Flyfishing Casting vs Casting Casting

[Dag Midtgard]

After reading many posts here, as well as beeing told that I have a lot of improvemts in my cadting technique (which I think I have), I am wondering if a lot of the adviced given on how to cast/form the loop/give energy to the line, etc etc, or just move the fly leg from A to B, is based on casting theory or for presenting the fly for fishing.

Why I ask? I ask because when I am told to improve, I am given links to casting videoes where the fly leg is somehow waist high or as low as knee high, and then I am just wondering if we are talking about apples and oranges, or pears!!

As a flyfisher, I must say that seeing casts which that low fly legs do not look any good, other than for the fly dhop selling flies!!!

[John Waters]

You only need to ask yourself two questions and a followup, if needed.

1. What is my casting/fishing objective which is generally determined by what gear I will use and how far do I need to cast.

2. Have I the right casting technique?

3. if not how do I obtain the right technique.

John

[Geenomad]

, I am wondering if a lot of the adviced given on how to cast/form the loop/give energy to the line, etc etc, or just move the fly leg from A to B, is based on casting theory or for presenting the fly for fishing.

G'day Dag
Different folks have different reasons for being here and posting. I'm a fly fisher who is interested in casting. I am not interested in competitive casting or fishing. Would I fly cast if I didn't fly fish or rather if I could no longer fly fish? Yes, probably, but still all my casting, learning and practice is to improve both casting and fishing. Better technique overall, means better control which means I can more often present the fly where and how I want to. Theory and practice go together. On the water casts can be manufactured to suit my purpose. Speciality casts are just ideas (for me), like recipes for cooking. Better understanding leads to better technique but that's not true for everyone.

Beyond that, I am just curious and I like to do difficult things well and I don't need any further justification for wanting to improve understanding, technique and control although I know from experience that better casting means better catching - though not, of course, by that alone.

Cheers
Mark

[Paul Arden]

Hi Dag,

My reason for competition casting is to improve my fishing casting skills to the best I can make them. For me itt has made a vast difference to my flyfishing.

Anyway I'm not sure which videos you are watching but in comp distance the line end often comes through low on a dangle - but that's for 120 or even 130ft casts. A really long fishing distance cast is around 90-100 ft where that doesn't happen. However in order to easily hit a target at 90ft your going to need those longer distance skills. (That's not the main fishing advantage of comp distance by the way; it's about line speed, carry and being able to cast into just about any wind that's thrown at you.)

Cheers, Paul

[Flybye]

I always attend and have a go at distance events when I can. I doubt I will ever be that good at them but agree that knowing how to make that cast to a fish further away than I can see may be handy one day. I get loads of good useful information from friends in the distance world, I fish shooting heads in the sea a lot and various 27gm aficionados have given me great tips on head construction. When I fish I probably make less than 20 or 30 casts a day but I do want them all to be effective. I totally agree fine tuning to the exacting limits of distance work does help with producing the most effective cast at the right time. Unlike distance (and or accuracy competitive casting) you seldom get a chance to have a second try in the fishing world.