Fly Casting Instruction | Headhunters Fly Shop

It is winter. The perfect time to raise the fly casting bar and improve that cast of yours. While we have been hosting Spey/Switch clinics this winter delving into the 2 handed casting arena, we have long been known as the Fly Casting Instruction hub on the Missouri River. We have not strayed from our single handed roots offering free casting lessons and demo rods daily.

Spey/Switch casting practice requires water. Single handed rod practice does not! That allows for learning anywhere, anytime.

Three years ago with the help of Rio Lines and G. Loomis Fly Rods we created the Craig Casting Club right here on the property. While that sounds grandiose, many of you know that it is a single perfectly groomed grass casting lane on the property of Headhunters Fly Shop. It is the only casting lane in Craig I might add. Although some may argue that the river is the best casting area for practice. I disagree. Fishing gets in the way of practice. Those who practice on the grass use the time on the water for catching fish. Not practice.

The simple fact is that those who cast with precision, efficiency, and grace catch more fish. They simply have more fun!

Fly casting is pretty important vital in the game of fly fishing. You have to know how to cast to catch fish. Although some would argue that at the dam a competent guide/rower on the sticks anyone can hook trout on the Missouri River. True. But those who want to progress to loftier heights will need skills sets that require practice, education, discipline, and oh yeah…more practice.

Practice Fly Casting at Home?

Those who practice frequently, i.e. better casters who catch more fish, are familiar with the 5 Essentials of the Cast. Developed by Bill and Jay Gammel these 5 Essentials are evident in every single handed fly cast. Keep these in mind while practicing or getting fly casting instruction in your home town or here on the river.

1. There is a pause at the end of each stroke, which varies in duration with the amount of line beyond the rod tip.
2. Slack line should be kept to a minimum.
3. The rod tip must follow a straight line path.
4. Casting stroke is increased with the length of line being cast.
5. Power must be applied in the proper amount and in the proper place during the stroke.

While you may look at that list of 5 and think that it has nothing to do with you. You might reconsider. Those are movement patterns that are important to your progress towards world class caster status. You want to possess the ability to hang those fish at 60′? 70′? More? With wind? I know I do. Better casters catch more kick ass dry fly fish.

Only 10 Minutes a Week!

10 minutes a week is all it takes to see and feel vast improvements in your casting abilities. Don’t feel comfortable learning by your lonesome? Find a pal, or someone familiar with fly casting instruction and get after it. 10 minutes is the key. None of us including myself are strong enough to wave a fly rod in the air for much longer than that. And, we get tired and begin to suck. If you want to suck , cast for 20 minutes and insure that your defensive bad habits will stay with you much longer.

Perfect practice makes perfect. You cannot make up for last week buy casting 30 minutes today. Do 10 today, 10 tomorrow, 10 the following and so on. That short amount of practice will pay off in spades. The dividends will be evident this coming trout season with more fish to the net. Honest.

Muscle memory requires lots of perfect reps to develop. The amount of time involved is not that great. Remember as in any recreational activity that you want to improve…you get out what you put in. Sounds like your high school football coach. He was right too.

The following videos include 2 of the Essentials of Fly Casting.

Fly Casting Essentials |  Bumcast | Onthefly Productions

Fly Casting Essentials |  Bumcast | Onthefly Productions

Another great resource is Orvis How to Fly Fish School Online. This is s wealth of knowledge led by longtime teacher, author, and fly fishing guru Tom Rosenbauer. You can lose yourself for hours watching these videos. Mostly aimed at the beginner set. I learned tons perusing these videos. Some stuff I forgot, some I never thought of, and even more I would have never entertained primarily fishing the Missouri.

 Fly Casting Instruction @ Headhunters Fly Shop

This is just a short primer today on the Headhunters Blog. If you want a point in additional directions feel free to look us up and let us help. We are always available for FREE FLY CASTING INSTRUCTION at Headhunters on our grass snow covered casting lane. The Craig Casting Club never closes. Do us a favor and call giving us some notice in the off season so we have the appropriate staffing. In the summer months we are looking for an excuse to do some more fly casting so stop in and improve your game!

Hope this helps on a Tuesday in January. Still cold here but warming. Snow is a perfect surface for casting. No damage to your fly lines. A perfect day is to shoot down to the river or pond with both rods! Here at Headhunters we love both!

A few tips to help you practice…

• Clean fly lines are more fun to cast. They make casting  practice smoother.
• Get a Micro Practice Rod for indoor use. Makes this process easier when you can do it in your office!
• Smoke a nice cigar and cast. Two birds, one…

Squeeky Oar Lock

Mark Raisler is a co-owner of Headhunters Fly Shop, and the primary contributor to the Headhunter. He not only struggles to speak freely but many claim his writing skills are diminishing with every lame Missouri River article...

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