Speakin Englis
Englis Glover
Several years back at a seminar, I was introduced to the world of fly fishing by Lefty Kreh, a legend and innovator of the sport.
To watch his skill made me want to quit before even starting. His technique was incredible, but through his teaching methods I caught on quickly. Lefty’s five principles work very well to help the average angler get his head around how Lefty casts.
These five principles, along with a vast amount of additional tips can be found in Lefty’s book, The “Longer Flycasting Handbook.” I urge you to spend the $12 to get this book, as it, along with the many online tutorials Lefty has out on the web, can help you become a far better flycaster in a short amount of time.
Principle No. 1: The longer you move a rod through an arc, the more it helps you make the cast. In other words, a longer stroke length is more effective than a short one. Some distance casters do extend their arm rearward, but this appears to enable slack line removal. One thing that is certain is the longer the stroke length, the more difficult it is to maintain straight tracking.
Principle No. 2: You must get the line end moving before you can make a back or forward cast. On the backcast, the end of the line must be lifted from the water before making the cast, except when roll casting or when using a “water haul.”
Principle No. 3: The fly is going to go in the direction you accelerate. Then stop the rod tip at the end of the cast.
Principle No. 4: The size of the line loop during the cast is determined by how fast and how far the rod tip is moved, combined with a quick stop at the end of the cast.
Principle No. 5: You cannot move your rod hand well behind the body if you begin the cast with the thumb positioned on the top of the rod. You must grip the rod in the normal manner and then rotate your thumb about forty-five degrees away from the body.
All of these principles are a great basis to begin working on not only your aim, your ability to cast farther.
I am making it my objective this year to target as many species as I can with a fly rod and to not give up on failed attempts but to continue to strive to become better and figure out exactly why people become so addicted to this sport. I challenge you to get a fly rod, and let’s learn this together over the next year.
To order your copy of Lefty’s book “Lefty Kreh’s Longer Fly Casting Handook,” visit Amazon.com.
Tight Lines, Capt. E.
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