to try and learn how to fly fish. so far it is not going too well. i cannot cast very well at all. it was a combo, i didnt want to spend too much on it just in case i didnt like it.
it is an 8 foot 5/6 wt rod. it came pre spooled with backing mainline, leader and tippet (i am not too sure of the fly fishing vernacular, so be gentle on me)

the line is 20# i think and tapers to a 4# tippet. it came with what i am assuming, is a sampler type thing of various flies. i think popper, floating, sinking, and another i cant think of at the moment. it also came with some tiny little strips of yarn.

if you guys could give me the main points and whatnot on how to use this rod, like casting..that would be greatly appreciated


Thanks, Bonsai

Explaining how to cast in detail is going to be darn near impossible in a post. I recommend doing a Youtube search for the basics, then I believe Cabelas and Basspro offer casting instruction.

Better yet, depending where you are, a local club may be the best bet for casting tips, etc. One on one instruction will greatly improve the learning curve for you. Welcome to the fly fishing world. It really is a great sport once you get some basics down.

I'd be glad to help answer any other specific questions you might have, but there are plenty of people on the board with alot more expertise than mine, probably.

I have been reading some posts, including that sticky and you fly fishermen (and women) seem to be a pretty nice bunch. each type of fishing has a little group i have noticed. kinda funny.

Anyways, i dont think i need much help, other than casting... cause if i cannot get that down, then i wont need anything else anyways.

Thanks, Bonsai

Don't know what part of the state you're in (you should update your profile to include your location) but I recommend hooking up with a club in your area. Most Texas clubs offer free casting lessons and will even take you fishing.

Practice, practice, practice. I learned to fly cast in my front yard as a kid with no instructor before the days of YouTube. Seeking out advice is great, but there's no substitute for swinging the stick.

+1 for sure!
I can recommend watching Lefty Kreh videos and then going outside and practicing what Lefty shows you.

Make certain that your rig didn't come with a level fly line. They are impossible to cast, but that doesn't mean they won't show up on a purchased combo.

You can tell it is a level line if the line has the same thickness along its length. You want it to be either Weight Forward or Double Taper.

One of the cruelest things to not learn early about fly lines...

Congratulations on the new fly rod.

I'm a big proponent that a little bit of time spent with an experience casting instructor pays off big time in shortening the learning curve and reducing the potential frustration level of learning to cast. If you�ll tell us the area you are located in, we may be able to offer some suggestions for help that is available in your area.

Here are a couple of previous threads that talk about casting. As we typically do, we got off topic and rambled a little in a few places, but maybe you�ll find something helpful in one of them.


http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/7594596/1

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/7417107/1

im pretty good at being able to pick stuff up realy quick. today i went out around 6 while it was cool, and started casting.

for the most part it went ok. i tried not to keep my arm straight out, and keep my wrist relatively stiff. not floppy i guess. so i ran into a few issues...all of them consist of knots on my line. i had one on my main line, and a bunch on my tippet.

for my type of line, i have a backing that looks like braid of some sort, an orange main line...it is the same diameter all along it. then the tippet starts our thick then tapers. i am not too sure what type of line this is called.

i understand the learning curve, i will come on here to ask about a few issues (like my knot issue) and see if you guys cant tell me what i am doing wrong. i was on YOutube last night and a bit this morning watching many videos about casting. i have an idea, i just need to practice more.

Thanks, Bonsai

Look up "tailing loop" for information on the knots. You'll sometimes see the knots called "wind knots", but they are actually caused by a tailing loop. A tailing loop is where the fly line crosses its self during the cast and is often caused by accerating too early in the cast.

Your cast should start slow and accerate to a stop.

Something like this:

\ \ \ \\\\o/
Slow Fast STOP!

ahh ok. so that makes more sense now that it is explained. thanks

You can learn quite a bit about casting on youtube. One tip that helped me out: when casting think about the type of motion you would make if you had a paintbrush in your hand that was full of paint and you wanted to flick the paint on a wall in front of you and a wall behind you (accelerate to a hard stop).

There are three things I try to remember when my casting goes south, which is almost every time I cast.

-Use the least force necessary to make the cast. Fly poles don't take being overpowered very well at all. Much like you can't push a rope, you can't force a fly cast.

-Keep your elbow down against your body. This tip is thanks to Miss Diane who teaches casting every year at Fly Fish Texas. She had me put my hat under my arm while I casted to remind me not to flop my elbow around like a chicken wing.

-No whooshing. Also thanks to Miss Diane. This is related to forcing the cast. Your rod's line guides shouldn't make a whooshing sound when you cast. Finesse, not force.


Bonus advice: Fish EVERY cast. No matter how bad the cast, or where it landed, fish like you meant to put the fly there. The results will surprise you. I stole this tip directly out of Jack Ellis' master work Bassin' with a Fly Rod.

Good luck!