
You are new to fly fishing so, don't try to make really long casts using way too much upper body movement. Start with short casts, I mean, you are in a boat so row little closer and make a cast. As you learn the timing of your cast you will be able to extend the cast a little farther, then some more....Take your time and learn to cast. Also, don't have a lot of loose items in the canoe since there is a chance the canoe will tip over, just minimize your potential for loss. As mentioned, a longer rod will help, a 10 or 11 foot rod, but you can cast nicely with a 9 footer as well, if you learn to cast properly. Again as mentioned, sit on a stool or even just on the ground (that is how a person using a tube must cast) and it will greatly help you with your back cast as you will find out really fast just how quickly the back cast can lower and hit the ground or water.
Have fun and catch some fish.
Larry ---sagefisher---
I fish from a kayak and had to learn to cast siting down. I practiced actually siting on the ground and casting (my kayak sits even lower than a canoe). Concentrate on good technique for shorter to medium range casts. Long casts can be really difficult. Two things to remember is that with the stealth of a canoe or kayak, you can usually get closer to the fish and if you are on open water, try to position yourself for downwind casts. One other thing that I have found is that, due to the siting position, I can actually get more power from a backhand cast.
When I fish from my Old Town canoe I sit flat on the bottom. Due to the smooth, flat bottom (on the canoe) I found this was the most stable for me to learn and just never changed. Down that low you can easily transfer to a kayak or float tube. Learning to cast that close to the water will force you to 'keep thy back cast up' and make you a better caster even when not in a watercraft. As advised above start short and go longer as you get more comfortable.
I cast about as good sitting in the canoe as I do when wading. I had taken up the canoe before the fly rod and so the first attempts were at standing in the canoe (in that I figured what an expert canoeist I had become), only to experience one of life's many rude awakenings ... I took some cold water dips + lost some gear in the process. Hence, I learned fly casting from the sitting position. As so many times pointed out, a distance cast might be necessary at times but the vast majority of fish are caught not that far away. In my experience, either from the canoe or wading, I've caught most of my fish within 30' - the problem with getting a fish on with a 60' cast is that extra 30' to bring it in.
Bottom line (and hard for some to comprehend), I'd rather fly cast sitting in the canoe vs standing. First off, there's more sport and skill to it. AND ... the only way to acquire the skill of fly casting sitting down in a canoe is to get out and start practicing fly casting sitting in the canoe.
The only reasons I can see for distance fly casting is: (1) seeing just how far you can cast, (2) showing off, (3) participating in a distance fly casting contest for some kind of a prize.
I have found that 4 things are most helpful. (1.) Use a long rod. (2.) When actually fishing, and not traveling, sit in the front canoe seat and face backward. As well as providing more stability it will greatly reduce the canoe "weathervaning".(3.) Cast with your arm, not your shoulder and back. (4.) Position yourself to avoid casting upwind.
Just have fun.
Get yourself a Nucanoe Frontier 12.........:D
[img]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/...psab5f7cc8.jpg[/img]
Duff, what is that black stick thing sticking up on the left..shame lol;)
Chad
Duff,
I agree 100%! I love mine....
Casting sitting down has never been a problem for me....I don't cast that great standing up, so it really doesn't matter. :D
Couple of thoughts on this subject. 1. Remember that when you're in a kayak, you can get closer to your target, so long casting isn't the primary focus. 2. If you need to increase distance, one way to do it easy while sitting in a kayak is to perform a water haul on the forward stroke. Simply allow your fly to "tick" the water on the forward cast, then immediately lift it, load the rod and make your backcast. Let the fly go on the the next forward cast.
I wrote an article on the subject of fly casting from a kayak for my blog: http://gibbysfishingblog.blogspot.co...effective.html
I too fish from a kayak and while it takes some practice, it's not difficult at all. Just focus on the basics of fly casting and then practice sitting down on a stool like other mentioned. You'll get the hang of it pretty quick. Lot of great basic fly casting instruction is available on YouTube.
As for kayaks...A NuCanoe Frontier is great until you have to paddle one back up river to your truck. :D But for straight out stability, they're hard to beat. For the fishing I do around here, I love my Jackson Kilroy.
I fish from a kayak sitting close to water level and I think the main thing is to stop your rod high on the back cast( important for any cast). I would not suggest that you get a new rod unless you want one. Even with a longer rod you still have to stop it high on the back cast or the extra length will not help. Practicing casting from a sitting position is a great suggestion ... I would add turning you body so you can see what your back cast is doing will also help until you get the perfect back cast locked into muscle memory
Agree with what Warren said of your learning the basics of casting.. casting from a canoe comes easily..after you perfect casting over all..
I'd add not to worry of trying for distance..especially from a canoe or any other platform you can move on the water in..as with wading..if you need to cast father..just move up a little.. 30 feet is all you really ever need to cast really in most fishing situations.. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've cast and drifted my line all the way till my fly has passing by me by mere inches only to watch in amazement as a fish rose n took my fly at my feet!! N I love knowing I can be that stealthy!! I've literally had trout tail slap me as they've taken the fly!!good luck n good fishing!
Nice to see someone willing to take up the challenge of bending the lesson language on to the more direct path of truth for the sake of a students understanding. Once my students showed me how much quicker they understood when I stopped asking them to interpret what I meant by casting when they already had a fixed idea of casting, there was no going back. Now all these years an many successful students later, the first 'think', I tell them is why I don't teach 'casting' to fly rod students, they understand it ever so much faster. :)