about a couple of years ago I believe JC wrote an article about learning to cast using the metaphor of trying to kill a spider on top of a brick wall 8ft high. I belong to a casting club and frequently coach beginners. I have a number of images or stories I use, but I thought this ‘spider’ one was very good and should be added to my ‘quiver’.
I can’t find it with a search or a scan of Castwell’s articles. Does anyone remember it?
Thanks,
Greg
Greg;
I’ve seen him do it! Very effective method which I have used a couple of times. He some times uses a fly on a window but as most of us dislike spiders it is a bit better.
I’m sure he’ll be along and direct you to the article.
3rd quarter 2008 “Killing Spiders”.
Some casting instructors use an old fashioned fly swatter against the door jamb to get a person used to stopping, both on the forward cast and the back cast.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
This what you’re looking for? Seems to be but I was wrong once before last month.
What a great meatphor! ;D
“Killing Spiders” is the one - thanks!
Greg, it is a rock-solid visual. Some folks really learn better when there are things like that. The first time you watch as a hundred pound girl, flexing just the tip of a 9ft rod, smashes 'big, ugly, nasty, spiders, in front of her and backhanded behind her, with absolutely no regard for the fly line, and watch as her front and back loops shoot like wedges, you will be a believer. Just make sure the rod does not bust through the wall, but only spats the bug.
“Kill the bug on the front wall!, Now kill the on behind you!, Now another one in front!. Now in back again! Great, by the way, you’re casting now too.” 
“Oh, by the way, instead of just holding onto the line, if you tug a little with your left hand while it’s going back and forth, it helps make it go faster and is less work for your right arm, which you will notice is already starting to get tired.”
I also like JC’s method of crooking your off arm out in front of you and hitting it with the rod on the front cast. Do it until it hurts and then move your arm away.
I think it was Joan Wulff that used the old spider on your tip top method. You start with your rod about 30 degrees from vertical behind you and pretend you are trying to flick a big spider off the end into a bush on the bank. If you accelerate too fast, the spider will drop off the rod onto your hat, crawl down and bite your neck. If you stop too soft, the spider won’t come off and will crawl down the rod and bite your arm. If you stop too late, the spider will flick off into the water and swim back and bite you in the … whatever. Just flick him over into the bush and you’ll not get bitten and will make a good cast.
Godspeed and good fishing,
Bob