Since we’ve been harping on how warm and low waters are, especially across many favorite trout streams in the West, let’s talk about correcting casting mistakes since that’s a good way to spend your time if you’re not fishing.
Typically, one of three mistakes is made when learning to cast a fly rod (and made even years after having learned), so let’s correct them now.
1. You go back too far on your backcast
You’ll know this is happening if you’re throwing open, slushy loops and the line speed dies and piles up in clumps in front of you. If you keep your thumb in your peripheral vision, you’re more likely to stop at the appropriate point and avoid breaking your wrist too far on your backcast. Stopping the rod at your ear is a good way to know exactly where to stop and then be sure to stop it with authority before shooting the line forward.
2. You break your wrist too much during the cast
When your wrist breaks too much, it immediately dissipates all the hard-earned energy created in a normal casting stroke. Ensure your thumb doesn’t move much more than a couple of inches during your cast. One simple way to do this is to tuck the rod butt into your sleeve or even in an elastic band. Both options will help tell you when to stop the rod.
Try casting with your index finger instead of your thumb on top
Another option is to place your index finger along the cork handle instead of your thumb. The last piece of advice that will help is to keep the arm in one place during the cast. Try tucking an issue of TROUT magazine under your arm and keep it there throughout the casting motion. This will help keep it tight and compact.
Keep your casting arm by your side to prevent many casting difficulties
3. You create tailing loops
When you watch your cast unfurl behind you and then again watch it as it moves forward, you’ll know you’re creating tailing loops if the line dips below the tip of the rod on the forward cast. This means you’re likely trying too hard to urge that fly line and fly to its final destination.
Watch your cast in both directions to help know how to fix mistakes
To mitigate this, think hard back, easy forward taking some of the umph out of the final forward cast. Keep watching your cast while thinking about a smooth, easy forward cast.
Follow these tips and most of your casting flaws will magically disappear.