Learn to Fly-Cast in a Weekend

By Tim Rolston

Tim Rolston, Fly-Fishing Guide, World Championship Competitor, Casting Instructor and author uses unique methods to both describe and teach fly casting. Originally published and sold out in print this book has now been updated and modified into eBook format bringing this pragmatic approach to fly casting to a wider audience.

With an estimated 80% of fly fishermen unhappy with their casting technique and many limited by it to the point of fishing less effectively than they might, this book provides a simple, easy to follow description of what works. Where casting instruction in the past might have led anglers astray and how to master the technique in short order.

A series of sixteen simple to follow exercises adding a new element each time provides the angler with comprehensive and structured means of learning effective technique. No other book uses the methods described here. In short the method works, in fact the author guarantees that it will. Having been used to teach hundreds of anglers to cast more effectively with less effort following the exercises will produce results, literally in a couple of days. No matter that you are a complete novice or an old hand wishing to improve this book is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tim Rolston
• Release date: Feb 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465907745

Tim Rolston

I am an outdoorsman, not a computer boffin, or at least that was the picture when I started this a few years back. Since then I have become caught up with the advantages of electronic media. Steep learning curves continue, frustrations abound but out of that crucible have I think come some really worthwhile publications. How to Make your own fly fishing lanyard was the first and remains the most popular of all the titles. Plus it's free. Then "Who Packed your Parachute" an investigation into better ways to tie parachute flies followed.Still an experiment and free to anyone. Recently my book "Learn to Fly-cast in a Weekend" previously published in hard cover was converted to electronic format making it available to a far wider audience. It has received great reviews and then came the comprehensive and highly innovative "Essential Fly Tying Skills" book, which was previously only available on CD due to the file sizes has been made available for instant download. Now the genre has expanded further with "Guide Flies", with the same format of graphics, text and video clip links. I am still passionate about the outdoors, fly fishing and writing. I hope that you will enjoy the books and find them useful. I further hope that as I learn more there will be more titles with ever better content. Regards Tim

Book preview

Learn to Fly-Cast in a Weekend

By Tim Rolston

Revised Edition 02 2012

Copyright 2012 Tim Rolston

Smashwords Edition License notes:

This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment of the purchaser only. It may not be resold, copied or distributed to other people. If you would like to share this book please go to Smashwords and purchase an additional copy or gift a copy to them. If you are reading this book and you didn't purchase it, please go to Smashwords and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work and hours of effort that the author has put in to make this publication possible.

Cover design: Tim Rolston/Struik publishing.

Graphics: Tim Rolston

Other books by Tim Rolston:

Who Packed your parachute.

100 Fly Fishing Tips, Tricks and Techniques.

Build your own Fly-Fishing Lanyard.

Essential Fly Tying Techniques.

Table of Contents

Why an eBook on Fly Casting?|

Learn to Fly-Cast in a Weekend: The beginning

Introduction

Why is Fly-Casting Different?

Understanding Fly Fishing gear.

Understanding AFTMA numbers

What makes a good cast anyway?

The importance of the loop.

Essential Casting

The learning process.

Debunking some myths. The horrors of the casting clock and others.

The teaching method, grip and stance.

Exercise One: Getting the feel of it.

Exercise Two: Changing speeds during the cast.

Exercise Three: Adding a point of reference.

Exercise Four: Joining the back and forward casts together.

Exercise Five: Multiple casting strokes.

Exercise Six: Proper overhead casts for the first time.

Exercise Seven: Line control.

Exercise Eight: Shooting line, the acid test.

Exercise Nine: Additional line control and handling.

Exercise Ten: Putting it all together on the vertical plane.

Exercise Eleven: Correction of faults.

Exercise Twelve: Hauling, turbocharging your casting.

Exercise Thirteen: Shooting line behind you.

Exercise Fourteen: The single haul on the forward cast.

Exercise Fifteen: Double hauling, fly casting's Holy Grail.

Exercise Sixteen: Double hauling on the vertical plane.

Further exercises to try.

Appendix

Additional Fault Solving

Gear weights and applications.

Glossary of fly fishing and fly casting terminology.

Postscript: With increased effectiveness comes responsibility.

About the author:

Further reading.

Why an eBook on Fly Casting?

This book was originally published in soft cover in conjunction with Struik Publishers (Now Random House Struik) in 2007 and marketed primarily on the South African Market. The title received much acclaim and was read as far afield as Denmark, the US and the UK, where it also received highly positive reviews, it just wasn't readily available. However I knew that the lessons in this book could assist a lot of fly anglers who in my opinion were not getting good advice about the basics of proper casting.

My work as a fishing guide suggested that the biggest single limitation to many people's angling enjoyment was linked to their less than effective casting technique. Clients from all over the world, those with limited experience and those who had travelled extensively and been to, often expensive locations, lodges, guides and clinics all still cast poorly. If current methods of teaching casting were working, surely more of my clients would cast better than they do. It was the motivation to create this book in its original format and now in an effort to reach a wider audience I am publishing it as an electronic book. Making it available anywhere in the world with an internet connection and at a modest price. The format also fits in well with my desire to be as ecofriendly as possible so there is no need for paper or distribution of heavy volumes, no fuel burned or trees chopped down. But that won't make it any less effective, if you follow the program in this book and heed the lessons within it I am prepared to guarantee you massive improvement in your casting ability. If fact, if you got through the process and it doesn't help you I will personally refund you the cover price.

Dedication:

This book is dedicated to Tony Short and David Edkins, the most wonderful gentlemen and clients who not only re-awakened in me the pure joy of fly fishing, but who despite their advanced years proved once and for all that the methods illustrated in this book really do work for anyone prepared to go through the process. It is a matter of record that within days David was throwing an entire fly line out of the front of the rod and taking some backing with it. The improvement so dramatic that he wanted to buy the rod, but of course it wasn't the rod it was his improved technique. I should equally thank them both for their heartfelt encouragement that I should put it all down on paper so that other anglers might benefit in the same manner as they did.

Learn to Fly-Cast in a Weekend.

In the beginning:

Gordon and I had slipped away for an extended weekend, escaping the city and planning to spend a midweek break far up in the mountains on one of the most beautiful trout streams you could ever imagine. In those days there was little by way of a path and what there was crisscrossed the stream over and over again, making for a long and strenuous hike into this remote spot. The effort was well worth it though; the water really was as clear as gin and the remoteness of the location served as its own protection against over fishing and pollution, with the result that the quality of the angling was exceeded only by the scenic beauty of the place.

We had hiked and fished with our packs on for the first day, a cumbersome if necessary evil that allowed us to sleep out under the stars for a night or two and venture even further into the gorge in search of more remote spots and hopefully even larger trout. The stream was renowned not only for the clarity of the water and the remoteness of the venue (a serious accident up here would likely prove fatal), but also because it produced some incredibly large fish on occasion.

It was our last day on the river and with a long, arduous hike ahead of us and absolutely no possibility of managing the march in the dark, we were under some pressure to call it a day and head homewards. We had caught lots of fish, large and small, stalking them in the clear water, and camped a few nights on the river bank under a large overhang that afforded some measure of comfort if not luxury. By most standards we enjoyed a superb expedition, but when such trips are that good and the next chance to be on such waters is that far away one feels that one should make the most of things. Although the sun was dropping lower on the horizon and we had a long way to go we decided to try just one more run before turning tail and legging it for the exit before dark.

This particular spot we have always referred to as Emerald Pool the clear waters so deep that they take on a subtle green colour. It represents the last fishable spot on the stream without requiring significant mountaineering and holds large numbers of good sized fish; it was the perfect place for that last cast

We fish on a turn and turn-about basis on these rivers, two anglers casting at once is counterproductive and by the time we reached Emerald Pool it was Gordon’s chance to fish. The pool has steep sides and deep water made wading impossible, the head of the run, more than a long cast away is formed by a steep drop and waterfall and to the rear are old yellowwood trees, covered in lichen and overhanging the river offering little space for a back cast.

A lovely fish from Emerald Pool

A good fish was sipping in spent spinners in the middle reaches of the pool but without the option of wading closer or having too much room to maneuver it wasn’t an easy fish to cover. Gordon lengthened his line with a couple of false casts, geared up for the final delivery of the fly and promptly hooked up the yellowwood behind us. Having unhitched the fly he made a second cast , avoiding the woodwork but the fly fell woefully short of its mark. Lengthening line once more the tree intervened again and Gordon’s fly was stuck in the branches. Two more attempts at covering the still feeding fish with the same result, of hooking up the back cast in the tree and Gordon declared the fish out of range and uncatchable. He did however have the good grace to declare that I was more than welcome to try to have a go at what was now becoming a sought-after prize.

I made two false casts, shot a heap of line on the final forward stroke and landed the fly just ahead of the fish, which promptly turned slightly to its right and inhaled the imitation. At the end of a spirited fight the fish was netted and carefully returned to the water. Gordon’s only comment: How the hell did you reach that fish with the tree in the way? It was one of many