Fly Casting Education Program
Casting Education

Roll Cast

What is a roll cast and why do you need it?

A Roll Cast is a Forward Cast without a Back Cast. If you knew only one cast, it should be the Roll Cast. You’ll use it when you can’t make a back cast because of trees or other obstructions behind you or because you have unwanted slack in the fly line. It’s fun to learn and easy to do.

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Supports: FCSD (Bronze Task B6); Teaching Resources

Pick Up and Lay Down

Why is a Pick Up and Lay Down Cast important?

We use the Pick Up and Lay Down cast (PULD) to learn and practice an important fly casting building block – how to quietly pick up a fly from the water and then efficiently deliver it to its target.

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Supports: FCSD (Bronze Task B1); Teaching Resources

Fundamentals of Fly Casting - Casting Loops

Why is the shape of the loop so important?

In spin or bait casting, the weight we are casting is the weight of the lure, bait or sinker, not the line. When fly casting, we are normally casting flies that are too light to cast with spin or bait casting gear. Fly casting utilizes a special line, a fly line, that is the casting weight.  Rather than having the weight of the lure pull the line off the reel, in fly casting the weight of the fly line itself pulls the fly through the air and delivers it to the target.

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Supports: Teaching Resources

False Casting

What is False Casting?

False casting is the classic back and forth fly casting motion. It is necessary to false cast when fly fishing because we’re casting a long, weighted line instead of a simple weight, bait or lure as used in spin or bait casting. False casting allows us to change cast distance, change direction, and dry a wet fly. The skills needed for false casting depend on a good understanding of the Fundamentals of a Cast and knowing the Pick Up and Lay Down (PULD) cast.

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Supports: Teaching Resources

Off-Side Casting

What does it mean...off-side casting?

Casting with the line on your off-side (for example, the left side for a right-handed caster) is a safe way to cast with wind blowing toward your casting arm. It is also used to avoid obstacles that can limit your ability to cast on your normal side. An Off-Side cast can be made by simply adjusting the rod angle so that the tip of the rod travels on your off-side during the casting stroke. Because the fly line follows the rod tip, the fly line will also be on your off-side.

Supports: FCSD (Bronze Task B2, Gold Task G7)

Directional Change Casts

What does it mean...directional change casts?

To make a cast in a desired direction, the fly line must be aligned in that direction before making the cast. Change of direction casts efficiently reposition the fly line from its current direction to the desired direction of the next cast, which allows accurate delivery of the fly.

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Supports: FCSD (Silver Task S5); Teaching Resources

Control Your Fly Line

What does it mean...how to control your fly line?

Controlling the fly line while fishing can improve your catch rate and generally make for a more pleasant fishing experience. It is particularly important to maintain control of the line while fishing so that you are able to set the hook and land the fish. You also need to control the line while adjusting its length when you are casting as well as when you transition from casting to fishing.

Casting with Substance and Style

Let’s have a discussion on Hand-Grip, Arm Position, and Stance when casting.

Slack Line Presentations

What does it mean...how to put slack in your fly line?

Slack line presentations are commonly used to minimize drag on the fly while fishing in complex currents. As long as there is slack in the line or leader or both, the fly will drift naturally in the current. Slack can be produced either by a cast, such as the Pile Cast, or by an aerial mend, such as the Wiggle Mend.

Supports: FCSD (Gold Task G4)

Roll Cast Pick Up

What does it mean...the roll cast pickup?

The Roll Cast Pick Up is simply a standard Roll Cast made with a higher forward trajectory. It has many applications in fishing including eliminating slack, raising a sink tip line, freeing a stuck fly, and fishing upstream.

Supports: FCSD (Gold Task G5)