Casting problem-Can?t shoot line

[DWM]

I?m terrible at casting. When I try to shoot line out, instead it?s just falls to the ground. I?ve watched a ton of videos but still no good. Any ideas or advice?

[Marco]

DWM.
Videos shmideos, you can watch a million of them . Fly casting is not the rocket science some of us would like to take credit for mastering. Your best bet is to take a lesson . As for myself, after wrapping the fly line around my neck a few times, it became clear as to the timing needed to avoid that scenario. Our founder, JC, aka "Himself" suggested to practice with a broomstick and 15 foot string. If you learn to lay THAT out in a straight flat line in front of you, you can cast anything.
It's THAT simple.

Mark
PS: Could also be your rod is too limp to whip your heavy line forward.

[tigfly]

Not knowing anything about how you cast, I am going to guess you are releasing the line before you come to the stop at the end of the forward cast.

[ohiotuber]

I was so bad, JC gave me a lesson (in front of the whole group) at the 1st Michigan Fish-In in 2006. I'm still not great, but FAR better than I was before that lesson.
I can still feel him standing by me & hear him saying, "stop", "go", & "stop" again, but the one, SINGLE thing he said was "Keepeth thy backcast uppeth!". If it feels too early in the backcast to stop, it's the RIGHT time.
That man was my mentor, fly fishing idol, & good friend......Thanks Jim!

Mike

ps: Welcome to FAOL & whereabouts in that beautiful State of West Virginia are you?

[TyroneFly]

DWM.
Videos shmideos, you can watch a million of them . Fly casting is not the rocket science some of us would like to take credit for mastering. Your best bet is to take a lesson . As for myself, after wrapping the fly line around my neck a few times, it became clear as to the timing needed to avoid that scenario. Our founder, JC, aka "Himself" suggested to practice with a broomstick and 15 foot string. If you learn to lay THAT out in a straight flat line in front of you, you can cast anything.
It's THAT simple.

Mark
PS: Could also be your rod is too limp to whip your heavy line forward.

Just an FYI, our founder is the Ladyfisher. JC was her husband.

[rainbowchaser]

Have you learned to double haul? You may just not be developing enough line speed to shoot more line. You gain line speed in one of three ways:
1 you increase the forward acceleration of the rod tip
2 you make a more abrupt stop to more efficiently transfer that momentum
3 you haul on the line at the start of the back cast and the forward cast which is a way to load the rod further and increase line speed.

You may also be wasting power by not keeping the rod tip on a plane. If it is sweeping through an arc you waste a lot of energy with an open loop.

If none of the suggestions you have gotten here help you can try getting someone to make a video of you casting and post a link here. Have them stand on your rod hand side while you cast so we can see the full casting motion. Try to get your whole body and the entire rod in the video.

[JohnScott]

What rainbowchaser said. It's almost all about line speed, and the double haul is the best way to get it.

I had a great deal of difficulty learning how to double haul, particularly on the forward cast. Before you start the forward cast, keep your line hand quite close to your rod hand at the grip and as you start the forward cast pull down forcefully with the line hand.

I suggest that you learn the double haul without trying to shoot line, and when you get it down right you will be surprised at how easy it is to shoot line. In fact, with a good double haul you may be able to carry enough line that you don't even have to shoot more.

There are some good videos on YouTube on the double haul. Probably better, and definitely less expensive and more rewarding, than taking a lesson.

Good luck.

John

[DWM]

I haven’t been able to figure out the double haul yet either. Any advice on that? Also, my rod is 7 foot 6 inch 3 weight. Would a longer rod or a heavier weight be easier to cast?

[Steve Molcsan]

Have you learned to double haul? You may just not be developing enough line speed to shoot more line. You gain line speed in one of three ways: 1 you increase the forward acceleration of the rod tip2 you make a more abrupt stop to more efficiently transfer that momentum3 you haul on the line at the start of the back cast and the forward cast which is a way to load the rod further and increase line speed.You may also be wasting power by not keeping the rod tip on a plane. If it is sweeping through an arc you waste a lot of energy with an open loop. If none of the suggestions you have gotten here help you can try getting someone to make a video of you casting and post a link here. Have them stand on your rod hand side while you cast so we can see the full casting motion. Try to get your whole body and the entire rod in the video.

Right on point !

[sagefisher]

DWM,

The problem could be: On your forward cast you have to stop the rod which allows the loaded rod to release its build up power, which shoots the line forward. That is when you release your extra line, after the stop and the line has already mostly gone forward, then you release the extra line. Any sooner and you kill the power the line has built up. Give it a try.

Larry ---sagefisher---