practice casting

[pro4mance]

Would you guys reccomend practicing with a leader/ tippet on or just the fly line?
I was searching but didnt see anything. Hey Ryan if you keep talent in stock at the shop let me know

 

[Paulson]

I practice with a leader and a small piece of hi-vis colored yarn tied to the end.

 

[lv2nymph]

Yep, when I'm in the yard I use leader and tippet same as on the water.
I started off using a piece of yarn like stated above then got the idea to use a fly just snip the hook off at the very start of the bend, although that tends to get stuck in the grass from time to time though. Piece of yarn is far better than the fly. :lol:

 

[streamerguy]

Always practice with a leader. One day I went to try out a new line I bought and it shot out very fast and just didn't feel right overall. Once I put a leader on it casted perfectly. The leader definitely affects your casting.

Although I don't really practice my casting anymore, I always preffered having a fly at the end of the line. When it got hooked on something I could pretend I had a monster fish on LOL. Seriously though, a piece of yarn is fine or a bright colored fly such as a glo bug and cut the point and bend off.

 

[Troutking]

I am still learning and still do a lot of practice casting. I always use a leader and tippet.

 

[Love2fish]

$4.99 at Cabelas Since it is brightly colored it may help correcting casting issues.

 

[pro4mance]

Thanks for the responses

 

[ryguyfi]

All the talent over here is often over exaggerated! If I have time this Spring, I'll try to do the newbie JAM again at the Neshannock. Couldn't do it last year with my son being born, but might be able to organize it again this coming Spring. Had fly tying, knots and leaders, casting, gear, and entomology. I'll put a post up if I can manage the event and you'll have to attend. Maye I'll try to arrange it around the grannoms so we can fish (a nice afternoon hatch) after the lessons.

Ryan

 

[pro4mance]

sounds great my Flinstone fingers should be perfect for tying lol

 

[pcray1231]

Yeah, definitely with leader on.

I've done the yarn thing and it's ok. But while it doesn't hang up, it's "floatier" than a real fly. It doesn't act realistic for me. Too much surface area, not enough weight, I guess.

Of course, as was said, if you just cut the hook off, you solve that problem but it will still catch on grass and so forth.

No perfect answer, you gotta deal with one or the other. But leader with some sort of visible "fly", yes, absolutely.

 

[Aducker]

I use a piece of foam tied on instead of yarn. I cut it small like I would if it was a beatle/fly. It cuts through the air nicer than yarn.

The foam you use to make beatles with. It's thin. It's cheap. It comes n many colors. I think you can get a sheet at a craft store for about a dollar or maybe even 50 cents.

 

[Chaz]

You won't learn anything by casting a fly line without the leader and tippet on, I will even use a fly that has a broken hook on the end to really get my accuracy down. I practice fairly often in the yard casting to leaves and other yard debris.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Chaz wrote:
You won't learn anything by casting a fly line without the leader and tippet on, I will even use a fly that has a broken hook on the end to really get my accuracy down. I practice fairly often in the yard casting to leaves and other yard debris.

+1

 

[N8ureboy]

Put some upside down Frisbees and or hula hoops at 5 to 10 foot increments at different angles and cast to them. this will help your eye cast coordination and help with your ability to cast to specific distances. Leader and hook-less fly or yarn indicator definitely help.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

N8ureboy wrote:
Put some upside down Frisbees and or hula hoops at 5 to 10 foot increments at different angles and cast to them. this will help your eye cast coordination and help with your ability to cast to specific distances. Leader and hook-less fly or yarn indicator definitely help.

Iv'e casted to bowls, pots and anything else I can put in the frontyard. And the smaller the target the better. I will tie on one of my flies as well. A couple of dollars invested in my learning to me is well spent.

 

[Chaz]

I'll buy the frisbee thing, but hoola hoops won't get you accuracy.

 

[pro4mance]

Thanks to everyone for the advice putting it all to use

 

[pcray1231]

As another point, don't just open up in some wide open field and see how far you can cast. It's not realistic.

Do it at real fishing distances, and give yourself obstacles. Put a tree or big bush at your back, or cast from under a limb so you have to keep the line low. Move around so the obstacles are always in different spots and you're forced to do inventive things to avoid them.

When you get more advanced, add more obstacles, the more the better. Put the target behind a rock or tree trunk and see if you can curve it around. Pretend the driveway is a current seam and throw an aerial mend. Stuff like that, it's how you get better.

 

[afishinado]

I teach fly casting to a lot of beginners, and my advice is to first work on using good mechanics in your basic cast and practicing in an open area.

Many times a beginner is just starting to learn the mechanics of a good cast, but as soon as you put targets and/or obstacles, the mechanics of casting goes out the window and the casters focus becomes the target rather than the cast. It tends to create bad habits, right from the beginning.

Once the fundamentals of casting are learned and your mechanics are repeated without thought, you can begin to work on accuracy and casting with obstacles to replicate actual stream conditions.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

afishinado wrote:
I teach fly casting to a lot of beginners, and my advice is to first work on using good mechanics in your basic cast and practicing in an open area.

Many times a beginner is just starting to learn the mechanics of a good cast, but as soon as you put targets and/or obstacles, the mechanics of casting goes out the window and the casters focus becomes the target rather than the cast. It tends to create bad habits, right from the beginning.

Once the fundamentals of casting are learned and your mechanics are repeated without thought, you can begin to work on accuracy and casting with obstacles to replicate actual stream conditions.

+1
I understand the mechanics that each time you add more line to the loop you have to wait just a double split hair second longer than the last false cast before you lay it forward. It took me awhile to get this part down. My accuracy was already built with bait casting rods and reels. I just transfered it to the flyrod. I