The Forward-Cast

The forward–cast starts with a pause i.e. the power flick was made throwing the line up behind to energize the rod which was paused with the thumb pointing straight up at 12.00 o’clock (the rod will be almost at 1.00 o’clock). This pause allowed the line to roll out high and straighten out behind the rod tip. As soon as the line loses its backward momenentum it will start to drop under the influence of gravity. This is the main reason I want your back-cast to be high and back, if it is made low and back it would not roll down hill on the forward–cast and would almost certainly pick up grass. When a self taught angler keeps picking up grass he thinks he’s too slow so he speeds up by making the forward cast too soon, before the line has had time to extend behind. At this point the fly reaches the speed of sound and cracks off. This is particularly bad news for the night time sea trout angler who then fishes on for the next hour or so without a fly. If you hear a noise like a cowboy cracking a bullwhip, stop and check your fly.

It takes a little while for the line to extend up behind during the pause. I am often asked how long? To be honest I don’t know the answer but I can say that after a bit of practice you will develop a rhythm and the correct timing will come. I’ve read in some articles that you should wait for the rod to load or until you feel a backward tug, frankly I’ve never been able to identify any of these two happening. The line should just roll up and stop ready for the forward cast, your brain will simply say ‘now’ and you will start the forward cast. Soon the action will become almost automatic and instinctive and the line will go out smoothly. We are back to my expression of ‘a co-ordination of body movements’. As I say, you will need practice.

From the pause we go straight into the forward cast, this is a natural action. You will need to give a sort of forward power flick but you will not need the amount of power required for the back-cast because the line is rolling downhill. Your thumb will drive the rod forward pivoted from the elbow (which is still down by your side) without a jerk. It is important from a presentation point of view that the target area for the fly is about 2ft above the surface. As the rod handle comes in front, the fly will probably be about 6ft above your head, the rod is un-cocking and releasing it’s power. Now, you follow through forward with the outstretched arm. I can hear the observant readers amongst you saying ‘he’s breaking one of his golden rules’ so I will try to be more specific with this action.

The hand with the thumb on top performs a long firm movement. Starting from somewhere near the right hand side of your face, a powerful downward and forward flick is made extending the arm out in front as far forward as the arm will reach until the thumb is pointing at 9.00 o’clock. You do-not push the butt of the rod out in front as the rod is coming down, this action would take the power out of the rod. So, to repeat myself, it should be a down and forward flick. The result of this is that the line flows out above the water taking with it the leader and finally the fly, which should hover for a split second above its target area. Now! You lower the rod to follow the line down to the fishing position. You will see that the fly landed as the rod tip touched the water. In effect what you’ve done is followed the lines flight with the rod. This is the delicate type of presentation we are trying to achieve; this action, which is so desirable in dry fly fishing, allows your fly to land as a natural does, landing and sitting still. If the rod had been stopped completely when the arm was out in front (at 9.00 o’clock) the fly when it landed would have been pulled back along the surface towards you. Therefore, you are less likely to get a trout to rise to it. In some river wet fly and stillwater situations, many anglers give themselves problems by tying a heavily weighted fly like a 5mm gold head on a long light leader. They will have little control and I suggest they wear a crash helmet and goggles. A heavy fly fishes well on a 6ft tapered leader (15lb, & 10lb) and casts like a dream, I assure you, the fish won’t mind. After all we spin with a trace of 3ft between the actual spinner and a weight at the line/trace junction.

I feel I will have failed to help your casting if I leave you with the impression that all movements are completely separated from one another. They are not! There is a distinct pause between the back-cast and the forward- cast but the whole lot must merge smoothly together.

Hopefully, by now and after a bit of practice you will have mastered the basic techniques and will be able to cast short distances. At this stage when practicing, do not strive for distance. Simply concentrate on the three golden rules and you will soon find that you’re achieving a rhythm and that every other aspect will fall into place.

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