Basic Fly Fishing Casts

Basic 2 fly fishing casts you should master to be a successful fly fisherman in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico

Remember on the How to Choose Fly Rods page, fly fishing great and fly rod builder Tom Morgan, "During the last 40 years, most trout have been taken from 20 to 40 feet and I expect the next 50 years will be the same."

What this means is that you don't need to learn how to lay out 60 and 70 feet of line plus 10 feet or 12 feet of leader to catch fish. This is particularly true in Colorado where the average stream is some 60 feet or less wide. If you are trying to shoot those long casts, you are missing fish at your feet.

Professional Guide and owner of www.trouttrips.com, Janice O'Shea teaches her students to fish at 10 to 12 feet and has said in class that many fish are caught within seven feet of you.

So the only two casts you really need to master are the "Tension Cast" and the "Roll Cast" to reach out those some 20 to 30 feet for your fish. If you are trying to punch casts longer than this, STOP. Wade closer and wade quietly until you can get a better casting position.

Tension Cast

This is just a fancy name for using the current flow to load the rod for you. It is one of the simplest casts to perform. Learned well, it is deadly accurate. If you are fishing weighted nymphs or a leader with weight, the leader will roll over your rod at 90 degrees to the rod most of time. This is so predicable that you can learn to drop a cast into an 8 inch circle under branches with practice. (I know from experience that it can be done. Of course, I do loose flies too.)

Performing the "Tension Cast".

Complete your drift
Let the current straighten out your line downstream
Drop the tip of your rod to some 8 to 10 inches above the water for maximum water loading
Using a side arm sweep or just a wrist snap depending on the length of the cast, bring the rod forward toward your target sharply
During this forward sweep, the current will load the rod just like a back cast
Stop your rod tip about 90 degrees from pointing straight toward your target (Remember the weight will pull the leader and line at 90 degrees to the rod. If the rod is tip is pointed at 90 degrees to the target, the line will end up going toward your target.)
Let the weight on your leader bring the leader up and over your rod in a type of roll cast toward your target
That's all there is to it Pretty simple
To Practice -- let your leader and about 10 to 15 feet of line out of your tip. This should give you enough line and leader to load your rod for your practice casts. You may want to use bright red yarn tied to the end of your leader for visibility until you get used to this cast.

Roll Cast

The roll cast is more difficult to perform. You are providing the power to load the rod for the cast. Performed properly, the roll cast will loop out into a straight line cast toward your target. The roll cast is easier done on more open water without trees or brush behind you.

Performing the "Roll Cast"

Finish your drift
Face your target
Bring your casting arm and rod up into a one o'clock position. (This would be the finish position for a regular overhead cast. You now have your arm bent and your wrist cocked. I like to tip my rod about 10 degrees outside the plane formed by my rod and arm. Basically I don't like the risk of hooking myself.)
With a sharp power stroke, drive your arm forward to the 11 o'clock position to load the rod and start the cast moving.
With a wrist snap drop your rod to the 10 o'clock position to put more power into the cast directing the line to your target
let your the casting arm and rod drift toward the water

This may not be the traditional method of performing the roll cast but it works for me.

How to Choose Fly Rods

Nymph Fishing -- Why you should fish nymphs rather than dry flies