Casting problem

[Zarick]

I have been struggling to learn to cast. I have taken one lesson and had a friend who is a fisherman spend an hour with me. I got the basics. However, I have two main problems. The first is I keep killing my tippet. I think it may be my back cast and pulling forward too early. I am also thinking it is me trying to power the fly forward too much.
The second problem I cannot figure out for the life of me. I cast back..everything looks okay, I cast forward and I get a nice loop and everything looks okay.. back again and everything looks okay.. then forward.. and here is what happens:
The loop looks good, with one marked difference.. the fly begins to fall below the fly line in the air. By the time it is well out in front my tight loop has gone from a nice U shape to a an oval..with the fly sailing below the line.. then as the line pulls the fly up to flip it over the fly catches the line and either snags it hard.. or ties a nice knot.

I cannot figure out what I do to cause this action.. It has frustrated me to the point of giving up as I am tried of losing tippet due to amazingly bad knots.

Help?

 

[troutmasta]

I suck at fly fishing but when I just think of "flicking" paint OFF a paintrbush it seems to work. When I get overwhelmed I just have to stop for a min.
Good Luck

 

[Mutiny]

Make sure to wait until you feel the line behind or in front of you pull on the rod and the tip starts to bend before starting your forward or backward cast. If its getting tangled up on your second forward cast it is likely that the line is not fully loading on your first forward cast and ends up in a pile behind you by the time you are ready to make the second forward cast. Most of the movement should come from your elbow, your upper arm and wrist should not be doing the casting. It is helpfull to extend your pointer finger out along the top of the rod past the handle to keep your wrist locked in place. It will also help you feel the line and strikes better.
What weight rod/line and size of tippet/fly are you casting?

 

[hvacr1]

Yeah you have to let the rod load up like mutiny said or you will continue to snap off flies and or tie knots in your tippet. It should be a smooth motion your not trying to crack a whip. you will get it practice as much as you can just don't quit and stick with it. It really sucks when you are trying to learn and or practice by yourself its hard to stay focused. It takes some people a little while just to learn how to operate a baitcasting set up so your probably doing fine your going through the same thing everyone else is or will go through just keep at it.

 

[Casting Call]

Welcome to the fourm Z! Sounds like you have the basic's down pat. Wou.d think of ever throwing a "U"shaped spear forward or backwards of course not Try this start to backcast,letting the wet line load up your rod and going just behind your shoulder wait for the line/spear to load-up/tug on the tip, then cast forward using the weight of the line/tug cast forward. It works both ways on any type of cast, roll cast,backhand cast, and flip cast. You will find out and FEEL it will take very little power. Let the rod and line do all the work for you, all you have to do is aim a little ahead of your target. With a little more practice you will have IT down pat. Payment for advise and lessons given by me or others is to come back and let us know how you did. That's all we ask in reward. Good luck, have fun and keep ur socks dry. Tony

 

[Zarick]

Make sure to wait until you feel the line behind or in front of you pull on the rod and the tip starts to bend before starting your forward or backward cast. If its getting tangled up on your second forward cast it is likely that the line is not fully loading on your first forward cast and ends up in a pile behind you by the time you are ready to make the second forward cast. Most of the movement should come from your elbow, your upper arm and wrist should not be doing the casting. It is helpfull to extend your pointer finger out along the top of the rod past the handle to keep your wrist locked in place. It will also help you feel the line and strikes better.
What weight rod/line and size of tippet/fly are you casting?

echo solo 6 with a ion reel. tippet is 4x 6bl, fly is just basic echo 6lb. I have done pretty well keeping my forearm and wrist locked. I do think it is my back cast that is killing me off. It is possible I am not getting it to extend behind me enough. I try watching it... seems like it hits the ground before my forward cast pretty often (unless there is a tree. I am good at catching those).

 

[Troutski]

Hang in there...

Hang in there...

Where about do you live...

Chuck

 

[Zarick]

Where about do you live...

Chuck

Portland, East side.. almost to rockwood (162nd ish).

 

[Troutski]

Portland, East side.. almost to rockwood (162nd ish).

Can some one up there recommend a teacher this angler can contact for some private lessons.. All it takes is a few perfect cast and you will be hooked...

Chuck

 

[BlueWater]

It sounds like you're (a) moving everything too fast and (b) overpowering the cast. I had similar problems with my loops/casts in the beginning because I would start the forward cast with a jerk, thinking I was accelerating the line, but was only creating slack in the loop, and once that slack formed, I would lose control of the fly and almost always hook the fly line or tie knots in the leader and tippet. Try making a single backcast and see if the problem is always there. I could make a fine cast, but adding in a false cast was my downfall and I would begin to rush through the second backcast. I had to practice starting the casting motion slowly, an almost unnatural sensation for me, and then accelerate the rod to the stop every time I moved the rod, and not just on my forward cast.

Along with rushing through the casting motions, I had a habit of flicking my wrist at the end of the cast, which works with a casting rod, but can over-accelerate the tip of the fly line, and can make the fly drag behind.

I have a lawn that is large enough for me to practice, and it helped. I can't get my mind on practice standing anywhere close to where fish live.

A good teacher should be able to clear this up immediately, but an experienced angler should be able to spot the problem, too.

 

[Tinker]

Slack in the line. Many will tell you it's the casting motion or the casting stroke, that you're going too fast or overpowering the cast or flicking your wrist, or not jamming your elbow into your ribs, or whatever... but it's slack in the line, and not necessarily slack line forming in the back cast. Try reading Ed Jaworowski's book on "Troubleshooting the Cast". Available at Amazon in a Kindle edition.

To see it, watch the rod tip, not the line. But read the book.