Casting a fly fishing rod is somewhat of a challenging yet rewarding art form. It takes practice and patience, but learning how to do it properly doesn’t have to be difficult if you follow our tips below.
- The Basics
Fly fishers normally make use of lighter flies that are made of feathers and fur. Unlike a regular fishing line, a fly fishing line is made of a urethane or PVC coating, making it heftier. Check out durable fly fishing rods you can buy from Sydney Fly Outfitters & Guiding.
- The Loop
During your casting stroke, the fly line will trail behind the rod tip. Once the casting stroke stops, energy travels into the line which then unrolls in the direction of which the rod tip was travelling to form a loop. A few things to watch out for to ensure you’re casting correctly include:
- The top of that loop must unroll parallel to the bottom and the overall cast should unroll parallel to the ground.
- Your loop must be narrow.
- That loop must unroll straight and smooth right from beginning to end and the entire leader and line should stretch out before it falls into the water.
- Loading Your Rod
Your fly rod needs to be loaded with energy if you want to create a cast. That energy is eventually released into the line. The energy load is normally achieved by using a smooth accelerating movement when you cast a stroke.
- An Overhead Cast
This is a technique you are likely to use the majority of the time when you’re out fishing. It’s based on just about every other variation of casting. To practice, you must have a complete fly fishing outfit. Practice in a large open space.
You can divide your cast into two different parts: the forward cast and the back cast. You need the back cast to load your rod with energy in order to make a forward cast.
- Back Cast
To make a back cast, stand square with your shoulders and hold the fishing rod with your fingers wrapped around its handle. Keep your thumb on top of the rod and face your palm downwards. Next, pull around 25 feet of the line off your reel and continue to feed it out to the tip of your rod. Lay the line straight and stand square towards your target.
Next, start with the rod tip low and accelerate the rod upwards and backwards in a fluid motion. Stop the acceleration once the rod passes a vertical position. Pause, and then once the line is extended, your back cast is done.
- Forward Cast
Finally, to create a forward cast, the line should be extended up behind you. Carefully bring the rod forward in an accelerating and smooth stroke and stop once the tip of the rod is high so that energy can transfer into the line to propel it forward. Once the line starts to unroll, lower your rod tip and let the line roll straight out to the fly.
Use these tips to successfully cast on a fly fishing rod.
