I have DVD’s by Joan Wullf and Doug Swisher. Joan teaches a firm stiff wrist, and Doug teaches full wrist movement.
I’ve worked with both styles, and I get better results with Doug’s method. It just seems more natural. I find it really nice on short casts. It’s just a flick of the wrist with no thought. With Joan’s style i’m always think about my wrist instead of where i’m trying to cast to.
So, how do you cast?
Pete, I hate to admit it but I am somewhere in between. I think it’s partially inexperience and old age on my part. :oops:
Who do ya figure is wrong? Doug or Joan? :twisted:
JC,
The guy who worked with me preaches “Stop & stop. The rest is personal style.”
Wonder who THAT was? 
Mike
Pete ,
You probably should take a class or two. After you get the basics down firmly then maybe you should work on a method that gives your cast the power or subtlty that works best for you. Watch the really good casters. None of them are really copying one another . They all seem to have thier own casting style.
We all have an opinion.
Thats one of mine.
Dont worry about me running out of them .
My bride says I have one for every occasion. :shock:
I your loops are tight and efficient, if your casts are effortless and easy to control, and if your casts are accurate and graceful then you are doing it right. Mine are not and I have been fighting it all along. I use the stiff wrist technique because when I use my wrist my casting stroke is completely off and I always have a tailing loop. I just say use what works for you.
I wasn’t really looking for right or wrong. I was wondering what you do.
I used to be a golf pro. Almost made the tour. I always used a bit of wrist in my swing and putting stroke. The modern way is pretty stiff wristed. I never liked it.
I guess i’m just too old school, but i’ve always had good wrist control.
Gramps…You know that the small muscle stroke will break down under pressure :roll:
Is there pressure when you’re fishing :?:
Yes, for the fish… 
I have the Lefty video and the Joan wulff video
both have contrasting styles.
Both are highly successful. Ergo both are correct.
Both videos contain lots of comonality and a few differences. I’d give my left earlobe to be 1/2 as good as either.
My own style needs work from more than just a video so I will be seeking out a pro to teach me this coming spring.
Z was going to help me with casting at the fish-in but I left too soon. (Deep sigh) I am leery of practicing too much before I have someone show me the correct way to do things.
My local fly guy that was going to teach me is away till spring.
Does it really matter how you cast as long as you get the fly to the fish without spooking it.
Guess it depends on what turns you on 8) 8)
How do I cast?
Well enough, from time to time.
Marty
Gramps, with a light weight rod and short casts a fully bent wrist usually gets my fly where I need it to be. Usually just a wrist flick does it.
Long casts or a heavy rod, stiff wrist and a double haul. Really long casts, both hands on a spey rod.
REE
One word:
P R A C T I C E
3 steps to my cast:
#1: Stick tongue out to the left
#2: Close Right Eye (left one is the good one)
#3: Duck as fly come’s whizzing by…
Actually #1 & #2 is from my fishing partner, Dave. We were fishing the Susquehanna for smallmouth a couple of summers back and I waded up behind him. Sure enough, #1 and #2 were in full monty for everyone to see.
#3 was the instinctive result as that big clouser came past my ear…
The question was do you use wrist or not?
I have a video on the net that showed different techniques that Lefty Kreh uses to teach casting. My first video on flyfishing was “Fishing with Cortland Confidence” with Jack Dennis and Leon Chandler. My first exposure to fly casting was with a stiff wrist. I never really tried using the wrist, but like I said, when I did I could not get a very good cast, in fact it almost feels uncomfortable to cast that way. Not physically uncomfortable, but like I am doing something bad. European anglers have always used more of their wrists.
I’m so bad I don’t know if I use wrist or not. But I sure as heck have a lot of fun!
Joe
Gramps…doesn’t she use at least 45 degrees of wrist?