Fly fishing basics

Some of the basics of fly-fishing are using the right fly, supplying your tackle box properly, and the most important part of fly-fishing is learning how to cast. Casting is a big part of fly-fishing because it will most likely decide rather you are capable of catching some fish or not. Remember, casting is back and forth motion so that you can place your fly wherever you want it.

However, not everyone can throw the perfect cast on his or her first try. In fact, to master the art of casting you will need to spend hours practicing so that you can get it just right. You will want to practice out of the water and without the fly so that you don’t snag or hurt someone.

For the basic cast, you need to let out 25 feet of line in front of where you are. Now grip your rod like you are shaking hands. The rod’s handle should be in your palm and your fingers closed around it, but keep your thumb on top. Next, face the direction of where you want to cast. You need to position your weight so that the weight of your feet is even.

Then you need to keep your wrist as still as possible and don’t bend your wrist. The only part of your upper body that should move is your elbow. You will want to think of a clock motion. Your arm, in casting, should be at 11 on a forward cast, and at 1 on a back cast. Meaning your arm should be positioned more forward, but not exactly, a 90-degree angle and you should have your arm closer to your shoulder at a 75 or so degree angle.

To cast forward, hold your arm at 11 o clock, and the loose line should trace down the rod so that you may grab it with your free hand. You should take hold of the line and keep it above your waistline. Pull the rod back, release the line, and wait for the line to straighten. Now quickly cast forward and wait for the loop formed from the line to straighten.

Then take your free hand and grasp the line with your index and finger thumb. Pull some line so that it can form a loop above the reel. When you do this, you are gathering your line for the next cast. The point is to only pull in as much as you need to cast. Then to end the cast, stop before eleven o’clock. The slack that you pulled in will go out with your fly.

This sounds very difficult and casting is very difficult. If you to cast just right, you need to do some practicing. If you would feel more comfortable, you should have one of your buddies show you some of their skills so that you can pick up on your casting quickly. It is important that you understand that casting is difficult and takes time to master, but is the only way you will become a successful fly-fisherman.

The cast is so important because it is how the fly gets to the fish and if done wrong, can spook the fish away and then you will never catch anything. You may want to find some casting techniques to vary when you are fishing for a specific type of fish.