# Observations from 48 hour Fly Fisherman



## Ptpainton

So I have been in the back yard casting with my new 8wt and noticed that for one thing casting over and over is a workout and I have yet to lay the line out straight. Has little wiggles in it no matter what. I have a little bitty piece of cotton tied to end of leader not sure if it would lay out better with a fly? I also tried casting left handed which seems to be a possibility with lots of practice. Decided to try it to give right arm a rest.


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## 60hertz

I use a piece of yarn as a "fly" when casting in the yard.

Just keep at it...


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## jack2

hold the fly a little longer behind you. if the line is clumping in front of you,,
don't use a piece of cotton unless it weighs the same as a medium fly.
practicing on land ain't worth a shit.

jack


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## azevedo16

Ptpainton said:


> So I have been in the back yard casting with my new 8wt and noticed that for one thing casting over and over is a workout and I have yet to lay the line out straight. Has little wiggles in it no matter what. I have a little bitty piece of cotton tied to end of leader not sure if it would lay out better with a fly? I also tried casting left handed which seems to be a possibility with lots of practice. Decided to try it to give right arm a rest.


Hang in there,it has taken me all year just to be able to make a 40' cast and then I still only get it right 50% of the time. There is a big difference in casting on land vs casting on the water. If you could find someone to show you the basics it would be a big help to you. Keep working at it and the first time you go fishing do not even attempt to catch fish, work on you accuracy! Have fun with it and don't give up.


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## FreeDiver

Check out some of the orvis videos on YouTube. Or lefty kreh


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## lsucole

When on your forward cast try abruptly stopping your cast with your rod @ approx. the 10 o'clock position. This should smooth out your loose line . Most coils and " sloppy" line is caused by too long a backcast followed by too long a follow thru.


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## ditz

Just keep in mind that .......assuming a 9' rod and a 9' leader that a 40' cast does not even properly load the rod assuming the rod and line are both properly rated. It takes at least 30' of line to load the rod. 30' of line plus 9' of rod plus 9' leader is 48' not counting any shoot of the fly line. ...... Check out the 'SexyLoops' web site....hours of good stuff there:thumbsup:


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## daniel9829

Get out on a pond with a small popper and catch bream till you are tired. Practice on form. If you are wore out your doing it wrong. Let the rod do the work.


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## wtbfishin

No has been drip here (expert) but sounds like you may not be letting that back cast finish, try letting your back cast drop behind you on the ground and see if it is laying out like it should even watch that line in both directions when you cast, you get your back cast figured out your forward cast is easy peezy from there. Remember to accelerate to a stop forward and back, slack in the line is your enemy, and casting in grass a bunch will thrash a good line. Your going to need more than 40' having just a 40' cast stinks unless all you want to catch is Bream :no:.

*Mel Krieger also has some excellent casting vids. I'd at least start w/a vid and if you can get a certified or good instructor to help you you'll save a lot of time and potential bad habits you'll need to break later.*

*On another note I caught Specks all morning for 3 hours more than I can count and I left them biting, my best day on the bay this year, ended w/a nice slot Red who was freed to go home :yes:. *


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## jack2

lsucole said:


> When on your forward cast try abruptly stopping your cast with your rod @ approx. the 10 o'clock position. This should smooth out your loose line . Most coils and " sloppy" line is caused by too long a backcast followed by too long a follow thru.


hate to tell you, dude, but your absolutely wrong. line on the water in front of you tells you that you don't have a big enough loop behind you. and there is no such thing as a "too long a follow thru". the fly will only "ploop" but not "sit". 

jack


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## jack2

wtbfishin said:


> No has been drip here (expert) but sounds like you may not be letting that back cast finish, try letting your back cast drop behind you on the ground and see if it is laying out like it should even watch that line in both directions when you cast, you get your back cast figured out your forward cast is easy peezy from there. Remember to accelerate to a stop forward and back, slack in the line is your enemy, and casting in grass a bunch will thrash a good line. Your going to need more than 40' having just a 40' cast stinks unless all you want to catch is Bream :no:.
> 
> *Mel Krieger also has some excellent casting vids. I'd at least start w/a vid and if you can get a certified or good instructor to help you you'll save a lot of time and potential bad habits you'll need to break later.*
> 
> *On another note I caught Specks all morning for 3 hours more than I can count and I left them biting, my best day on the bay this year, ended w/a nice slot Red who was freed to go home :yes:. *


kind of a sneaky way to derail a thread.:whistling:

jack


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## wtbfishin

jack2 said:


> kind of a sneaky way to derail a thread.:whistling:
> 
> jack


Nah, just trying to keep the new fly fisher stoked :shifty:.


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## Richard J.

Just take your time and practice. It will come together. Been fly fishing since I was six. Will be 68 in dec. Practice, practice, practice. Farm ponds are great for practice.


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## a

jack2 said:


> hate to tell you, dude, but your absolutely wrong. line on the water in front of you tells you that you don't have a big enough loop behind you. and there is no such thing as a "too long a follow thru". the fly will only "ploop" but not "sit".
> 
> jack


As an FFF certified casting instructor since 1992, i would say that, YOU are wrong, there is a problem with "too long a follow thru" thats a good way to throw wide inefficient loops, and drag the bottom of your loop down. Tight loops require that momentary stop, at the end of each forward and backcast. I not sure what a "plop" or sit is??? Distance casting requires the caster to load the rod and release the flyine in direction directly at your target. Too long a follow thru will certainly alter that direction. Bringing the rod tip down, in front or back, is one of the most common casting issues. Big loops are for roll casting to bream.


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## Duncan

The Pensacola Fly fishing club has casting clinics every third Saturday. Go and get some advice or take a lesson before you ingrain bad casting habits. Five minutes of hands on is the best thing for any beginner.

http://www.flyfishpensacola.com


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## wtbfishin

Duncan said:


> The Pensacola Fly fishing club has casting clinics every third Saturday. Go and get some advice or take a lesson before you ingrain bad casting habits. Five minutes of hands on is the best thing for any beginner.
> 
> http://www.flyfishpensacola.com


 
This then practice, practice, practice :yes:


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## Dragnfly

*Casting*



Ptpainton said:


> So I have been in the back yard casting with my new 8wt and noticed that for one thing casting over and over is a workout and I have yet to lay the line out straight. Has little wiggles in it no matter what. I have a little bitty piece of cotton tied to end of leader not sure if it would lay out better with a fly? I also tried casting left handed which seems to be a possibility with lots of practice. Decided to try it to give right arm a rest.


Im no expert fly caster, but from what I have read, you get wiggly line from griping the rod too tight. Seems to work but hard to do.


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## jack2

a said:


> As an FFF certified casting instructor since 1992, i would say that, YOU are wrong, there is a problem with "too long a follow thru" thats a good way to throw wide inefficient loops, and drag the bottom of your loop down. Tight loops require that momentary stop, at the end of each forward and backcast. I not sure what a "plop" or sit is??? Distance casting requires the caster to load the rod and release the flyine in direction directly at your target. Too long a follow thru will certainly alter that direction. Bringing the rod tip down, in front or back, is one of the most common casting issues. Big loops are for roll casting to bream.


in '92, i had a masters degree in biology and 53 years of experienced fly fishing. i so sorry. 
that doesn't even come close to what your expertise is.


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## Dragnfly

*Casting*



jack2 said:


> in '92, i had a masters degree in biology and 53 years of experienced fly fishing. i so sorry.
> that doesn't even come close to what your expertise is.


You go boy!!!:notworthy:


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## shadowwalker

How many days a week do you folks teach fly casting?


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## a

jack2 said:


> in '92, i had a masters degree in biology and 53 years of experienced fly fishing. i so sorry.
> that doesn't even come close to what your expertise is.


I apologize, I shouldn't argue with senior citizens....even if they do "plop and sit", i guess we all will someday.


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## shadowwalker

"Big loops are for roll casting for brim." And doing a rolling pick up or spey cast or Bahama cast or doing quick shots sight casting on the flats or fast direction change opportunity casts in lew of stripping in to facilitate a straight out cast. Gee wish I were a certified casting instructor, I could get a way with knowing so much less. and just for the 'for what its worth', I guided my first student 1968 in Jacksonville, Fl. on the st.Johns river were he caught two 4 and 1/2 lbs bass on a Marathon popper. It was his first day with a fly rod in his hand. He didn't do any roll casting. : )


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## Dragnfly

*Well.....*



shadowwalker said:


> How many days a week do you folks teach fly casting?


Uh.....that would be....let me see....NONE!


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## jack2

i'll check my schedule. let's see, i must have an opening somewhere....uh......
well......uh


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## shadowwalker

I hope you will when ever you can, there's no shortage of students and you don't have to be great at it to make a difference.


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## a

jack2 said:


> i'll check my schedule. let's see, i must have an opening somewhere....uh......
> well......uh


No charge for you!......or any one else here that would like fit into my schedule. I work from 6:30 to 5:00 monday thru friday, that means, Im usually available saturdays, when i get back from fishing!.......


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## a

Dragnfly said:


> Uh.....that would be....let me see....NONE!


Bayview,......No Charge, Thursdays @5....why dont you bring your rig and show me whatcha can do?


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## SmokedMeat

jack2 said:


> i'll check my schedule. let's see, i must have an opening somewhere....uh......
> well......uh


Who would ever want to fish with this guy? I know I wouldn't.


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