The Fly Zone

Always listen to Batman when you saltwater fly fish! LOL

It is a good idea to check your back cast. Good back loops are the key to a successful presentation. A knowledgeable casting companion is worth their weight in gold. However, most of the time we are casting by ourselves. Watching your back cast is great but it is not a great habit to develop.  I like to watch my shadow and snap some photos of it. A picture is worth a thousand words and certainly not “fake news”. Pinch your fly line on the rod and use your non casting hand to snap a photo right when you stop the rod on the back cast. It is a little tricky but if I can do it, so can you!  – Jim Solomon

Practice, practice, practice. It’s the only way to make your casting look effortless and your loops smooth and tight. I try to cast at least once a week with my friends just to stay in shape. It is always a good idea to downsize your outfit so you can work on your technique without fatigue. Practice like you fish, NO YARN!!!  put a fly on the end of your leader but bend back the hook and barb. Try to stay consistent in the length of your leader setup, especially if you are sight fishing. Cast when its windy. Practice casting over your opposite shoulder for when the wind change direction. The Flyzone will help you practice correctly so when you do get that opportunity to fish in big fish country, you are not intimidated, you are ready to play with the big boys and seal the deal. Consider a lesson or two with Jim and me. We love taking anglers to the next level.

-Al Q

I think I will rename this cast to the “Cry Me A River” cast. I do not mean to be harsh but I have watched so many casters over the years throw their rods in frustration because they cannot manage the double haul. Here is the problem in a “nut shell” – they cannot cast a good loop without hauling! They have too much slack in their loops and you can drive a UPS truck through them.  Cure – take casting lessons from The Fly Zone and correct your basic casting stroke. You need to understand loop control and line speed before you step into the “black hole” of the Double Haul! 

Here is a great exercise to try and master:  Determine how much fly line you can false cast with good loop control and a smooth stroke. Then increase your stroke speed while maintaining a good loop.  Once you are proficient with this cast, see how much line you can shoot without hauling! You will need to false cast approx. 3 to 4 times with smooth controlled loops before releasing the line that is pinched to your grip. Keep your left hand in your left pocket. You don’t need it. Next, increase your line speed while maintaining controlled loops and let the line fly. I bet you will cast farther this way than with a bad loop and a double haul.  At the FlyZone, we specialize in correcting bad casting habits and teach you the right way to cast. 

– Jim Solomon

“MOST FISHERMEN USE THE DOUBLE HAUL TO THROW THEIR CASTING MISTAKES FURTHER.” – Lefty Kreh

I was having a conversation with my friend Jim Solomon the other day and he made this wonderful analogy, “there are no false casts when you drive a golf ball!” I thought this was great, and he was right! A great cast requires one good backcast and one good forward cast, period. We have a cool casting exercise where we try to throw maximum amount of line with one back and one forward cast. The way to do this is to allow the proper amount of fly line (head with overhang) laid in a straight line in front of you, with rod tip down, make one pick-up and backcast/haul, and one forward/haul release. Try to shoot as much fly line as you can throw, with no tailing loops. Sound easy? This is a great exercise for distance casting. This exercise leaves you little room for error, you must deliver a solid back and forward cast with a smooth, powerful acceleration to a distinct stop or you will not be able to throw that eighty foot cast. We often rely on many false casts to mask our casting mistakes, then deliver the one to the target that feels the best. Unfortunately we do not have that luxury when fishing, especially when a fish is tailing at 60 feet and our knees are knocking and the guide is telling ya to throw. Remember driving a golfball long…learn to make a quick, long cast to a bonefish or tailing permit with no false casts, it requires practice.

Try it!

Al is right on about the pick up and lay down cast, especially on the flats. Fly casting to a moving fish on the flats, especially in the wind, is combat casting but not with a machine gun. Minimizing your presentations ups the chances for a hook up. The more you false cast in the air the more chances of spooking your prey like the shadow of a bird. Think like a golfer – one shot!

Being able to pick up and quickly and softly lay down is money! And being able to change the direction of your cast is double money! Belgium casts, opposite hand casts, off shoulder casts and spey casts are in my tool box.  Especially on windy days. We focus our teaching around these casts. Learn these casts and deliver your fly COD!

-Jim