Best Way To Learn

[darrinhurst]

Wow. Lots of information and advice. Thanks a ton guys!

 

Several parks near my home, so I am sure that I can take the kids to the park while I do some casting and let them goof around for a while, while I goof around.

 

Right now, practise, practise, practise. Next time I am sure I will do better.

 

Thanks a million guys!

[darrinhurst]

Ok, so I had a chance to get out and practise some of my casting tonight. I did what some of you suggested and tied some yarn to the end to simulate the fly so that I can see where the leader was ending up. There were a couple of times where I had a knot in the leader again, but by the end of it, I felt that I had figured out what I was really doing wrong. I was using my arm too much and my wrist too little. I found that when I used my wrist more to whip the rod, it shot the line better and extended it further allowing the line and leader to fully extend.

 

I am pretty sure that the next time I hit the water I will do 100% better than last time.

 

Thanks again for the advise everyone.

[Hawgstoppah]

Watch your back cast - I mean actually look back at your line during your back cast. You're possibly starting your forward cast too soon resulting in tailing loops, which often cause tangles.

 

Bingo. Having guided and taught many folks how to chuck this 2 nymph heavy weight and indicator setup, I'll bet this is exactly what's happening.

 

The fix: just what he said. Literally watch your line behind you and let it straighten out before you forward cast. Cast with your rod held slightly out from your body on an angle (not straight up and down over your head). WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL THE ROD LOAD.... before each forward cast.... you'll feel a tug .... that's when to go forward. If your not feeling that tug then your actual backcast is not powerfull enough to keep the system airborne, and there falling behind you or into you on the backcast.

 

Hope this helps

 

Never ever try to cast the nymphs with slack in the line, always, ALWAYS strip line until your tight to them before making your next cast.

[darrinhurst]

Strip line?

[nextdevills]

check out http://www.sexyloops.com has good info for all stages of learning to cast wish iknew about this site when i started

[jonny5]

, I was spending more time untying knots in my line caused by my strike indicator and my heavier fly weaving about each other. I found it quite difficult to cast as a rookie, should I be trying the dry fly until I get better at casting, or am I just casting challenged?

 

I am no expert, but I don't like using an indicator... I would rather lick 9 volt batteries with my eyeball than cast a nymph rig all day. But, nymphing is often the best way to catch fish (like in the winter). So you could learn to nymph with out an indicator, and its a lot easier to cast, but a bit harder to tell when you have a take. Works pretty good I think.

 

As for lessons... eh... I am a poooooor pooooor student... I would rather spend my money on beer.

 

Jon

[darrinhurst]

Yeah, so that whole "I'll feel a lot more confident the next time I go out" thing I said....well that went to s**t in a real hurry. Lost three flies in a span of 15 minutes. Wow was I pissed. Not only was I really degected, but I was annoyed at having to get my hook out of the damn bush every cast.

 

Tried dry flies (lost two) and a streamer (lost one), so needless to say, I am feeling quite discouraged, but I am NOT giving up. I just think that the Bow is too high and too fast for a beginner right now. I need to stick to some other areas where it may not be so high or so fast so that I can get some confidence up not only in my casting, but in fly fishing in general.

 

I have Friday off this week, anyone interested in showing me the ropes? And teaching this poor ignorant fool.

[Harps]

Samuraifly mentioned Sexyloops.... you can't beat the casting instruction there. Best in the world.

Movies, good descriptions, trouble shooting, etc

 

Plus the founder will be in Calgary on September 6th with some time for a lesson. He gave a demo in Lethbridge for a lucky bunch of casters a year ago... absolutely brilliant! Some on this board (Dryfly, ADC, myself, Lethfisher, Guito) were there and I know I learned more then nearly 10 years of making it up on my own.

 

If you can't take a lesson (best option)...

Sit down for a while with the sexyloops website and make the movements with no rod. There is alot of science and theory behind casting, but it all becomes second nature pretty quick.

 

Also, expect to lose flies. If dries aren't gettng stuck in undercuts and nymphs aren't hanging up on the bottom, you're not fishing where the fish are.

 

If the flies are snapping off when you are casting, you need to slow down and let that line fully straighten out behind you. Too much power, too soon will cause the line to react like snapping a whip, in which case, you'll lose flies.

You don't want to be using your wrist to move the flyrod, think of it like throwing a football... smooth arm action first which blends smoothly into a wrist snap at the end. Smooth application of power, accelerating until the end where you have to remember to Stop the movement.

 

Anyways, it be easier for you to read it and watch it on Sexyloops or have somebody show you in person. Hopefully you'll also have a chance to go out with a few of the fine folks on the board.

[headscan]

I just think that the Bow is too high and too fast for a beginner right now. I need to stick to some other areas where it may not be so high or so fast so that I can get some confidence up not only in my casting, but in fly fishing in general.

The Bow can be a tough river to learn on in the best of conditions. When I started out I was ready to pack it in because it seemed I could never catch a fish there. Then I started fishing the Highwood and other smaller streams and was catching fish more consistently each time out. Hone your skills on smaller rivers, then bring those skills to the Bow. If you can, take Samuraifly and Harps suggestion to check out the Sexyloops lesson.