Fly Casting For Beginners

It is hard to learn casting from books and video, while these help, there is no better way than actually just doing it.  A member from the local fly club, or a fishing shop member may be able to help you with casting. Some places have proper fly casting classes that might well be worth the money.

Casting on dry land is a good way to practice.  Don’t practice on rough areas like gravel as this will damage the fly line.  An oval or grass area where there is plenty of room for the back cast is ideal.  You can cut the hook off and practice just with the shank of the fly, so you don’t hook yourself or danger any one.  Wearing safety glasses can help prevent eye injuries.

Tie a bit of fluorescent red or bright yarn on your fly.  This makes it easy for you to see how accurate you are casting, or not!   A paper or old ceramic plate is a good target.

If you practice casting on water, some anglers use hoola hoops and set them at different distances.   If you are fishing and there is no activity on the water, practice aiming at small bits of leaves, insects, etc, whatever is floating past.

A little bit of practice frequently, say for twenty minutes a day is better then three hours once a week.  Anyhow let’s get started.

Casting Basics

If you are use to spin casting, then you will know that the weight of the lure pulls the line.  However, in fly casting the weight of the line carries the fly. So in learning to fly cast you must learn to use the rod to cast the weight of the fly line. With these basic principles you will be able to accomplish that quickly. 

The line follows the direction the rod tip is pointed during the cast. 

Fly casting is based on timing, not on strength.  Practice the timing of the cast, not brute force. 

The fundamentals of good fly casting are the correct stroke and stopping of the rod. The caster loads the energy into the rod during the cast stroke. The energy is then released by the rod into the line during the cast, slinging the line. The amount of energy loaded into the rod by the caster makes the cast.

Short casts need smaller low energy stroke.  Casting arcs are small for short casts and large for large casts. 

Stopping the rod after the casting stroke is important to forming the casting loop plus it gives the rod the opportunity to unload and cast the line. 

The Casting Grip

Hold out your hand as if you are going to shake someone’s hand. Grip the rod, and place your thumb on the top of the rod grip.  Some rods have a thumb impression on the grip. (Depending on the balance of the rod and reel, you may hold the rod slightly lower.)

You will need a good grasp on the rod so hold it firmly.  As you are learning to cast, keep the rod butt in line with your forearm.  The rod needs to be in that position when you cast.  If the rod deviates from that position during the cast, the tip will wander and the line will follow the tip, spoiling the cast.