By Rene Hesse
Here are some sayings that may stick in your head. These are things that we use to help simplify casting terms and situations:
SLP: Straight line path of the rod tip. This will give tighter loops.
RSP: Rod straight position: The point in the cast that the line starts off the rod tip to form the loop.
Loops: The shape of the line as it carries the fly to the target.
Removing the slack: Start the cast once the fly is moving.
Loading the rod: Bending the rod against the weight of the fly line.
Short cast, short stroke and long cast, long stroke: The stroke length and arc must increase as the amount of line out of the rod tip increases.
Power application: A smooth constant rate of acceleration to a stop. This is after the lift portion on the back cast, and then be smooth but constantly accelerated on the forward cast to a stop.
Pause on the back cast: Let the line extend without losing tension or falling too much.
Drifting: The rearward movement of the casting hand after the stop in the back, to lengthen the stroke. This is a good method of curing creep.
Creep: An early rotation of the rod toward the target before starting the forward casting stroke. A casting error.
Pop and stop: Refers to the delayed rotation of the wrist at the end of the casting stroke
Down-up, down-up: The line hand movement in a double haul.
Tailing loop: Caused by the rod tip dipping and coming back up. Things that cause the dip are: an erratic or abrupt application of power; too short of a casting stroke for the amount of line out of the rod tip; creeping (see above) and trajectory.
&*%^&#$@#: Generally said after missing an easy cast due to excitement.
These are helpful descriptions to know when you go to get a casting lesson. Getting to know the terms, cause/corrections are important if you want to become a better caster. The only thing that will really help is practice and doing it right. Forming bad habits is easy to do and hard to correct. Go fish!