# Casting distance



## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

I am new to fly fishing and have yet to take my setup out on the water. I have a 8 wt setup and have been practicing with a piece of yarn tied to the leader. What distance is feasible with this setup? And will the distance improve when the line gets wet and I actually have a fly on?


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

If it is a quality rod and line, in the right hands, it can be cast into the backing. I'm guessing the line is 90'-100' long. But in our area, concern yourself with accuracy more than distance. If you can cast up to 50' accurately, you're good to go.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I once personally witnessed Lefty throw the entire fly line with only a short (about 18 inches) stick....so the distance achievable is more a function of the technique rather than the setup.

Having said that, length(distance) is often overvauled in many things and fly fishing is one of those, IMO. Accuracy and rapid, smooth delivery are both far more important than distance.


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

I Am pretty accurate but 50' is all I'm getting. Occasionally 60'. It just seems inadequate compared to my bait caster. I guess I will continue to practice. 

Does the fly and wet line increase the distance at all or is the answer to my question " more practice"?


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

And I guess I will need to improve my stealth on my wades until I achieve a better cast.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

broz said:


> I Am pretty accurate but 50' is all I'm getting. Occasionally 60'. It just seems inadequate compared to my bait caster. I guess I will continue to practice.
> 
> Does the fly and wet line increase the distance at all or is the answer to my question " more practice"?


More practice ...but keeping the line perfectly clean is very helpful to distance.

I do a lot of flats fishing for bonefish,tarpon, and permit....and a very accurate 50 to 60 ft cast will get most of the fish you come across....and hitting the sweet spot with a minimum of backcasting = success.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Are you double hauling?


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## dsim3240 (Nov 12, 2008)

The fly and wet line will not help with distance. 50ft is adequate if the accuracy is there. When we talk accuracy we are talking hitting a frisbee at 50ft. To improve your accuracy I would suggest speading three or four frisbeess out at different distances and as wide as possible, then cast from one to the other. When you can hit any one on the first cast then you will be ready. But dont fret if you cant hit them all. Go fish anyway, when you see the fish just focus on it and let the cast go, you will be surprise at how often you will hit you spot at longer distances than you may think. Good luck and have fun.


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

Double hauling?

My next wade will be with the fly rod, it just seems with the rod and reel I always need that extra distance. I'm definately not able to hit a frisbee at 50'. More like a 4' area but Im enjoying the challenge.


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## bpharris (May 21, 2012)

Watch this video. This is how I first learned to double haul:


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

That's a good video and this one helped me a few years back.


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

A wet fly line actually does help some by getting the cast started more easily. The additional pull on the fly line caused by the water tension and the additional weight on the line once it's airborn help to load the rod a little more deeply. This helps to get things started a bit more quickly and smoothly, but as others have said it doesn't really have any effect on the final distance.

Double hauling is a very important skill. It takes some time to get the rhythm down, but once you do it will become an automatic part of your cast. The double haul increases rod loading and resultant line speed as long as it's all timed properly. Practice, practice, practice.

The most common error I see in beginner flycasters is that they break their wrists severely on the backcast, causing the flyline into a big loop an even driving it into the ground/water behind them. In one of Lefty Kreh's great casting videos (highly recommended) he talks about poking the fly rod tip up into the clouds on the backcast. It's a good visual trick for keeping the tip high and stopping it in the upward direction, rather than breaking the wrist and driving the loop open and down. If you can get a really good, tight, level, backcast, it makes the delivery almost foolproof. If you have a big, sloppy, loopy, downward backcast, then virtually all of the forward energy you try to apply with the rod is lost because of all the slack line behind you. If there's a tight back cast behind you, then the whole line starts moving forward rapidly as soon as you begin the forward rod sweep. That's what delivers the line speed which gets your line and fly out beyond 50 feet.

If you haven't already done it, I'd highly recommend getting a lesson or two to get you started. It will save you a lot of time and may keep a few bad habits from forming.


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## Laguna Freak (Nov 15, 2006)

*Lessons*

As a relatively new fly caster, I can confirm that money spent on quality lessons from a certified or otherwise well-qualified instructor will be $$.$$ well spent.

Fly casting is very much like golf in that proficiency is 100% achieved in your technique.


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## Pete A. (Dec 10, 2010)

To me " casting distance" is a bit of a red herring. Lots love to tout all kinds of things with lots of inate bragging.

Casting from the clear deck of a boat high n dry 18'-24" above the water 80'+ cast are pretty easy easy. Wade up to your heuvos with your line trailing around you in the water and 50' is a darn fine cast. Most trout streams required 20-40' for great success. We wade up to our huevos for reds most weekends and 30-50' does aok.

I appreciate skilled casting instructors and just had my son & wife spend some time with a fine one. However this aint' rocket science and you WON'T DIE if your instructor/friend/buddy/video isn't "certified".

If you are skilled with a typical casting reel; curado, ABU, etc you have the skill set required. Just slow down and think small at first. You'll give up distance to a Curado & Corkies for sure. However you can recast so darn quick to a tailing red at 42' that the loss in distance is moot.

ANY place you practice is *better than no practice*. I cast in the front lawn and fish often with my sons in "hide in plain site" local waters. I have a practice reel with $12 line I got at Academy. This way I can use better rods and jus go ahead and beat the snot out of the cheap line on the grass. ALWAYS cast at a target, not just blindly reaching for distance.

Just relax and distance will come.

Pete A.


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## Pete A. (Dec 10, 2010)

To me " casting distance" is a bit of a red herring. Lots love to tout all kinds of things with lots of inate bragging.

Casting from the clear deck of a boat high n dry 18''-24" above the water 80'+ cast are pretty easy. Wade up to your heuvos with your line trailing around you in the water and 50' is a darn fine cast. Most trout streams required 20-40' for great success. We wade up to our huevos for reds most weekends and 30'-50' does aok.

I appreciate skilled casting instructors and just had my son & wife spend some time with a fine one. However this aint' rocket science and you WON'T DIE if your instructor/friend/buddy/video isn't "certified".

If you are skilled with a typical casting reel; curado, ABU, etc you have the skill set required. Just slow down and think small at first. You'll give up distance to a Curado & Corkies for sure. However you can recast so darn quick to a tailing red at 42' that the loss in distance is moot.

ANY place you practice is *better than no practice*. I cast in the front lawn and fish often with my sons in "hide in plain site" local waters. I have a practice reel with $12 line I got at Academy. This way I can use better rods and just go ahead and beat the snot out of the cheap line on the grass. The exact feel is perfect but it is great practce, just like the driving range for golf.

Just relax and distance will come.

Pete A.


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

I am more than happy with my distance considering I picked up the fly rod at the first of the month. My concern is as I sight fish for reds they seem to always be out past that distance. But there are several things I can do to remedy that. 

On both my front and back casts I am carrying a very tight loop. My only issue is when I attempt to get past 50' my fly line hits my rod when starting the back cast. I feel my rod tip is traveling in a straight line and my wrist is straight. I believe I might be allowing the rod to travel too far forward on the front cast allowing the line to lower and as result hit the rod as the line comes back on the back cast. Any input or thoughts on this?

I work shift work and its tough to make time to take lessons.


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## Backcast (Jul 22, 2005)

Sounds like you are talking about making false casts and having the line hit the rod on the backcast? Is that correct?

there is a technique called the "Belgian Cast" that makes a somewhat oval movement with the tip so that you throw the backcast out away from you slightly and then come over on the forward cast nearer to your shoulder.

Joe


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

Backcast said:


> Sounds like you are talking about making false casts and having the line hit the rod on the backcast? Is that correct?
> 
> there is a technique called the "Belgian Cast" that makes a somewhat oval movement with the tip so that you throw the backcast out away from you slightly and then come over on the forward cast nearer to your shoulder.
> 
> Joe


Yes sir on my false casts. I'm guessing I can YouTube Belgian cast?


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

one of my fly rod reps. could cast a rod into the backing the parking lot, and he was pretty short and retired.............

it's all about technique


on the water, the wind is an issue as well


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## Joe. T. (Jun 7, 2008)

Stuart said:


> If you can cast up to 50' accurately, you're good to go.


^^^^^ this ^^^^^


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## Joe. T. (Jun 7, 2008)

Let the back cast stretch out completely before pushing your forward stroke.when going for that extra distance you could be snapping your arm forward without the cast straightening behind you and it results in a tailing loop.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

broz - 

It is nearly impossible for anyone to tell you how to fix your cast without seeing it in action. If you have flawed mechanics, you won't be able to identify them and correct them without knowing what to look for. I've spent years on my cast and can look at a loop and correct the cast - but it took years to get to that point. My advice is to take a lesson - it will be well worth it. Here is why...

About 5 years ago I had a similar issue - I couldn't get past 60' but was deadly accurate (which is more important than distance). I'd practice, but I'd get frustrated with my cast since I couldn't get past 60'. But bones, permit and tarpon rarely ever show up at 50' at 10 o'clock with the wind to your back, so I knew I needed the distance to be successful to cast in different conditions. So I went and took a lesson from Joe Robinson, who starts with the fundamentals first. He took one look at my cast and said "you are probably accurate up to around 60', then can't get it past there...." He was spot on. I had to basically relearn what I thought I was doing, which was not paying attention to my rod tip and it's relation to how the line was travelling in the air. A couple of weeks later I was hitting 80' and then 100'. One a recent trip I cast my 12' tarpon rod with intermediate line and a 3/0 toad on it into the backing. That is 110'. 

So that's my opinion on why a lesson is so valuable. You can learn on your own, but unless you are gifted and/or lucky, you pretty much be locked in at that 50' to 60' range without learning the correct fundamentals first. Taking a lesson was the single best thing I ever did and as a result I have taught my buddies and can help them correct their casts. It is well worth it and will save you tons of time and frustration.


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## broz (Jul 2, 2010)

thanks for the advice, im sure ill end up taking a lesson, but i enjoy the challenge of a new endeavour. I guess its kinda of cheating asking for opinions on forums but i know no one who fly fishes to ask for pointers. Much less what is an acceptable distance to cast. Im not banging my head against the wall, yet. lol. It seems everytime i pick up my rod i change my cast a little. when i feel i have come to a wall ill probably pursue that lesson, and quite possibly have to break some habits. But i feel thats all part of the fun and frustration. lol. I appreciate any info you guys provide cause its my only source of info on the subject, and youtube.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

The best, free advice I've seen online is on the Winston web site. It is Joan's Wulff's casting clinic - materials from her casting book:

http://www.winstonrods.com/category/resources/casting-clinic.php

Look at the right side of the page in the area "More Clinics" - follow these in order. And remember, you have to learn to walk and then learn to jog before you can run. Mechanics take time to burn into muscle memory. A good way to do that is with a practice rod, like the one Echo makes:

http://www.fishwest.net/flyfishing/...gclid=CO-_odOUy7QCFSemPAodrzcAkQ#.UOTws-Qaw20

I made my own out of 1/2 of an old rod and some yarn. It really helps burn in the muscle memory when you can't actually make it out to cast.

Good luck and let us know how you doing with it.


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