Aaron, a great resource for learning the basics is this one:
http://royalwulff.com/products/dynam...y-casting-dvd/
Joan Wulff made her mark in many ways, but I consider this video to be one of her best contributions. When I get a kink in my casting, this video it my first stop. It should be in every fly fishing library.
I'm not going to respond to the original question, because, as previously noted, it's impossible to diagnose what's going on from a post. I do want to point out, however, that IMHO, when it comes to making long casts, or casts with weighted flies, I always begin my forward cast BEFORE my back cast completely unrolls. (I believe all the best long-distance casters do this; that's why they look over their shoulder and watch their line unroll.) If you wait for your back cast to completely unroll, by the time your forward cast has accelerated, your back cast will have started to fall and will have slack in it. If you're casting a weighted fly you might hit yourself with it.
Randy
r
Randy you are correct about the timing.
There is actually a delay of the fly rod tip in BOTH directions. The inertia of the rod and the inertia (momentum) of the line and fly causes a delay between when you move the rod handle forward and when the rod tip moves forward. The rod and rod tip must bend to absorb the energy of the back cast before the rod tip can move forward.
The reason that it is greater with heavier flies is that they have more mass and therefore greater inertia and therefore a greater delay. It also occurs with longer casts because more line = more mass that causes the rod tip to bend before it actually moves.
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy
I am not going to get into an argument, and I don't mean to start one, but I feel compelled to present a word of caution about starting the forward cast before the line unfurls behind.
If you do this incorrectly, you will definitely snap the leader like a whip and destroy or snap off your fly. Speaking from experience here. Although heavier flies do require better timing to keep the fly from "falling" on the back cast, I cannot agree with starting the forward cast early.
And Spey Casting, JohnScott? That is an advanced casting style, not something for a beginner. I don't think I'd even recommend it without an instructor to teach about the belly, the anchor and all the other factors that keeps one from burying the hook in the back of one's head.
"Give advice when asked. Give praise when appropriate. Give discipline when needed. Give respect always."
Actually ...
... if you read my earlier post more carefully, you will realize that I did not suggest that our beginner take up spey casting. I recommended Simon's DVD set on spey casting as a learning tool, with emphasis on how all that good stuff can be applied to single handed rods as demonstrated by Simon.Originally Posted by Fishingfiend
I don't consider spey casting "advanced." It certainly is different than single handed casting, but I would venture that any reasonably good student with average physical condition and coordination could start as a beginner to fly angling generally and take up spey casting as his first approach and do quite well with it without the need for an instructor.
It is quite possible that many, if not most, of those whose first introduction to fly angling would be as a beginner taking up spey casting would actually do better than those who have a background in single handed casting. No habits ( good or bad ) to get in the way and no mental and muscle memory to impede the process.
John
The fish are always right.
Yep, you're right.
"Give advice when asked. Give praise when appropriate. Give discipline when needed. Give respect always."
Mind if I ask you a few questions? Like how much line are you trying to hold in the air, does the rod feel like it working well with the line weight. As in its not over flexing and flopping about in the air or the opposite perhaps showing no sign of reacting to the weight of the line at all, stiff and rigid? Have noticed the crossing of the line on the reverse or rearward projection of the line or only to the forward? If not have you considered why it is or is not. Actually it would be very uncommon to happen on the reverse but anything is possible and its just a question.
Capt. Paul Darby Dont wait to be ask, get out and teach.
Aaron, get some help from a good caster, preferably someone who has taught casting. Trying to teach yourself to cast will result in the development of bad habits that will require unlearning later.
OK....I'm not a casting instructor, but bear with me.
The false cast stroke does not need to come 1st. The simple mechanics of throwing a loop requires only that you pick up the line, and put it back town accurately. The false cast can come after that is mastered. Fact is, most false casting is done needlessly and does nothing productive for most fishing distances. Here's where I would start:
Find a place in your yard or park large enough to cast front and back. Take your rig and 3 targets to cast at. The best are hula-hoops, but 3 ballcaps will suffice as well. Anything that will not blow around.
Mark your place to stand, and walk out 3 rod lengths from that position, placing a target at 12:00, 10:00 & 2:00.
Now go back and pick up your rod. Strip out or cast just enough line to reach the 12:00 target, keeping the rest of the line on the reel.
Begin casting, by simply picking up the line with a backcast, and setting the fly forward again into the target. Keys are, keeping your rod tip between 10:00 and 2:00 in your casting stroke, and keeping your stroke in a straight line. If you are not moving the rod tip in a straight line, you will be off target or you will catch your rod with the fly or line. Go past 10:00 & 2:00 and your line will pile up forcing you to start over. WATCH YOUR LINE FRONT AND BACK THROUGH THIS DRILL.
Alternate between targets by simply turning your upper body to look at the intended target. Simply pick the line up from one target, and place it on another.
NO false casts until your knocking this drill out of the park with ease.
Once you are, it will begin to "click" for you. At that point, add 2 false casts into each target before presenting the fly.
Onces that is working, step back another rod length and repeat the process.
May not be very scientific....but it has taught my boys and a number of friends to cast.
Good luck,
Ralph
Last edited by NJTroutbum; 08-30-2012 at 11:01 AM.
True indeed. You raise a very valid point.
It results if the caster starts too early AND improperly punches the cast at the start of the fly. SMMMOOOTH acceleration helps avoid that bullwhip snap. So if one starts the cast early, one needs to start the casting move smoothly.
An example of an early start not snapping the fly line is what is called forward creep. Creep does not snap the line because it is gradual, although improperly timed, early casting move. Creep shortens the potential casting stroke and can cause a tailing loop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5h0iQRIAx0
The opposite of creep is drift, which lengthens the stroke potential. Drift helps to avoid a too early and too fast start to the cast that causes the bullwhip snap. It does this by creating a longer stroke potential for the next casting stroke and this allows for a smoother acceleration.
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy
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