The importance of good technique for wild fish fishing
At its very simplest fly-casting is a means to an end, it is the delivery technique used to put the fly out onto the water in order for the angler to then fish the fly. It is a necessary skill to be able to fly fish. That above all is its prime purpose.
Up to a certain point, how well or how proficiently you can fly cast has really a very big impact on how well you fish. As indeed does how well or how controlled you can manipulate the rod and line after you have made the cast. Those who think otherwise are mistaken and I have certainly witnessed the devastating effect of shortcomings in this area on the chances for sport on very many occasions while Guiding for Atlantic Salmon and grilse or wild brown trout. This includes even short range fishing such as short line wet fly fishing for Irish Lough trout or dry fly fishing from the boat at short range.
With the advent of mobile phones it is possible to contact other boatmen on the Lough. One day when Ghillying on Lough Conn for two of Paddy McDonnell's guests he rang me to tell me of a localised hatch of Mayfly where he was, and a good rise occurring, indeed a feeding frenzy of the brown trout on it. I said I would be over straight away and then asked had his two guests taken many? "No," he replied, "they're managing to beat a path through them." No more needed to be said and I knew from experiencing the same thing myself at times just exactly what he meant. As so frequently happens with wild fish fishing, a great and limited opportunity for good sport presented by nature was being missed, and as usual because of a lack of some basic casting ability and line management even at short range. So many times I have seen this during the Mayfly dun hatch, and also some excellent opportunities for sport on spent mayfly in the evenings simply wasted.
I will occasionally have people telling me that they are anglers not casters. They say this as if somehow a good angler couldn't also be a good caster for some reason entirely unknown to me. This is in fact a familiar retort on the salmon river. This utterly irrational and illogical presumption is occasionally trotted out. It is used against those that followed the channel of putting some time and effort into sourcing formal training to become more proficient in fly-casting, spending their own time, money and effort to do so. I have even heard it said to professional Ghillies that spent their entire life both fishing and casting, the retort eminating from part timers. I've actually heard the same type of claim made to an extremely experienced angler about his fly-tying, that he was too interested in tying to be a real angler. It is all utterly amazing and quite simply usually nothing could be further from the truth. The people that put the time and effort into their casting have done so to be able to fish better and usually have put the same time, thought and effort into their fishing.
Personally I have only to set eyes on a spring salmon or large grilse, marvel at their breathtaking beauty and wildness, or a large brown trout from the Lough, to then understand fully and completely that these truly wild fish are worth learning how to cast correctly for. I realise fully that shortcomings in fly-casting (or fly-tying) have absolutely no place whatsoever in wild fish fishing. I realise this fully no matter what excuses are attempted to be made about it by others. Complete practical presentational ability to put the fly where its necessary to put it, exactly when and how it is required to be put there (angle of presentation) is what will actually matter on many occasions. The quality of the sport experienced, or the ability to take full advantage of a favourable situation presenting an opportunity for the angler, may hinge largely or perhaps entirely on that factor. I long since decided that If casting ability was ever going to help me at any time and in any way in catching these fish, which it most certainly does, then it needs to be sorted properly - end of story or "period" as the Americans say. Nothing less will suffice. That does not mean you have to become a distance caster, however it certainly does mean you have to have control of fly turnover, as well as directional and trajectory control and often accuracy. Occasionally distance may be helpful also, distance while retaining control of all the other things mentioned.
I remember after some formal training in Scotland and plenty of practice afterwards that I was able to throw a long line from the top of the bank at the long banks pool on the Moy to several lies on the other side with a double-handed rod using overhead casting. How pleasant it was to see the take and to tighten the line into a fish, or a perhaps take a brace of fish on the run down the pool. Fish that took the fly shortly after it landed in the first yard or so, that's where the taking strip was, fish that I would not have taken before. To aerialise and present the long line without it catching in the field behind. To watch the line lift off the river all the way across the pool as it was tightened into those fish. Magic, a truly wonderful experience as it still always is to this day to take fish from known long range lies if it is necessary to be able to do so due to the circumstances, by either Spey or overhead casting. I can still take the fish I took before at close range, that ability has not been lost, nor would it be. I have salmon fished enough to know the angle of presentation and fly water speed necessary for the particular current and lies, therefore long range fishing to fish lies close in would not be practical, nor would it achieve the desired angle of presentation and fly water speed for those lies. That's precisely why presentation comes first and the distance required for the correct angle of presentation and fly water speed is always used. The difference for a person that can cast distance it that after covering the lies at close and medium range correctly, at the correct angles, on a large river they can then do the same thing for many of the lies and currents situated on the far half of the river.
How pleasant it is also to creep in under the overhanging branches of the mature beech and oak trees on the Easky river to fish a known autumn fish taking lie in a smooth glide. One however with brambles and scrub in front. To be able to use a correctly compressed Spey cast placed out in front of oneself with a switch rod, one also hauled on the final delivery and to be able to place the fly across the particular part of the river. Not a big cast but a very precise and difficult one. To then see the bow wave of the large autumn salmon appear, watch it follow and overrun the fly and then turn away downriver with a confident fast turn creating a huge swirl, what a dramatic take. You move the rod towards the fish to allow it to turn as much as possible and then everything starts to tighten solid. The normally glassy smooth water then explodes as the fish erupts onto the surface with panic. Heavy thuds and flashes of silver as you see that what you suspected during the take, that it is a fresh run double figure fish. He then runs up river towards the deeper water tearing line off the reel at an incredible rate. So casting doesn't matter? I suppose that's why every other angler walked past the spot? The reality is they walked past without fishing it entirely because casting does actually matter. It also matters to fish difficult places correctly. It matters to the person whose line broke playing a fish due to a supposed wind knot or two, actually caused by poor casting. It matters to the person who broke their hook point off or closed it in completely from hitting rocks behind as they had no technique for line height management behind. I have seen fly-casting matter and matter a lot on many, indeed innumerable occasions in my time spent Guiding.
How pleasant it is to cross the cruising trout quickly and accurately with a dry dun or spent gnat mayfly on an Irish Lough and then see it engulfed casually by the large trout completely unaware that anything is wrong because of your presentation and line control. You know there's usually not many second chances to get it right when spent gnat fishing. You are in the zone and your ability is coming to the fore helping you to take advantage of long awaited and hoped for opportunity, a satisfying place to be when it is really happening. How pleasant it is when you are short lining on the Lough with a team of wet flies on a wet fly day with total control of the flies from rod movement and maybe one pull of line, fishing rhythmically, efficiently and you understand from experience that short lining is where its at when done right, especially on a day like this. Not a single tangle or any wasted time for the whole day. You see others standing up in the middle seat double hauling while reaching swishing back and forth trying to get that extra yard and thank God they are not in your boat, if they were it would be the last time. How can you turn that dry fly over, turn those two buzzers on the 18 ft leader over straight in a light ripple? Because you make a pure acceleration and have no tailing loops, perhaps brake the shot line gently as the loop is almost unrolled after a double haul. How many fish are taken from good casting ability - lots and lots. Its important and let no one tell you otherwise, its not my opinion its reality, its required in many circumstances to get the best out of any opportunity, to maximise your chances.
The man I always feel most sorry for was an English angler that myself and my brother took out in our boat one day Mayfly fishing on Lough Conn, he could cast okay but had no right clothing and it was a drizzly day, nice wave and mild. I knew a good hatch was imminent and told him so though nothing was happening in the morning. He asked to be dropped in for a couple of hour as he wanted to warm up, when he got in he said he would leave it for the day and fish tomorrow instead because of the drizzle. No sooner had we started fishing again and the hatch started and a feeding frenzy with the trout, we had magnificent sport for the afternoon and took 18 trout to 2 1/4 lb on the wet fly. He came out to the pier to see if we had any when we were retuning for tea and this was pre catch and release days. You made a mistake we said. The actual mistake was not having the proper clothing.
What Is Fly-Casting?
When someone spin or bait fishes, they are then usually casting a concentrated weight using a practically weightless and thin line. The weight cast is the actual lure itself or an added weight such as a piece of lead and it is effectively catapulted away.
When we fly fish however we will be using a relatively small and lightweight fly, and we do not use or add an additional concentrated weight to cast it. Instead we change the type of line used.
A weighted, tapered line
The thicker fly line is the weight used. The fly line is really a long flexible and tapered weight. It is the weight cast by the fly rod through being unrolled from directed line momentum generated from applying leverage. We will unroll the fly line to present the leader and fly to the fish using a long and flexible fly rod. The weight and resistance of the fly line loads the rod (deflects it into a curve) when we change the position and angle of the rod.
Unrolling the line
Fly-casting is mainly about unrolling the fly line and leader in an efficient, controlled manner to present the fly using either a single or double-handed fly rod. The leader and fly are simply towed along by the fly line.
When someone spin or bait fishes, they are then usually casting a concentrated weight using a practically weightless and thin line. The weight cast is the actual lure itself or an added weight such as a piece of lead and it is effectively catapulted away.
When we fly fish however we will be using a relatively small and lightweight fly, and we do not use or add an additional concentrated weight to cast it. Instead we change the type of line used.
A weighted, tapered line
The thicker fly line is the weight used. The fly line is really a long flexible and tapered weight. It is the weight cast by the fly rod through being unrolled from directed line momentum generated from applying leverage. We will unroll the fly line to present the leader and fly to the fish using a long and flexible fly rod. The weight and resistance of the fly line loads the rod (deflects it into a curve) when we change the position and angle of the rod.
Unrolling the line
Fly-casting is mainly about unrolling the fly line and leader in an efficient, controlled manner to present the fly using either a single or double-handed fly rod. The leader and fly are simply towed along by the fly line.
Trout Magic
I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful, and hate the environs where crowds of people are found, which are invariably ugly; because of all the television commercials, cocktail parties, and assorted social posturing I thus escape; because in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience, because I suspect that men are going along this way for the last time, and I for one don't want to waste the trip; because mercifully there are no telephones on trout waters; because only in the woods can I find solitude without loneliness; because bourbon out of an old tin cup always tastes better out there; because maybe one day I will catch a mermaid; and, finally, not because I regard fishing as being so terribly important but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant – and not nearly so much fun.
I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful, and hate the environs where crowds of people are found, which are invariably ugly; because of all the television commercials, cocktail parties, and assorted social posturing I thus escape; because in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience, because I suspect that men are going along this way for the last time, and I for one don't want to waste the trip; because mercifully there are no telephones on trout waters; because only in the woods can I find solitude without loneliness; because bourbon out of an old tin cup always tastes better out there; because maybe one day I will catch a mermaid; and, finally, not because I regard fishing as being so terribly important but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant – and not nearly so much fun.
ROBERT TRAVER
Trout Magic, 1960.
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Blás
I have said in the past that there is little as subtle or complex as fly-casting, however that it is also simply a feeling. I often compare fly-casting to music in terms of subtlety and complexity. There is nothing like a well crafted tune or very good music, it is the same tune that others play but some renditions will be better than others and some then will capture the essence of something beautiful and special.
To say of music then that it is just a series of notes or discuss an aspect of music notation however, does not necessarily convey how well a tune can be played, the feelings it can inspire, or the differences in musical arrangement, emphasis or performances by different artists of the same tune. To say nothing of the different styles of music.
In Irish traditional music when the performance has a special quality and the essence of something beautiful has been captured in the particular performance and interpretation of the tune, entirely from the experience and feel for it that the musician has, in the Irish language people say it had Blás. Blás meaning something with a very special quality / very tasteful, it can also mean silky smooth. The compliment is reserved for when the essence of something special has been captured or rendered by the performance.
Pronounced bloss - boss with an L or Blass Bass with an L depending on which part of the country you are in. This word is really a very high compliment to a musician, most especially when it comes from those with a qualified opinion – those who play themselves and so really do know. There are many in Ireland can play complex traditional music without knowing how to read music or any of the complexities of music notation or reading sheet music, some learn entirely by ear. So it is with fly-casting. A person can learn to cast a good line by sight and feel alone, you can see what's happening and feel what's happening and adjust accordingly without knowing anything much about the details or complexities of fly-casting terminology or mechanics. I never loose sight of that when talking of the complexities involved. I can know all the terminology and some will argue about the minor points of such things and still not cast as well as others who know little of them and care less.
Anyone can of course go into deep the complexities involved and argue over minor points and come to different and equally strongly held opinions of what is going on. Some go into physics and mathematical formula.You can believe something about a technical point at one time and perhaps change your mind later. There are deep discussions on this type of thing, I can discuss it in some necessary detail with fellow FFF people. The necessary detail to me is only that which helps teaching or some self correction or fine tuning. Basic stroke, arc, acceleration, plane. I really don't care about some mathematical formula, I know to look at my loops and from feel what is happening. I know enough to teach.
However I don't ever actually miss the real point, does our casting have or could it have Blás? Most important to me is, is my casting smooth, perhaps ultra smooth and steady, is it efficient, is it effortless, is the rod doing the work as much as possible for us, am I understanding really well the tool that the rod is and what it can do for me? is the loop shape / loop morphology and line management correct? Have I relaxed, fluent and efficient casting yet retain full control?
I was taught and have taught many other people in the past from getting only a few things right in a certain style – Fulcrum Fly-casting style. That's what this site is about.
There are only two things that matter in fly casting, what the rod does and what you do. First thing was understanding what the rod does and using it efficiently with the right types of leverage that change the position and angle of the rod in the right place at the right time to create and maintain good loop shape - understanding loop morphology, One other thing was that an overriding principle or concern should be economy of effort, you should be able to apply the leverage, angle and position changes comfortably and efficiently.
This was the teaching of Peter Anderson, it leads on to several other things that must be right for good loop morphology a kind of reverse engineering starting from the ideal and working back to find out what must be done to create the idea. Things such as the all important incline to prevent any pulling down behind and ensure the rod tip is rising as it turns over – a solid basis and the foundation of this technique and style. Continuous motion for line management behind and another fundamental of the technique. Ergonomics and efficient use of the body for economy of effort, e.t.c.
It is very useful to know the terminology and mechanics especially for teaching and as an aid to teaching. I need to know what a block is, what a short stroke is, what a medium stroke is and a long stroke, I need to be able to teach and show them all while retaining correct fly turnover, staying in plane and control over trajectory e.t.c. Overly detailed technical complexity is perhaps not any greater an aid to casting than some key exercises learned by feel such as the incline exercise, rod pop or flipping the tip exercises. You can experiment or theorise and debate about terminology definitions but an extremely in depth knowledge is not strictly essential to good casting. It is better to have the skill and smoothness by feel and practice also than to have all the theory but somehow be missing the Blás element to your casting. When I see Andrew Toft Spey casting and using a block on the final delivery to unroll a very tight loop effortlessly, the word Blás always springs to mind, his casting certainly has Blás. I could be delving into the terminology and not be able to execute a good Spey cast using the blocking technique. I'd prefer the practical ability to use a block with enough understanding of terminology to teach well.
I know from experience that the higher levels of advanced instruction someone with a very deep understanding and a high level of technical ability can look at your casting and improve it from that knowledge. They can analyse and improve things with tweaking from that understanding. The person that can do this best IMHO is Al Buhr.
Taking things further
Fly-casting can become so very, very controlled and refined while still always used as the means to an end that is its primary purpose. In conversation with other casters we will often agree among ourselves that there is little as subtle or complex as fly-casting. It is truly an art form and the challenge is to do it very well, to do it gracefully, smoothly, efficiently and with total control using minimal effort is always there. Like every skill it improves with experience and practice, years of experience with constant attention to improvement or correction of technique will bring a beautiful and graceful fluency to fly-casting. The fluency and control of the experienced caster makes it look easy.
As we have to cast hundreds of times in a day, the whole idea is to achieve control with economy of effort. In Ireland some words are retained and used in the English language or common use that originate in the Irish language or Irish language slang, Usually the ones that are retained were retained in common use as they have no real equivalent in English to describe something as well or as succinctly. They were retained is use as they were better descriptive tools and were not surpassed by an English phrase. One such Irish slang word is Mullock. Some mullock free casting would be the ideal.
Here is a post about the word that was put on the internet -
Some Moy Valley / Co.Mayo definitions of fly casting terminology. Also usually instantly recognisable by inhabitants in the rest of the West Coast of Ireland. Sometimes referred to as the termilingo.
The two most important phrases are Mullock or Mullocker.
Mullock or Mulluck occasionally someone will pronounce it Mullick - to use brute force and ignorance to do something.
A Mullocker - a person using brute force and ignorance to do something.
In Fly –casting then -
He’s a Mullocker / Mullicker, or he's mullocking the line out - a person forcing the line out without any finesse or understanding of loop morphology or rod loading and unloading properties. Also sometimes called a slammer, swiper or slam dunker.
Go on Mullock it out there, you can do it - a wind up especially if you make a bad cast, usually from your fishing friends, or fellow casters or Ghillies.
A Mullocky caster - someone who has learned a bit but is still over powering all their casts through using excessive power application unnecessarily.
Mullockers - the opposition usually, if there is any.
He’s good to cast – a good caster
He throws a Mighty fly - a very good caster (not someone casting very large flies).
He sure can whistle a line out – a very good caster
A mullocker’s line / A line for mullockers - Something heavy that does not have good loop morphology.
The Mullock factor - a local Moy Valley line rating system from 0 to 10, starting with the Carron Jetstream setting the standard having a Mullock factor of zero - meaning it casts beautifully without any forcing.
The Mullock factor is also applied to casters - so the whole idea then is to achieve mullock free casting and to have a mulock factor of zero.
Line height management behind
This primary fishing purpose of fly-casting is one reason why I personally find it quite unrelated and somewhat false when I see some people practicing distance casting in parkland with a single-handed rod, and they are in fact dragging the fly line and leader off the ground behind them or it hits the ground beside them when executing the forward cast, sometimes on the back cast also. They may believe they are casting distance, however if it wouldn't work in the real world for practical angling purposes then it is somewhat removed from what is needed for real life fishing situations and it has often little or no practical use.
Personally I have no interest in what distance is achieved with a single-handed rod unless it is achieved with control of line height or "line management" behind. I can watch someone with good technique in this respect, like Ruairi Costello of Co.Clare, cast further than anyone else usually, yet his line will not and does not touch down on the ground behind him. Distance while retaining good technique and practical loop morphology is what I really do admire, and it is still real world. The same cast should be able to be made from a boat on a Lough with a dry fly or while wading down a salmon river, or on a lake shore, and ultimately for fishing purposes that is exactly what matters.
The Essence of fly-casting?
I was once asked to sum up fly-casting in a sentence. A sentence that would try to define the essence of fly-casting. An interesting exercise. I have two such summaries.
For many years I concluded that -
Combining pure leverage with a pure acceleration is the essence of fly-casting.
I would always use the word pure simply to stress the importance of perfect technique. After thinking about it further for a while, I also came up with another statement.
The quintessential essence of fly casting is allowing the rod to unload itself.
Learning how to do that properly and knowing how to allow that to happen is what it is all about for me. I also like the statement made by the very experienced, expert fly-caster and APGAI assessor Gwilym Hughes. He told me that he has thought about this subject for a long time and he has concluded that good technique is really all about keeping to straight line paths, ensuring the rod tip is moving in straight line paths.
Perhaps time for a third definition - No Mullocking
A special feeling of satisfaction occurs when the line takes on a life of its own, and does so because of exactly the right recoil reaction speeding the line away in a perfect loop while overhead casting. This occurring from the rod only after your smooth and correct acceleration, timing, power application, position and angle change of the rod, also made of course after an exceptionally good set up. You watch the result almost in awe at times when all the interdependent parts of a cast occasionally all come together absolutely perfectly, and in so doing produce something remarkably effective.
That is a real buzz but it is not the only high in fly-casting, it does not have to be a distance cast, it could be any finely controlled presentation cast that goes perfectly. Most times it is the sheer relaxed ease and control with which the necessary cast was made due to the understanding of the rod and body combination and how they work most efficiently together. Or coping easily with adverse conditions and for instance simply unrolling the line into the strong headwind with perfect fly turnover, being able to do so easily time after time from using correct technique.
It can be the special feel of the double-handed rod loading and unloading smoothly during a cast. That unique and special feeling of double-handed rod loading that occurs between the two hands when you make a good, progressive, fully controlled steering pivot of this powerful rod with the hands and arms, this then combined with some steady body rotation and weight shift on the sweep of a Spey cast. The feel of the rod flexing smoothly and powerfully while rod tip path is totally controlled is some real feedback on the effectiveness of your technique. When the rod then unloads itself perfectly as it was not forced, but the timing, leverage, rod tip path, elevation, position and angle change were perfectly fine tuned. Rod, arms and body perfectly and seamlessly blended in flowing controlled graceful movement so that loop morphology is correct and maintained. There is a feeling of absolute magic. The rod and body combination can really excell to the finest degree with the double-handed rod in both overhead and Spey casting.
Where does it all start? - at the beginning. Getting instruction from those able to take you there. No need to feel intimidated. One time I was getting a music lesson from one of the greatest in his field, I was in awe of his magnificent ability and apologised for being a beginner in his field. He smiled and with the real humility always possessed by the truly great he said "Oh now don't you worry about that at all, I have absolutely nothing against beginners, I was once one myself." I don't think he could actually have said anything better at that moment to both put me at ease and show me what type of a person he really was.
In philosophy there is a very astute saying that goes, ''those that say don't know, those that know don't say.' Sometimes you see people make a claim to be the best, that claim made from themselves is just about the most sure and most certain way of all to know that they most certainly are not. Those that do actually know a lot about it and that are at extremely advanced levels will say something only after you ask them about it, never before, they never offer unsolicited advice. They also are usually extremely humble and certainly never self promote at the expense of others. They are confident in their own abilities, are helpful to others and generally let the rod do the talking.
It is my considered opinion from long practical experience that the person with the greatest overall technical understanding of fly-casting and rod loading is Al Buhr of the American FFF organisation. He is also author of the book, Two-Handed Fly Casting - Spey casting techniques. I consider myself extremely fortunate indeed to have had some Instruction and mentoring from Al Buhr, and although I had been a Ghillie all my life he could teach me more about double-handed rod casting than I knew existed. He provides greater clarification and greater understanding which allows for fine tuning and improvement.
More than that, he is a truly remarkable individual. I have seen at first hand that he is interested only in the edification of others. He is about the most genuine and selfless person that I have ever met. A person I have seen, and on more than one occasion, actively use up his free time help others learn to cast properly with no benefit or reward possible for him. He is also one of the most fun people to be around having a sharp wit and great sense of humour. A truly wonderful person.
In the introductory section of Al Buhr's book there is a section on casting stroke fundamentals on page thirteen. This section truly defines, when fully understood, the most efficient and effective way to use a double-handed fly rod. I consider that even the most accurate and precise writing about fly-casting, such as this is, cannot really be understood fully until a necessary practical experiment or demonstration allows people to really see, and to then grasp the concepts completely. However I do recommend anyone wishing to improve technique to obtain a copy of Al Buhr's book and experiment with the concepts of rod loading related on page thirteen as well as the wealth of information available in the rest of his book.
Ruairi Costello from Scarriff Co.Clare has magnificent casting technique, just about the best I've seen, and he is easily one of the best casters in the world today with both single and double-handed fly rods, proving his world class skill in the field of competition with the Carron team. He is also one of the most humble, friendly and helpful people I have ever met. It is always inspiring to watch him cast so far in such a relaxed fashion, using so little effort through getting the best out of the rod. The obvious lesson is that force or forcing the rod is not necessary, nor is excessive power application an example of good technique.
There is a description of the style of casting that this site is about on the 'Fulcrum style' page.
I have experimented with other styles of single handed casting, most notably Lefty Kreh's long stroke side casting technique for saltwater style casting.
Multi Disciplined
Fly-casting is multi faceted, multi layered and multi disciplined. We may be using light or heavier single-handed outfits suitable for anything from small trout fishing in streams to fishing for Salmon and grilse on larger rivers, or for pike or saltwater fishing. The world of Double-handed casting has two main groups, those using traditional or modern longer stroke Spey casting techniques and tackle. Or those using Shooting head outfits and shorter stroke Scandinavian styles such as Underhand casting. With the diversity we find people specialising in certain disciplines and certain styles within those disciplines, there are different styles of casting the same outfits.
We find that we can often share knowledge with other people and improve our own overall ability. We can often see different or even similar ways of doing the same thing. A Foundation For me everything should be built on a solid foundation or a system. Ergonomics for economy of effort and the fairly straightforward understanding the role of the body in applying leverage and power, and how the body works most efficiently should be a vital part of that system. It should be married with the other necessary basic understanding of rod loading and unloading properties and how to direct all the energy and line momentum efficiently in the one general or overall direction. Taking some instruction is usually a good place to start, not necessarily from a qualified Instructor but from one who can cast and teach very well, qualified or not. You will travel a long way to see anyone with any better technique than James Chalmers for instance, one of my main mentors in double-handed casting. He did not pursue qualifications personally yet he is one of the best teachers of Spey casting that I have ever met. It is a fact that you will also occasionally find qualified people using an inferior technique. Unfortunately qualifications aren't any fail safe guarantee (sometimes) that you will be taught a really good technique. It is simply a fact that I know qualified people that I would not wish my family members or friends to have lessons from as their methodology or understanding of economy of effort or rod loading properties is not at a suitable level of refinement. See Mullocking below. Anything I know I did not learn alone or pick up myself from books or videos, I travelled and took disciplined formal training. I learned from others mainly through a system of exercises. This was a most important thing in my opinion. I consider formal training in a style as an invaluable element of becoming an Instructor.
Careful, Precise, Repetition
Fly-casting is counter intuitive and therefore must be learned carefully and methodically. Only when a person is prepared to learn a technique methodically and with precision and control, slowly at first through repetition, or even perhaps using slow motion movements initially not worrying about the fly line initially but only on ensuring the correct movements, can real progress be made. I view it as a similar thing to learning Karate, only when long repetition of technically correct technique is practiced does it feel and become normal, only then will it be automatically used and able to replace the natural motor function.
How many times I've seen people regress and even revert to their original way even though they have been shown and explained perfect techniques and leave the casting session doing them. They revert simply because they have not got the patience or discipline on their own to methodically and with precision and attention to the detail, practice what they have just attained.
Practice does not make perfect, practice can ingrain a fault, only perfect practice makes perfect. If you revert to inferior technique and then practice a lot the lesson was wasted. Joan Wulff astutely said something like - "there is poor technique done very well, and then there is good technique." You need to ensure first that you are using good technique or practicing precisely what you were shown and not something else. Much later you will then have the freedom to experiment, to tweak things and to do exactly what you want when you already know what you are doing at a foundational level and have the basics fairly well understood.
As I've said earlier on the home page we may simply want to be a functional angler and leave it at that, or we may want take things further, to higher levels of control and finesse. Whatever amount of layers you eventually build up your technique to, you should still be building on the solid foundation of a technically correct basic casting stroke. This is vitally important otherwise one can carry flaws in technique which become limitations, or more particularly one can be using excessive force or straining the body unnecessarily. The limitations do not show up at short range or in generally favourable conditions.
If necessary I would, and have in the past de constructed technique to start again with something different that I have learned form others. Also one may learn several different muscle memories for different disciplines such as the long stroke long belly Spey line techniques, and then some of the shorter stroke shooting head Spey casting techniques. One will invariably find that in double-handed casting shortening a stroke is relatively easy compared to lengthening a stroke to change to a long stroke technique.
Muscle Memory
It would not be the first time people have stood and laughed together at their physical failing to do what their mind wants them to do because of the muscle memory for something else taking over automatically despite their intention. I have seen this most in double-handed casting when moving from shooting head to long belly Spey lines. Also once with people trying to learn shooting head overhead casting technique who were used to using double taper or Spey lines. I have seen it in single handed casting when you try to get someone not to stop the stroke or hand movement to apply controlled wrist break but to change the angle while still moving along the incline, or if you want them to use a different elevation.
A good caster both learns and rejects muscle memory. He can change at will from one technique to the other from experience. His body and hands follow the directions of his mind and make the necessary alterations without much problem as he is in control fully, he will also from experiment have learned the right muscle memory through experience and feel for the different disciplines. However he is prepared to adjust them if necessary or if shown an improved technique.
Unless I can shorten or lengthen the stroke at will I have not given myself full choice or full control. Unless I can use a Toft block correctly with a medium to long belly Spey line I have not yet attained that level of control. Unless I could do a completely bottom hand dominated Spey cast I am effectively a slave to the use of force with the top hand. Only if I can do the bottom hand dominated cast can I fully choose how much top hand influence I want to use, or not, as I wish to. I am in full control over things only when I can choose one extreme through complete control over precisely determining my movements and not allowing my natural motor function to have any influence on the outcome of how I apply and direct leverage.
Of course its not simply a matter of lengthening or shortening the stroke. It gets much more subtle than that. What rod position change (translation) and angle change (rotation) are used where and when, combined with rod tracking and body movement will provide a wide array of possibilities within a casting stroke. The effects of certain combinations are better than others and the whole thing is very subtle but often improvement is obvious from feel or visual results. It can be methodically worked out if attention is paid.
Sometimes one meets those who are further down the learning curve and have been paying attention for longer or are more specialised in one area and hence comes the greatest opportunity of all to learn.
Making a start
There is no need to be intimidated by any of it. It does not matter how refined technique becomes as it all starts at the basic level. The most refined technique is simply an understanding of the basics put into fluent action.
Directed line momentum
Fly-casting is about utilising the energy and leverage that is able to be generated by the flexible nature of a fly rod, combined with hand, arm and body movements, to create controlled and directed line momentum and line speed. Some of the energy is stored and released by the flexible rod loading and unloading. Controlled and directed line momentum will cause the fly line to unroll, or project the fly line in a narrow, aerodynamically efficient loop.
The loop of fly line should unroll out fully without crossing over itself or tangling, and without skewing off to one side, or collapsing into squiggles of slack line. The line and leader should be straight and the fly should land furthest away from the angler, (excepting some specialised presentation casts). When this occurs it is called fly turnover.
Loop Morphology
The fly line would create a lot of air resistance, enough to kill the line momentum and spoil the cast, if the unrolling loop is not kept reasonably narrow. In two words fly-casting is about 'loop morphology,' (loop formation and loop shape). Other suitable words would be leverage and acceleration.
Planes
Fly-casting is a personal skill. It is about you personally gaining enough understanding and control over the rod and line, and also how you use your body, so that you may cast effectively while using economy of effort. This means for instance that you will not be reaching at any time and you will be keeping everything in plane. To cast well will mean that you really become very aware of planes, rod, arm, body and line planes.
At the beginning learning enough basic fly-casting skills to function, to become a functional fly angler, is enough to concentrate on. When that initial mystery or struggle of understanding how the rod and line works best is removed, and a basic Overhead or Spey casting technique has been achieved, it is indeed very rewarding. Once a certain level of control is attained then fly fishing and casting is much more enjoyable. The correct basic technique is based on a fundamental understanding of the correct use of position and angle changes of the rod, and of how we use our body, to ensure efficiency, and then incorporating those basic principles of rod and body use into a casting technique.
A correct basic technique is everything, and frankly there are really quite a lot of ways to miss the mark. These will show up as limitations or problems later. While fly-casting can progressively be taken to whatever level of proficiency you require over time, it is simply technically correct basic principles and technique taken further. The basic technique used at a functional fishing level however is a high enough level of proficiency for many people and it will serve them very well for their fishing life. It is also the necessary building block or foundation for any further development.
The Federation of Fly Fishers (F.F.F.)
Essentials and Terminology
If a fly-caster wishes to improve their understanding of fly-casting, and be better able to analyse and fine tune their own or a friends casting ability. Or if one wishes to become an Instructor, then it is most useful to have an understanding of fly-casting terminology based upon the American FFF (Federation of Fly Fishers) system of analysis. This means learning some of the American FFF organisation's use of terminology to describe the mechanics and principles of `fly-casting.
Personally I believe the FFF five essentials / principles to be one of the best pieces of writing on fly-casting instruction that one could come across, most especially the principle of the rod tip moving in a straight line path, (in both the vertical and horizontal planes). If that is adhered to then practically everything else must fall into place.
There are other similar uses of terminology and systems which however can also be explained to others effectively using FFF terminology.
Essentials and Terminology
If a fly-caster wishes to improve their understanding of fly-casting, and be better able to analyse and fine tune their own or a friends casting ability. Or if one wishes to become an Instructor, then it is most useful to have an understanding of fly-casting terminology based upon the American FFF (Federation of Fly Fishers) system of analysis. This means learning some of the American FFF organisation's use of terminology to describe the mechanics and principles of `fly-casting.
Personally I believe the FFF five essentials / principles to be one of the best pieces of writing on fly-casting instruction that one could come across, most especially the principle of the rod tip moving in a straight line path, (in both the vertical and horizontal planes). If that is adhered to then practically everything else must fall into place.
There are other similar uses of terminology and systems which however can also be explained to others effectively using FFF terminology.
