So come on, be honest

And here I am talking about the average distance cast, performed with a 27 to 30 yard weight 7 or 8 floating forward taper as is commonly used on reservoirs or rhe larger still waters when fly fishing from the shore.

Can you get all the line out from the tip ring? That will mean if it falls straight, you are casting about 33 to 35 yards from the point where you stand, taking the length of leader and rod into account.

Seriously, if you can do that regularly, even with a favourable wind, you are a very good caster indeed. If you can get 40 yards, then start taking up tournament casting.

I often find that many fly fishers exaggerate they distance thay think they can cast. The majority fly fishers today can only do about 20 yards in the best of conditions.

But how about you?

I like to leave a yard or two still on the reel. Have casted out leaving just the backing on the reel.
Trouble is though, the further you cast, the further the trout go out to the middle.

The whole idea with learning to cast a long way is that casting short distances becomes easy.

When I start fishing an area I put out shorts casts and then build up

What often scares fish away from the bank is constant false casting, I counted a guy the other day who did 11 false casts before his final throw, and then he only got out about 18 yards. He must be exhausted after an hour's fishing. A 25 to 30 yard cast should take you no more than 2 false casts.

Couldn't agree with you more Ron, 1,2,3 and fly back into the water.
The only time I find that I use more false casting is when using double tapered line on rivers.

The most annoying are those who allow thier false casts to hit the water.

And why do some people when at thier limit of the casr try to put in an extra false cast for more distance. Usually ends up with the line in a heap.

People who cast like this Ged need to go for lessons.

Three questions.

Whay cast a "long way" when the fish are close in?

Why false cast at all when it "scares the fish away from the bank"?

And - why would you find it "annoying" when those less skilled than yourself scare fish away from the bank to where you superior beings can cast to them them?

Or is this thread a wind up?

Which totals 4 questions. But sdo it. I live in Bliar's britain (yes - deliberate LC) where it is illegal to own a kitchen knife. At least, that is the implication of the recent triumphant newspaper articles where "22 million pairs of scissors taken off the streets by knife amnesty" are trumpeted.

Previously, an amnnesty has always meant that items, illegally held, could be surrendered without fear of prosecution.

How the **** is Anthony Wozza Tozza or Ainsley Hardup to slice his carrots in publc from now on?

I can cast a full trout line and have done it with rods from #5 upwards but usually my casts tend to be 20 to 25 yds depending on where i am fishing. I also fish for salmon with the double hander and I once mangaed to spey cast a full salmon line of 140' (approx 45 yds) but I must admit i had wind assistance. I dont normally get the chance to make such big casts but when I do i knock 35yds out all day prety consistantly. Big respect to the competition casters that cast 55+yds regularly.

I can just about manage to throw 2/3rds of my line, which has proved to be more than adequate distance to catch trout consistantly.

I can never see the need for casting huge distances on small stillwaters...most of my fishing is done less than ten yards out, normally just the leader and the first few feet of line is more than enough for my style of fly fishing.

last time i was a press manor the fish were so close in all i had to do was roll cast.

same applies to my newly found trout lake, they are all patrolling tha margins looking for an unwary stickle back to eat.
once you have a few yards of line out it's just a case of roll casting to another angle then starting the retrieve.

"Why false cast at all?" asks Charles. Well you have to extend sufficient line into the air to load the rod and get it out again.

But I have also lost count of the number of trout I have taken by lowering the fly into the water.

It's all a matter of being versatile Charles.

There is an old saying in fly fishing circles: "If you want to upset a fly fisherman, criticise his casting." This is strange because in the sport of golf, no-one is upset if their swing is criticised. In fact even the top golfers have their swings analysed by umpteen methods from computer modelling to regular tuition sessions with professional instructors.

And you will find if you look at a few casters you will often spot faults that they themselves will never see. One of the most common faults being that many casters twist their wrists and go out of plane.

Although I have been fly fishing for over 50 years, I am always looking for ways to improve my own casting. I don't mind being criticised one little bit. Being able to cast really well is part of the great pleasure of fly fishing.

And I notice that since having a lesson from Hywell Morgan, our Graham's casting has improved in leaps and bounds.

I'm a novice, had one lesson last year and a refresher a few months later.

My best cast? I guess somewhere around 20 yeards, wind assisted.

Can I fire a few questions at the experts here?

1/ Do you shoot line on your back cast?

2/ When I'm false casting I always feel that the fly is going to hit the rod, or I'm going to get a tangle. Sometimes it does/ I do.

3/ When I'm false casting, the leader and fly skim the water. How can I avoid this?

Ric

It's all about getting the rod tip to impart velocity into the line. Most novices I watch are waving the rod around in a rather non-committal way; think of casting not as whipping but punching, and it all goes much better.

When you false cast (back or forward) you should begin the 'punch' of the rod which sets the line moving as the line has unfurled and is almost straight. If you try to cast earlier, you have one part of the line moving the direction you want to send it but the other part (the bit still unfurling) accelerating in the other direction. You lose and impetus you may have had.

I would always recommend a beginner to borrow a weight-forward 7 or 8 and a suitable rod. When the line extends fully during false casting, you feel it tug the rod tip, and when you can predict this and begin the 'punch' to move the line in the other direction, you are getting somewhere.

Line is released, from that you have unspooled, as the line has fully unfurled during the forward and back cast. You can further accelerate the unfurled line by 'hauling' - pulling hard on the line at the same time as you begin the next casting punch. Do this twice, once forward, once backwards, and you are double-hauling.

OK Ric, I hope this helps.

1: I do not shoot or extend line on the backward false cast, only on the forward cast.

2: If I where able to watch your casting I might be able to help better. However think about what you want to happen very carefully. First of all you are NOT casting a fly at all. You are casting the line; the fly goes along for the ride.
Secondly, you cannot make a good forward cast without making a good straight back cast. Concentrate more on your back cast than the forward cast. If the line is wavy on your back cast, most of the energy you use on the foward cast is used for straightening out the waves, not punching the line forward.

The power put into the cast is done through a very short movement, accelerating to that movement or flick which imparts velocity to the line. You must also keep your arm in plane. Imagine that you are chopping even slices through a piece of meat. The hitting of your rod by the fly, or having a tangle or wind knot is caused by what we call a tailing loop.

3: If you get the first two points right you shouldn't have problems with the dreaded tailing loop. This causes most of the problems with distance casting.

I don't know how you stand ric, but for goodness sake avoid what is termed a closed stance. I don't care what anyone says, you must be able to watch your back cast and if you stand with your right foot forward you will need a neck like an owl to do this. Use the open stance, ie - if you are right handed, stand with your left foot slightly forward like you would to draw a bow or serve at tennis. By watching your backcast, which is the most important part of casting you will find that the forward cast comes easy.

I hope this helps.

However I think I could help your casting by watching you for a minute or two.

Many years ago (late 60's early 70's) a whole group of us made annual trips to Chew Valley for the opening day. Used to always head for Nunnery Point where it ended up very crowded! This was the era when Bristol Waterworks stocked huge numbers at the start of the season. Anyway the fish soon moved further out and those that could cast further (with heavy shooting heads) soon had their limits.

A great guy (and a gentleman) Dob (Eddie) Chislett used to wallop it out there with great technique and finesse while I thrashed the water to a foam. He taught me the double hauling method and generally help improve my casting greatly.

He and his sons were good reservoir lure anglers but they were also fine fly fisherman when it came to streams and rivers. They could cast great distances but also present flies very delicately at short distances when required. Skillful versatility was the key.

By the way Mark, The rod tip does not impart velocity to the line, the whole rod does.

The single or double haul can only be learned by someone who can perform a respectable cast without the hauls. There comes a point during the foward and back cast where you can feel the line in your left hand pulling. What you do is pull back at it. This has the effect of virtually doubling the amount of energy you are applying to the line as well as causing a tight loop.

There has become a tendency recently for some casters and indeed the tackle trade to talk about "high line speed". From a personal vewpoint, I say "High Line Speed B*****ks"! Now this has caused all sorts of problems for newcomers to the sport. It has also been responsible for many rods on the market to be under rated, especially the American rods. Graham will tell you that the minute he put a 7 weight line on his 6 weight Sage rod, it cast much better.

Distance casting has little to do with high line speed. It as far more to do with timing, technique and generating a tight loop which cuts down on frontal area and thus, air resistance.

And being able to double haul helps this tremendously.

So who can see their fly at 35yards with a ripple on the water?
Whats the point of casting further than you can see, unless you're just chucking out lures and dragging them back.

You can't see your fly at 10 yards Bob if you are fishing wet fly or nymph. Except perhaps on waters as clear as Avington.

And there are many other ways of detection the take of a fish at distance than seeing the take. Most of the time I feel it.

You can also cause a loop to hang from the rod tip. Any deviation in the curve is caused by a taking fish. And on still water I can often see a fly fished dry at distances in excess of 30 yards.

I prefer to fish close in. I love nymph fishing the margins.
I have casted long to fish way out but never got off the last bit of mainline on 7 weight line.I reckon, when I need to, I can get all my mainline out. Never tried really.

Must say, it's very satisfying making a long cast but to me, if it lands like a sack of do do then it's a waste of time.

I want to learn Spey casting but expect, like my normal casting, I'll learn by myself.

I actually learnt on a tiny river (River Bourne-Rowtown) in Surrey casting to Chub and dace with a little glass fibre rod 5 foot long I built myself when I was about 14. Distance came on the old Kempton Park reservoir with the wind over my right shoulder.
I grew up stalking fish weighing no more than a couple of pounds if I was lucky and my casting was no more then than 10 yards!

I am also an average caster and can't get mor than 2/3 rds of my fly line out - but it hasn't stopped me from being reasonably successful.

What has been of great benefit is the snake roll (saw Hwyel Morgan at a flyfair) - with the flyline out I can now quickly re-cast my flies at a rising fish without false casting.. brilliant.

Neil.

I caught 7 trout today, including a cracker of 3 3/4lbs, and lost another 3, all in in less than an hour and a half.

This was at Thrybergh. All the fish were far out. They took my nymph after I had only retrieved about a yard or so of line. I was chucking the whole of my line out plus another 2 to 3 yards at a guess. And I was using a 15 foot leader with three flies.

I was fortunate in being able to fish from a spot where there is no high bank or dam wall, so I was able to wind up the cast quite well.

Just recently the ability to cast a fair way has put lots of fish on the bank for me compared with the average casters who are invariably blanking.

You certainly do not need a powerful physique to cast a long way. I am a doddering old fart with a weak wrist. My friend Danny Peet can cast further than me and he is confined to a wheelchair! Get your timing and technique right and the line will fairly sing through the rings. And you will be able to make your cast land delicately and straight out too.

It is worth learning to cast a long way when you need to. As is a few other techniques like the snake roll mentioned by Neil. Get your casting right and your enjoyment of fly fishing will double.

One thing is for certain. You really start enjoying golf when you can hit the ball well. It's the high handicap hackers who tend to hate the game.

There is a similarity in fly fishing.