Hi there, I have a problem with my casting that may seem very elementry. I have a hard time false casting without “water loading” my line. I have been fly fishing for 5-6 yrs. and have never bothered to try and fix the problem. If someone has had the same problem or some advice that would be cool.
thanx in advance as always I’m sure I’ll get the help I need, this site never ceases to amaze me.
Brent
First check out Fly Fishing Basics on the Home Page.
It may be as simple as where you are stopping the rod on the forecast
All new or inexperienced casters make their best casts when they use a “water load” because the friction of the water puts more bend in the rod. The same thing happens when you double haul. The extra bend in the rod caused by either hauling or water loading makes the line move forward (or backward in the back cast) with much more speed. Making casting much easier.
I would advise you to learn to DH. You’ll be amazed how much easier casting will be.
Be sure you start your backcast with no slack in the line. It could be that when you waterload it let’s you “get away” with a little slack. Slack is our enemy :evil:
I think I may have this same problem if “water loading” is what I think it is. Can someone explain? Thanks!
I don’t think “water loading” is a problem. This is what I think water loading is. Let’s say you are fishing a stream up and across. You make a cast and the line drifts down and behind you and straightens out. When you pick the line up and cast back up stream you should notice your rod bends more than if the water had not “tugged” at your line as you picked it up. Most times this tug makes a better cast. If you don’t have as much control with the rest of your casting (without the water loading) then the “problem” is you need to load the rod by another means…I suggest double hauling.
Or you can do a single haul on the forward cast.
Do not try to muscle the rod castin motion, by using more force, you will defeat the purpose. When you try to cast using extra force with the casting motion, you use your muscle more, this causes you to grip the rod handle tighter, which causes your muscles and tendons to tighten. When your muscles and tendons tighten, this slows down the speed of your casting motion.
You do not want to decrease the speed of the rod tip, you want to increase the speed of the fly line.
So a single haul on the forward cast should straighten the line problem. Remove all slack in the line before lifting the line off the water. Slack line defeats the backcast motion.
Steve Molcsan
First off let me understand this correctly,
Quote: have a hard time false casting without
“water loading”
Your having a problem false casting while on the water,
:arrow: Lets leave the water out of this for now?
Move out of the water on to a lawn area.
:arrow: Now let leave out the false cast for now.
Practice your pickup and lay down cast
on the lawn until you can get a straight
line out in front of you. You may be able
to do this already and that?s good… 1st step
Now try not allowing your front cast to touch
down and go right into your back cast once a
nice front loop is formed.
You may be able to do this already and that?s
also good… 2nd step.
I am making no assumptions about you abilities
just getting back to the basics here…
Now, move back on to the water if you
can false cast several times over the lawn.
The big difference on the water is you need
your line to break the surface tension!
This is easy to do.
All you need to do is get all the line moving slightly
forward towards you while it?s still on the water before
your lift off. to initiate your back cast.
:arrow: Note: The entire line to the end of
the leader needs to start moving before lift off.
This will allow you to get a smooth liftoff
without the ripping affect from the water.
Now you will be able to false cast just like
you can while on the lawn. Difference being while on
the lawn you didn?t need to break any surface tension
therefore false casting is easier.
:!: I emphasize again the importance to
get a smooth liftoff you need to get the
entire line moving on top of the water prior
to starting the lift for your back cast.
This is a well known basic casting
principle to build on.
Once you get the line from the waters grip
form a nice loop on your back cast, then
forward cast then as soon as your forward loop forms
just before you would normally touchdown
go into another back cast. You are now
false casting over the water!! ( don’t line the
fish ) 
Water surface tension has its advantages aiding in
different casting situations, but for now I believe it is
the root cause of your current trouble with false
casting over water.
If I do understanding your concern in this post
this surface tension i refer to here is what you
are refering to as “water loading” the other term
is known as a “water haul” or water hauling.
:arrow: Understanding and
mastering this as well as what
others have stated here in this post
will make you a better caster.
I still have a long ways to go with the
mastering part. LOL
But I still remained convinced…
Hope this helps.
Take care,
Steve Molcsan