Becoming a good fly caster is a little like being a proficient musician, it takes time, practice and some knowledge of the theory behind it all. Here are 5 simple tips that will help improve your fly casting and your fly fishing.
Practice your fly casting with a short line, take your time, use less power, slow down, nail that tracking and your loops will improve no end.
Carl McNeil is an IFFF Certified Master Fly Casting Instructor and has received the Presidents Pin for Services to Fly casting.
I like it. Been fly fishing since I was 13, now young 67. Thumb on top gives you control of your cast. That’s what my dad taught me. Always up for learning new tricks, this works for me
Good stuff!
The importance of tracking, or the plane of the cast – the tip traveling in a straight line through the power application (both forward and back) cannot be over emphasised. Yank it out of plane and you mess it all up.
I also appreciate the advice to slow down, which also fits nicely with tracking. I encourage my students to turn and watch the back-cast – let it unfurl and then come forward. The whole thing has a waltz rhythm: power stroke on one beat; pause on secold and third beat. ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three.The dance gets slower as line extended from the tip lengthens. Go too fast and you mess it all up.
Thanks for practical and welcome relief from the over-intellectualized self-aggrandizement from some “experts” that defeats the purpose of teaching people how to cast, catch fish, and have fun.
P.S. Shout-out to John Till who posted above, from one old Cal Trouter to another! Get in touch! I’m on Facebook.
Great advice, slow and smooth. The other of many pointers I have received over the years was to start slowly and end up quickly in the forward cast. and Joan Wulff taught me how to achieve this, with my thumb on the top of the rod end the forward cast as if ringing a doorbell.
Great advice, slow and smooth. The other of many pointers I have received over the years was to start slowly and end up quickly in the forward cast. and Joan Wulff taught me how to achieve this, with my thumb on the top of the rod end the forward cast as if ringing a doorbell.
I understand John’s ,however, play or watch any sport and you will differences. John, try the thumb on top for awhile—experiment. Thumb on top works for some—watch videos. Have fun.
John c. Till, MCCI past President of GGACC
Here’s my tip to those giving tips and lessons: Try to get on the same page. It really doesn’t help a beginner to get different advice from each trainer they run across, each article they read. I watched a lady from TU recently giving lessons and the number one thing she stressed was not having your thumb on top. I watch videos and saw trainers at the Golden Gate club and they all say have your thumb on top. Just one of many, many examples I could give.
These are great simple tips
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Dejonghe Dirk
January 05, 2021
So happy to find such cristalclear tips.can’t wait to start bassfishing next year.This wil take
place in the Northsea Coastal waters of Belgium and The Netherlands.Thx.