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Cutthroat Anglers Colorado Fly Fishing Shop and Guide Service

Tips from the Pros

Tips for Beginners: Casting

The poetic motion of a fluid casting stroke is the first image most people equate to fly fishing. Hundreds of books and instructional videos are available. While we could have an entire website dedicated casting mechanics, we strongly believe the best way to an efficient, repeatable casting stroke is through personal instruction. Hire a guide or sign up for a casting clinic for hands on instruction.

Here are a few tips to keep you on the river…

  • Use less power! Every novice angler applies too much power to the rod. Let the rod do the work for you.
  • Limit your false casts. No one has ever caught a fish while their fly was in the air, so why do most anglers insist on false casting a dozen times between each drift? The more you wave around your fly rod, the better chance you have of catching a tree or tangling your flies.
  • Personalize your casting stroke. Similar to a baseball stance, each angler will develop his or her own unique casting stroke. There are a few basic fundamentals that need to be incorporated in every cast, but you also need to tweak the mechanics to fit your body.
  • Practice. Nobody expects to take up golf or skiing and be performing at an expert level from day one. The same holds true for fly fishing. You need to practice your cast between fishing adventures to hone your skills, and make you better prepared the next time you are surrounded by feeding fish.