Most of the instructions I've seen on fly casting emphasize making the cast with the forearm, not the upper arm or wrist. But recently I've seen a couple of videos where the guys were saying and demonstrating how they use their wrist to cast. Have things changed, or were these just a couple of misinformed guys that used their wrists.

Stroke length is the distance the caster moves the rod handle back and forth during the cast. Think straight line or linear movement. As a general rule, a longer cast requires a longer stroke length.

Look for yourself. If you just move your wrist, you can get, what... about 6 inches of stroke length? Now try it using your whole arm, bending your elbow and shoulder. Now you can get maybe 5 feet of stroke length.

To make long casts, you need to use your whole arm and for really long casts, you can add body movement to get an even longer stroke.

When you are getting started, I recommend sticking with videos by well known expert casters, such as Lefty Kreh, Joan Wulff, Simon Gawesworth (2 handed casting), Mel Krieger, Bill Gammel, Jason Borger, Ed Jaworoski, and some of the rod companies such as Orvis and Sage have some good videos. There are other excellent casting videos out there by other people, but there are also some videos that contain really bad information too.

I suggest starting with videos by some of the folks listed above. That will give you a good basic understanding of casting and will help you to identify the videos that give bad advice or use someone that just plain doesn't know what he is taking about.

Good luck!

Also, the website sexyloops.com has some good beginner casting videos.

Do y'all realize how lucky we are to have the folks we do on this forum?

Thanks for another informative post, Rex.

Interesting reply Rex. I was just curious, and will find and watch some of the videos you mentioned. I got my first fly rod when I was about 20 years old (that was a long time ago) and started casting without ANY instruction. We didn't have computers or videos at that time. I'm sure I have formed some bad habits, but it's never too late to continue learning and improving.

Yes, I do, and it's great.

i ain't gonna make no jokes about stroke length...but I could

I did kind of open myself up for any easy shot didn't I? Thank's for passing on it.

I understand. I did the same thing and I had a lot of bad habits to "unlearn". I am still learning about casting.

Something watch for are casting demo's in the Austin area. Keep tabs on the local fly shops to see when they are having special events. I know Bob Clouser was at one of the Austin shops during March. I've had the opportuntity to listen to Lefty Kreh and Ed Jaworowski this year in the Dallas area and it is amazing how much you can learn by listening to these guys.


Clouser was at Sportsman's Finest in March.

We are indeed lucky to have Rex share his knowledge and casting skills, not only for the newbies but to help some of us "self taught" fly casters break old bad casting habits.
Thanks Rex

Rex reminds me a lot of the late, great AL CRIST in the amount of free teaching he does and the store of knowlege he shares. I read somewhere that
"a man never stood so tall as when he stoops to help another "
-p-

Sportsman's Finest is on the west side of Austin. Ask for Gregg in the fly shop, I'm sure that he can help you. Living Waters fly shop is on Main St. in Round Rock.

I bought my Temple Fork Outfitters, 8', 4wt, rod, and the reel and line, at Sportsman's Finest in Bee Cave, just out of Austin. They have a small pond and let me cast two or three rods before I settled on the TFO rod. I have 5wt WF floating line on it. It's a nice outfit and they were/are very helpful.

Thanks for the kind comments, I just hope some of my comments are helpful to somebody.

Pearow, Al had a lot of influence on both my casting and my teaching style. He was a good guy.

My hardest habit to break was I learned watching flip pallot on walkers cay. When I got my first four wt. I took me a bit to learn it didn't take a double haul to cast sz. 18 Adams lol.

Some of these guys and gals offer videos for sale, but I found a few you-tube videos for free, including some by Lefty Kreh. I like what I hear and see from him.