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Ok, so now you are 'standing tall' and look real good with a fly rod. Well, at
least some better than you did and you can now pitch a tight loop once in a while.
Consider that the basic stance. Try to use it every time you go out to
practice, kind of a 'back to basics' thing. You may be surprised to know many
to just that. If, in the course of advancing in casting, things seem to go a bit
off-center for you, go back to the basic stance and start from there again.
You need to have one for sure way of casting that you can always
rely upon.
Now that you have that working for you, extend some fly line carefully keeping
control of the loops (front and back) and watch the 'line-speed.' If it starts to
slip, shorten the line until you can properly handle it, while maintaining loop
control. If the back loop gets away from you do not try to over-power the rod
to get it back up to speed; great way to break a fly rod. Shorten the fly line and
start fresh. Drop your right foot back to where it is comfortable,
maybe twelve inches or so.
Here is where you (now that you have some better amount of fly line in the back
cast) start to watch the back cast by turning your head and this time let the right
shoulder drop a bit after the rod stops on the back-cast. After the stop, raise the
right elbow and let the rod drift back toward the back-cast. This will help take
some of the slack out of the line so when you come forward you have a tight line
to pull against.
It will also help line feed into the back-cast if you use the double haul. Remember,
you are trying to break an old habit; swinging and lobbing the rod like you did with
the spinning rod. If you find yourself reverting to that style, stop and start over with
the feet together stance. The major muscle group we are working with here
is holding your hat up. Not an easy thing to change.
Next week I will try to pick you up at this point. For right now, work hard
to make every practice cast as good as you can. Stand tall, firm wrist,
shoulders back, gut in. ~ JC
Till next week, remember ...
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