bow casting

[Justice League]

Ok I saw someone post about long rods and how they help bow casting. I fish a lot of small heavy cover streams and bow cast a good bit. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on bow casting just so I can improve my skills and knowledge. Also what type of flies do you normally use if you know you are going to have to bow cast a lt during the day.




thanks for the info
Jason

[Buddy Sanders]

Jason,

Bow casting is all about timing and you get that from practice.

I like to 'practice' by setting up some kind of overhang (I use the wood pile out back to imitate overhanging stuff, but use anything that will give you a reasonable facsimile). I then 'practice' by bow casting from different rod angles until I can get the fly to land where I want consistently.

Vary distances until you learn the 'range' of you and your rod.

Then go fishing.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[Jackster]

If you mean the bow and arrow cast, it's one of few that you can practice IN your home. Just bend the rod and let the energy of the rod flip the fly out there. That's the gist of it but you can add little extra's like holding coils of line in your hand for more distance once you get past the basics.
Beware of the hook point! Most people hold the hook by the bend.

[gutbomb]

Like Jackster said, make sure you hold the fly behind the point of the hook. You don't want that well-loaded 5-weight pulling a hook into your finger.

Aside from that, practice, practice, practice.

[Bluegill222]

Usually when I bow and arrow cast, I try to use a fly with a stout enough tail that I can hold on to that in stead of the hook itself, vastly decreasing the odds of accidently hooking myself.

[Bamboozle]

Some good replies can be found here:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/v...hp?f=1&t=19755

[billknepp]

I don't hold the hook at all, I grasp the leader no less than a foot above the fly, and sort of fold the leader into the palm of my hand. Till I get the fly line in my fingers and fire the whole leader and whatever amount of line I need to, To get to the tight spots. Never had any prob's or even close call's while doing this...George Harvey made his presentation's with the B&A cast in this same manner...I practice this out back of the house in an old dried streambed that, I am told used to be a great trout stream before an idiotic neighbor decidedly rerouted the flow when he drained and back filled his pond.

Currently having probs with the DOT over issues involving this "Ditch"..Currently Ignoreing certian "Order's" that were stated to my wife by them...I want the oppertunity to speak with whomever came here myself!...I want this whole stream restored to what it once was....This will involve the removal of our newest neighbors home though!...as they filled in a good portion and built a home right over it...Humm sorry bout the whole rant thing....This ones got me a bit proturbed...

[Bamboozle]

Bill:

Ahhh, water rights; sounds like the plot of a great western!

PM me if ya'll need a gunslinger to roust that varmit out!

[Jackster]

Just a side note... has anyone seen Joe Humphreys do his little 50-60' bow and arrow cast?
He did it a couple years ago at the Charlotte fly show, turned around to the watching crowd with a huge grin and said. 'that ones mine!' Neat!

[TomW]

I am sure the type of rod may impact this question but.. assuming an 8.5-9 ft rod ...Just how far can the typical caster reach with a bow and arrow cast. I myself think that 50-60 ft cast is just out of the question for 99.99% of fly fishers.

How far can you B&A cast

Tom