Printable View
I have been fly fishing for about 6 months and paid for some casting lessons my casting was going great I was getting good distance and pretty happy for the most part. In tne last 2 or so weeks I can't cast almost every time I start my cast I catch my line or my rod. The line loop when I pull back usually catches on thi inside. Please please please help a fellow get his line wet again.
1) get off the water
2) put rod down,
3) put your left foot in
4) take your left foot out
5) bounce on left foot for 1 minute
6) read Moby Dick, errrrrr, no - try Huck Finn - nope, try ....... ugghhhh ... reading McD's menu backwards :roll:
7) go out on the grass
8) JUST DO IT
Don't think of what's wrong, think of what's right from your casting lessons. Go from what you are supposed to do ...... not from what you are doing.
I Had the same problem for a while . It was because I had started lifting my arm up and to the side a bit. I was heaving the line instead of snapping the line forward. When I brought the rod in closer to my body and concentrated on snaping the rod to the stop position and stopping it abruptly the problem went away. It is a bit like a swinging a hammer and stopping abruptly as it hits the nail. Your rod should stop like that to impart power to the line. Also I realized that while false casting I had forgotten to stop the line in the proper position and was instead aiming it at the ground/water where the fly should land instead of aiming it above the ground/water during the false cast . it should be aimed at the ground/water at the end of the cast .
I hope that makes sense, it is quite hard to describe.
Darn with this new format I don't know how to place a link to anything so i have copied and pasted this from the Castwell articles by JC
HOW TO CAST
1. String-up fly rod, pull out about 25 feet of line.
2. Extend left arm in front, face high.
3. Bend left hand at wrist, palm facing you; keep it there.
4. Swing fly rod and line behind you.
5. Swing fly rod to front sharply striking palm of extended left hand.
6. Notice, as rod stops at hand, the line shoots forward; Duh!
7. Repeat step #5 two more times.
8. Notice,that the harder rod hits hand, better fly line goes; Duh!
9. Notice left hand now hurts. (If not, repeat #5; this time, harder.)
10. Repeat step #5 WITHOUT HITTING HAND. (Just STOP rod in same place.)
11. Repeat step #10 two more times.
12. Swing fly rod to rear stopping in same way as #10.
13. Repeat step #12 two more times.
14. Combine steps #10 and #12.
15. Repeat step #14 two more times.
16. Call buddy; have him come over and teach him how to cast. ~ JC
8) I would recommend buying Joan Wulffs Dynamics of Fly Casting Video. It is set up in sections so you can become proficient in each part before moving on.
You will have to practice when you ar not on the water fishing as fishing and learning to improve your casting do not mix. While I can not find your casting problem without seeing you It sounds like you have a tailing loop which can be caused by trying too hard and applying power in your cast too soon. Your stroke should start out slow and accelerate to a stop. Make sure you have all of the slack out of your line before you cast. Following is my my attempt to help someone else with their casting.
Your rod tip should be near the ground before back cast,and your wrist ought to be bent down so the rod butt is parallel to your casting arm. Lift the rod tip in a smooth acceleration as you rotate your wrist to a straight position into a squeeze stop. When your wrist is in a straight position the rod butt should make a 45 degree angle with your casting arm. Relax your grip allow your casting elbow to move up a few inches which allows the rod to drift back. You will drift back farther on longer casts and hardly at all on short casts.During the drift time your line unrolls behind you. The forward cast should begin just slightly before or just as your line straightens out behind you. On the forward cast your elbow moves to its original position as you move your rod hand forward in a smooth acceleration rotating your wrist into a squeeze stop. At this point your wrist should be bent down (rod butt parallel to your casting arm). Relax your grip and allow the rod tip drift down to near ground level. Try to make your back cast stop at 1 o'clock and your forward cast stop at 10 O'clock.
Good Luck