How to Cast a Fly Rod

Fly fishing is beautiful to watch. The rhythm and grace of the angler's casting is like watching a dance. It must be difficult to learn, right? It must take years of practice! Well, yes and no. Learning the basics of fly casting isn't too difficult, and you'll be catching fish in no time. To get as good as the graceful angler we mentioned earlier takes awhile. But your casts don't need to be perfect to catch enough fish to keep you happy.

You can learn to cast a fly in your own backyard. Do not have a hook on the line. Hooks can be dangerous when you are first learning to cast. In fact, to understand the movement of your line, you can begin with a heavy cord or a piece of rope. Stretch it out and whip it around like it was Indiana Jones' whip. Watch how the line moves depending on your movements. Now position the cord out in front of you and hold the end in your hand. Put your arm at a forty-five degree angle. Make a quick one-two movement by barely bending your arm at the elbow, bringing your wrist back over your shoulder and then back towards the front. Keep your wrist straight. See how the line makes a loop and then snaps to the front? This is what you want to do with your fishing line. Repeat in a steady rhythm until you get the end of the line to move.

Okay, ready to try this with a fly rod? Remember not to add a hook to the line. Take a good grip on the handle of the rod, keeping your thumb on the top. Play out the leader until you see a little of the fly line going through the last guide loop. Pretend you're shaking hands with the rod. Using only your wrist, keep an eye on the tip and the line. Do you feel how the rod moves and how much pressure you need to make it slightly curve?

With your other hand, pull the line three or four times from the reel while you continue the shaking hands motion. This is known as "stripping." Now stop and take a look at what you've done. Did the fly line go through the guides on the fishing rod? If it did, good job! If not, keep practicing. You'll get the hang of it.

Choose a target about 15 feet away. Hold your rod in your casting hand. Point the opposite foot towards your target. Place your other foot at a slight angle to provide a solid footing. Lift up the tip of the fly rod quickly using your wrist and stop your arm's movement when it is pointing straight up. In a brief moment, you should feel the line's weight start to pull the tip of the rod back. As soon as you feel this, snap the rod forward at a forty-five degree angle. You should see the line make a small loop and flip at the end. The flip will tempt the fish… if you snap the end, your fly will smack the water and scare them away instead.

When you feel confident, try your casting in water. See if you can hit your target areas.