Friends:

I'm really quite pleased with all the answers. The knot on the line makes a lot of sense. The cast down low stopping with the finger does too (but it will take some practice not letting my finger friction slow the line too much). I agree that its all in the practice. I took a friend who has never ever fished before and taught him to cast. He could never get past 30 ft, and It reminded me of where I was once, on the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops taking a free casting lesson. Three years later so much seems so much easier. I'm glad I have kept up the lawn practice. I can even remember when a friend taught me to double haul. I'm almost at the point where distance is no longer that important, as is the leader landing straight and soft. Last week I was on a really deep lake where fast sinking lines are generally the norm, and started seeing "rise rings" , switched reels to a floating line, to a dry fly, and oh boy it was nice to catch one like that!

Tomorrow I'm going fishing to a mountain lake 15,000 ft. high. Rainbow trout. Of course, if you are all in La Paz, Bolivia sometime I will take you. I would be honored.

All the best amigos!

Migs