Not casting well? Try one trusted remedy or, better yet, a revival technique

If you find yourself physically compromised or simply striving to improve as a caster, it may be time to jump ship—here’s how to make the transition

Fly casting is almost universally regarded as the crucial skill for successfully catching fish. According to my artist friend Thom Glace, fly casting can also be a moment on the water when you feel like you’re having a conversation with the landscape, contemplating a higher power, or simply enjoying the art of casting itself.

– Fly line choice

– Leader butt connection to the fly line

– Transition sections of the leader

– Knots or loop-to-loop connections

– Tippet rating—whether IGFA or not

– Fly pattern selection

– Tied flies or easier-to-cast tube flies

– Retrieve and actual fishing—streamer, dry fly, nymphing, and variations.

However, many US citizens and Canadians don’t see new ideas as threats, such as using tube flies and their variations (e.g., the Riffling Hitch), especially for species other than Atlantic salmon, like brown trout, sea trout, grayling, zander, and other smaller game fish.

A new trend in simplifying fly fishing is a revival of Robert Meiser’s development of the switch rod. Now called the ‘909 CX Two-Handed Shooting Head Rods.’

Today, his 909 Switch rods are made for heavier-grain-weight lines, unless you persuade him to build a trout rod for lower-rated lines, costing about $700–$900 (estimated), capable of managing grain weights equivalent to 5- and 6-weight lines.

Because of their tight-quarters maneuverability, pinpoint casting accuracy, and reduced arm fatigue? Because they allow anglers to perform spey-style casts in brushy, constrained environments. Longer 10-, 11-, and 12-foot two-handed switch rods would get tangled in overhead branches or behind steep banks. Read more here …

These shorter switch rods provide several major performance advantages:

Making casting easier is one thing, but it has several names. In Spanish, lanzamiento de rollo (roll cast); in French, roulé dynamique (dynamic cast); and in Russian, на русском следуйте этой последовательности (touch & go casting). They all refer to the same technique. See the video for a complete understanding

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Conclusion, easier does not fatigue

Certainly, many mainstream fly rod companies produce so-called fast-action rods that any decent weekend angler can cast and potentially covet. You can’t try all of them, but you can cut through the heavy advertisements and nonsense and test a few at a classic old-fashioned fly shop that has a few demo rods rigged with popular regional lines, leaders, and yarn flies. Usually, 5- and 8-weight rods are cast in a parking lot or alley, conveniently aiming at the rear bumper of a convertible BMW, a local cat, or a squirrel.

That said, a better approach is to attend a fly-fishing show or festival sponsored by a fly shop or fly rod manufacturer

And even more reassuring experience is owning and testing a few rods in real fishing situations.

My friend Angie Rothh has a Sage R8 Core 9’6″ 6-weight fast-action fly rod renowned for its versatility, deep loading, and enhanced two-way feedback loop. It costs between $1,050 and $1,100 and is widely regarded as an excellent crossover rod for handling delicate dry flies, heavy nymph rigs, and streamers. She says, “No problem, big flies on open flats water.”

What I personally appreciate about the R8 in real time is the lack of reverberation, which allows feedback to register each cast under the conditions faced and be stored for future use.

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NOTE: Feature image is of the late David Olson by Henry Clement

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