In our first episode, we talked about the importance of practicing our skill- to, as Flip Pallot has said- make a decent cast to get the last 40’ to the fish. If we can’t do that, we are wasting our time and the guide’s time, too.
So, what’s the deal with fly casting? Needless to say, it is unlike other forms of fishing where we have a weighted lure attached to thin line that we cast, allowing the weighted lure to pull the line of the reel- be it a spinning reel with its stationary spool or a revolving spool reel, often called a bait-casting reel.
In fly fishing, we are throwing a fly/lure that weights next to nothing and using line that it weighted (at least in the first 30-40’). Instead of having it all pull the line off the reel, we pull the line off the reel first and put it at our feet or in a stripping basket of some sort.
The essence of fly casting is that we make two casts. The first is the back cast in which 30’ (more or less) is cast behind us and then the forward cast in which that line shoots out in front of us. In both cases, it is essential that we let the weight of the line bend the rod, thus storing energy, and that stored energy is unleashed when we stop the rod and the rod uses the stored energy to propel the line backwards for the back cast and forward for the forward cast. The fly and leader follow along for the ride. Our task is to let the rod and line do about 95% of the work. Our job is to give the rod and the line the best opportunity we can give them to do their job well.
Lefty Kreh, the late great granddaddy of fly fishing, identified 4, 5, or 6 (it varied from time to time) Principles of the natural order that govern our actions. Lefty always said he wanted everyone to find their own casting style that works for them instead of trying to copy someone else’s style. But, he said, whatever they do, we will have to remember these Principles.
I.- Getting the Slack Out of the Line
1. Remove the slack before beginning your back cast. Said another way, you can’t (or shouldn’t) start your back cast until the end of the fly line is moving. And the only way to do that is to have all the slack out.
In most other forms of fishing with a rod and reel, anglers hold the rod at a slight angle above the perpendicular. There are advantages to this in other forms of fishing. But in fly fishing, it is vital that we keep the rod tip pointed down toward the water, even touching the water. If we have the fly rod tip several feet above the water, what happens? The weighted line wants to go straight down into the water so it pulls the entire fly line toward us until the line from the rod tip to the water is straight down.
This means that when we start our backcast, we have a whole lot of slack in the line and the rod tip is already over half way to vertical so it is almost impossible for us to have a crisp, clean, effective back cast. To get all the line behind us, we will have to bend our wrist and point the rod behind us, even to the point of pointing down to the water or ground behind us. As will be noted in another principle, the fly is going to go where the rod tip is pointed when it stops. If the rod tip is pointed to the ground when it stops on the backcast, that’s where the fly line will end up- in a pile behind us. This is not good. To try to get it back in front of us, we need to make a high, looping cast for a forward cast and the line will go high up in the air in a great arc and the wind will tear it apart and we will wonder what we are doing wrong, even to the point of swearing that we did not go behind our head, point the rod tip toward the ground, or even bend our wrist in the process.
Instead, point the rod tip at the water, strip in the line until the line is straight and the end of the fly line is moving slightly toward us. At this point, slowly accelerate the rod pulling the fly line out of the water. When only the fly and leader remain in the water, accelerate even faster, use you line hand to give the line a jerk (called a haul) and stop the fly rod. And we do mean stop the fly rod just past vertical.
Allow the fly line, leader, and fly to be cast behind us as the bent rod unloads (straightens). Just as the line is about to straighten completely, start moving the rod forward, keeping the rod tip in the same plane as the back cast. Slowly accelerate (thus bending the rod, storing energy). When the rod tip has gone past your head, accelerate a bit more, tug on the line with you line hand (another haul), and stop the rod! Again, stop it. If we have avoided breaking our wrist until the very end when we drop the rod tip down just a few inches so the fly line and fly don’t bang into it, the line should shoot forward in a tight loop dragging all (or at least most) of the fly line at our feet with it before settling onto the water.
So, we have used the flippy rod to bend as it dragged the fly line back and then, when stopped, straightened and let the fly line be propelled behind us. Then we have reversed the same action by slowly but firmly bringing the fly rod forward, putting another bend in the rod and unbending it when the rod is stopped and propels the fly line forward, dragging the leader and fly to the intended target.
It’s all about technique. It’s all about letting the fly rod and line do their work. We let it happen and the more we try to make it happen by adding power, the worse it is going to be. We will overpower the rod and the whole cast will collapse in a pile at our feet.
If we start without getting the slack out of the line, our backcast will end up in a pile behind us. If we try to correct that, the forward cast will be the giant looping mess that won’t go very far and will end up in a pile on the water in front of us.
And it all started because we tried to start our backcast before the slack was out of the line. It is hard to overcome that simple mistake. It is better to abort that cast and try again.
II. Overcoming Gravity With Line Speed
2. Gravity will win in the end so the only way we can make a long cast is to increase our line speed. And the only way to increase our line speed is by having the backcast and forward cast be longer.
As short cast doesn’t need a lot of line speed. To make a short cast, we make short back and forward casts. To make a longer cast, we need to extend the rod further behind us so there is more distance to accelerate the rod both on the backcast and the forward cast.
The danger of all of this is that it is hard to keep our wrist straight when we are reaching the rod far behind us on the backcast. But it is not as hard if we remember that we are not playing tennis. We are not trying to have our arm work like a windshield wiper blade make a long, semi-circular motion. In reality, we are using a squeegee, going straight back and forth. And we are wiping the water off a long window, again all in a straight line. So, we have to reach back behind us, keeping the wrist as straight as we can, letting the fly line roll out almost all the way on the back cast before doing the same thing in the forward direction. Accelerate slowly but firmly until the fly reel passes our head and then use our wrist to tuck the rod tip under just a few inches to avoid a collision with the line, while at the same time making our second haul (hence the infamous double haul).
The double haul may take some time to learn. But once you do, it will increase your distance and accuracy. And it will give the fly line a kick in the pants that feels so good when you do it properly. Keep practicing until you can do it without thinking.
Gravity will win. The only trick we have is to increase line speed.
A word about casting distance. A lot of experts will tell you not to try casting over 50’-60’. They claim that you can’t control a longer cast with any degree of accuracy. They will tell you it is almost impossible to set the hook on a fish with more than 60’ of line out. They will tell you not to bother, that all you’re really doing is showing off.
Lefty says you should strive to be able to cast 100’. First of all, there are fish you won’t catch if you can’t make a long cast. In one of his many books, he tells the story of guiding a friend fishing the mangroves in Florida. They see fish 80’ away. Lefty tells his friend to cast to catch one. The friend protests that he can’t cast that far and Lefty will have to move closer. Lefty counters saying that will spook the fish. The friend is finally badgered into trying, fails miserably so Lefty moves closer and the fish spook. This happens another time. Finally the friend calls Lefty’s bluff and tells him to show me how to catch those fish from 80’ away. They find more fish and lefty takes the rod, flicks out an 80’ cast and catches one. Within in minutes, Lefty goes from guiding to instructing to the point that the friend can cast 80’. He doesn’t catch one on that trip but catches one of a trip two days later. He is proud as punch. Second, an energetic fish is going to set the hook itself if it hits hard enough. Third, Lefty will tell you that in addition, if you can cast 100’ your technique is good enough that you might be able to made a decent 30’ cast in heavy wind. So, practice and work up to those longer casts. It’s all a matter of technique. It will come in handy. And you will catch fish because you can make a longer cast than others.
III- The Fly Will Go Where the Rod Tip Is Pointed When It Stops
3. The fly rod is like a gun in that the fly will go where the rod tip is pointed when it stops just like a bullet will go where the barrel of the gun is aimed when the bullet leaves the barrel. After that, you can do anything you like with the gun or rod and it will not alter where the fly/bullet goes. In fact, there are some casts in mountain streams where you need to wiggle the rod tip a lot after the rod tip has stopped and the fly is on the way in order to introduce slack in the line so you won’t have to mend your line as quickly to get a natural-looking float in a stream with several seams of water moving at different speeds. In addition, there are ways you can make your fly and leader curve to the left or right so you can place a fly behind a rock or a log. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. For now, we want to make a clean and complete stop on both the back and forward casts.
IV- Tight Loops Are Efficient, Beautiful and Feel So Good
4. Tight loops are the most efficient way to expend the energy stored in the curved rod on both the back cast and the forward cast. Tight loops cut through the wind better. They allow you to be more accurate since you don’t have a huge loop just begging the wind to blow it all over the place. And the maximum energy is directed correctly toward your target.
The less you bend your wrist on the backcast and the forward cast, the tighter your loop! It’s that simple. The only time you want to bend your wrist is at the very end of the forward cast when bend your wrist ever so slightly to tuck the rod tip down a couple of inches so it gets out of the way of the fly line, leader and fly. You don’t want the fly to hit your rod because sooner or later the rod is going to break if it has been shocked too frequently. So, the less you bend your wrist on the back and forward casts, the tighter your loop. A tight loop is attractive and it is efficient, improving distance and accuracy.
V. Distance from Your Line Hand Not Your Rod Hand!?!
5. You get your distance with your line hand and not your rod hand by employing the double haul. Now, the rod hand does contribute to distance when you lengthen your cast- as long as you don’t try to add excessive power with it to “make the cast” go into the next county. Two simple tugs on the line with your line hand add all the power you want. It doesn’t make any sense to say that by pulling back on your line you will make it go forward further. But it works by putting more bend in the rod which in turn propels the line further.
The secret, of course, is in the timing. Ideally, you perform the hauls (backward and forward casts) just as the rod is stopping and the rod tip is getting ready to unload. Too late and it you really are dragging the line backwards. Too early and it’s not making much of a difference.
Learning the double haul is a simple matter of practice- lots of practice to see what works and what doesn’t. The wonderful thing about fly casting is it will tell you if you made a good cast and it will tell you when you didn’t. It might not tell you what you did wrong. That comes with experience. But a really good cast feels different. It is one of the sensual joys of fly casting. The line literally leaps from the ground to run out the line guides. It is the reward for all of your practice. And with practice, you get to experience it on almost every cast! It will make you a happy person.
VI. Thumb and Line Guides Facing the Target At All Times
6. Your thumb and line guides should always face the target on the back cast and the forward cast whether you cast side arm or over the top or across your body. And while we’re at it, don’t grab onto the rod like you want to strangle it. Hold it loosely. Otherwise, you will try too hard to make the cast work and that will ruin everything. Be gentle but firm and keep your thumb and the line guides facing the target.
For more, Google Lefty Kreh’s Principles of Fly Casting.
