Fly casting what the ****

[maclennanchris]

Hey guys! Well its my first year fly fishing and have been getting along not to bad. I can cast dryflies pretty well on a calm day. The problem i have is when i move into casting flys with a bead head or a woolly bugger, something a bit bigger, heavier, my cast just goes to hell, the fly cant keep up with the fly line almost. Im using a 5/6 Fenwick rod and rio gold floating fly line, with about 18 to 24 inches of tippet which is 4X. Thought maybe i should use a thicker tippet maybe....anyhow any advise would be awesome.....

[Rick.]

the fly cant keep up with the fly line almost
Can you explain this better? Rick.

[Pudelpointer]

4x is probably not heavy enough to turn over heavier flies. However, when you say "24 inches of tippet" are you saying you have 2 feet of tippet attached to your leader? Or directly to your fly line?

When using a floating line the minimum leader length is 9-10 feet, often a lot longer (18-20 feet), though 12 feet is probably my average leader length for fishing dries. If you are using a sinking line or sink tip you can often get away with a couple feet of tippet direct to your line.

Eta. To explain further, a tapered leader is usually required to allow the fly to turn over efficiently, as well as to bleed energy as the fly straightens out so it does not "bounce back" during delivery.

[doublehaul]

There is a video on YouTube with lessons by Lefty, he suggests using an oval rod tip movement to keep the hook away from the line when casting heavier setups.

[maclennanchris]

yeah im using a rio tapered leader 9'.....then i will add my length of tippet to that. Cause im new i just have no experience to know better. Is there a different way to cast a heavier fly vs a dry fly. Like i said no problem casting caddis, olives , mosquitos, those type of flys. Soon as i go to a Bead head prince or something along the same lines, i start to have a bit more difficulty. Then if i tie on a woolly bugger or bead head woolly its jus chaos for me....

[alacringa]

Just a thought...maybe you're not pausing long enough before your forward cast? This would be less noticeable with a lighter fly, but more so with a heavier one.

[Pudelpointer]

K. You can cast bigger/heavier flies with lighter (4x) tippet, but it won't be pretty. You will need to "open up" your cast a bit. You can do this by moving your rod in a slightly wider arc.

Make sure you watch your back cast. A common problem when casting heavier flies on lighter tippet is they have a tendency to bounce back at the end of the stroke, due to too much energy being applied. Soften up your cast a bit (slow it down).

[Gust]

How are you managing your lift from the water (I've forgotten the terminology)? Are you attempting an absolute one timer, or are you stripping in to bring your "bead" to the surface a bit for a manageable lift. At what point are the troubles beginning at?

[Doc]

It's really hard to say what you're doing wrong without seeing your cast. Are you casting tight "J" loops when casting dries or are your loops open like a "C"? If you can throw tight loops, you'll want to break your wrist just a touch to open them up a bit. If your loops are already open, you'll want to tighten them up and make sure you let your line roll out behind you before you start your forward cast (and vice-versa). Also make sure you aren't creeping forward into your cast before your cast unrolls. Stop it sharply (but don't jerk it) and hold that quick stop without moving your rod until your line straightens then push your rod to a quick stop on the forward cast. Here's a couple of good links for you.

Casting weight (http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/2011/01/fly-casting/)

Lobbing the lead (http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/2011/01/fly-casting-techniques-weighted-nymphing/)

Pushing the button (http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/2011/01/fly-casting-techniques/)

Cheers,
Doc

[maclennanchris]

thanks ill look into these tips

[densa44]

When you start your back cast look back, don't start forward until the line straightens out. Don't worry you have lots of time. You are starting forward too soon.

We've all done it, just watch for a while until you get the hang of the timing.