Fly Casting

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Fly Casting by WEBFLYZ B.C.

Instructed by Cory Koenig
(250) 877-2021

The most important component in fly fishing is PRESENTATION. This begins with casting.
If you can cast properly, your chances of hooking a fish increase dramatically.

In fly fishing, anglers use the line as the mass, as apposed to the lure being the mass, as in lure or gear fishing. Polarized glasses will definitely provide better success in all types of fishing.

GRIP> Hold the rod like a handshake, Thumb on top of the cork. Similar to holding a tennis raquet, or shotgun. Have your thumb pointing directly to the tip of the rod, this will allow you to point where the fly lands. Make sure that your grip is light, relaxed, and controlled.

STANCE> R handed anglers stand with their left foot forward, and right foot back. This provides you with a stable ground and balance.

READY TO CAST!!!

1) There is no wrist in fly fishing, your wrist lacks the strength for casting, and will never provide you with good results. Your cast strength will come from your forearm, where the strength is. Always remember that fly casting is a constant ACCELERATION TO A STOP BACKWARDS (10 O'CLOCK),
2) and an ACCELERATION TO A STOP FORWARD (2 O'CLOCK).
(MAKE MOTIONS)

HOW MUCH POWER IS NEEDED? The truth is that there is always an equal amount of power in the backcast as the forecast.

3) If you think of a clock, your stopping point on your BACKCAST is about 10 O'CLOCK,
and your stopping point on your FORECAST is about 2 O'CLOCK.
4) The shorter the cast, (DISTANCE) the shorter the stroke. The longer the cast, the longer the stroke.

FALSE CAST>

Nothing will work without the false cast, this is why you see fly fishermen constantly stroking back and forth.

1) Strip off 20 feet of line or so, having your casting hand on the rod, and your opposite hand holding the line, (you CONTROL HAND holds the fly line).
2) STANCE> as above.
3) Start with your rod tip down, elbow off to side, remember to be comfortable and relaxed.
4) ACCELERATE to a STOP (BACKWARDS), let line fall behind you, now you have completed half of the backcast!
5) ACCELERATE to a STOP (FORWARDS), let line fall in front of you,
YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED THE FALSE CAST!!! (Show breaking of wrist, the resulting broken loop, and how to correct with complete forearm control. Keep loop tight!
TIMING> Allow line to unfold both ways, before continuing. Forearm=Speed, Control, and Distance.
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DISTANCE> SMOOTH (SHOOTING LINE) touch on this later in lesson.

*It does not matter where your rod is during casting, above your head, off to side, as long as the tip of the rod is always travelling on a straight plane! (Draw yourself an imaginary line, in a straight line, with the tip of the rod.

SHOOTING LINE> This gives the angler that extra 20-60 feet of distance.

1) Make good, hard false casts, remembering ACCELERATE to a STOP. Now on your forward cast, let some line slip through your thumb and index fingers of your (control) hand. This allows length on the forecast. <<>> If the line is let out at any other point, your loop will be a mess!
2) Another way to explain is: Pinch line between thumb and forefinger, but on forward ACCELERATE to a STOP, quickly make a donut with thumb and forefinger, allowing all line to travel through (DONUT!)

* Make sure that right after your forward, and your line is travelling through the donut, you now ADD: the drop of your rod tip, after the line is through!

*Most essential component in fly fishing is casting, (your presentation) of the fly to the fish.

RIVER SETTING> Very difficult, most times there is not enough room to cast on rivers or creeks, or there are obstructions that do not allow for backcasts.

*Remember that when presenting a fly to a fish, never allow the fly to splash down hard on the water, most times this startles the fish, and they will not be interested in your fly.

KEEP IN MIND!> ACCELERATION to a STOP, allowing the fly to come gently on the surface of the water.

So we can not back cast on the watershed, so we use what is called a .

The ROLLCAST uses water tension to help make the cast work. This cast is designed for situations on the river that have no room for a backcast.

1) Get line out, hold line tight in opposite hand, lift tip up slowly, and smoothly until line stops.
2) (Line is bellied behind your ear), all is needed is the ACCELERATE to a STOP FORWARD, and you have completed the ROLLCAST! Some rods like spey rods allow you to pick up more line, no matter which cast you preform.

STEEPLCAST> This cast allows you to use some of your backcast when obstructions behind you are higher than you.

1) Lift arm and rod up on you BACKCAST, staying above back ground obstructions behind you.
2) Shoot line up in the air behind you, and simply ACCELERATE to a STOP FORWARD.