Common fly casting mistakes

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging some common fly casting mistakes, the one I would like to write about today is a student of mine was having a problem with his fly dropping to the water on his back cast and not being able to reocover to his forward cast. The fault when this happens is the caster is probably using too much wrist in their casting stroke.Remember the fly and line are going to go in the direction the rod tip speeds up and stops so if on your back cast your rod tip is pointing toward the water from a floppy wrist  backcast that is where your fly will end up. If you try and quickly compensate you will have a underpowered forward cast.The best correction is to stop your  back cast high,  point the tip of your rod up and not pointing toward the water. Keep a firm wrist and make the rod tip bend or load and chances are you will continue and make a beautiful forward cast.

Practice Your Casting

Everyone needs to develop a good casting technique, start by getting a lesson from a certified casting instructor affiliated with The Federation of Fly Fishers. Be prepared going into the lesson and write prep questions down before you go, remember the 10,000 hour rule and do not get frustrated, remember your home town was not built in a day.Once you take your first lesson practice, and then practice some more, this will lead to proficiency, and this will make a huge difference the next time on the water. It will I promise make all the difference in the world on that trip. Tight Loops, and email me if I can help, Andrew!

Top Ten Go To Nymphs

When I first began trout fishing I did not like to fish with nymph's because I was always losing flies and getting hung up and seemed to be tying on more nymphs than fishing. But I went to a seminar that was taught by  the well known famous nymph fisher Joe Humphries and saw how productive it was for him. I changed my attitude and learned to become a better nymph fisher. While I can't say these should be etched in stone as the top ten, they are very close between most obsessive trout fishers as myself. You may see these tied with a little color variation from fly shop to fly shop but here they are:

1. Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear

2. Gray Nymph

3. Zug Bug

4. Black Midge Pupa

6. Kaufmann's Stone

7. Scud

8. Beaver

9. American March Brown

10. Prince Nymph

And one for good measure Copper John

 

Common Fly Casting Mistakes

I was invited down to Virginia Beach last week to help the avid salt anglers  of the Virginia Beach Saltwater  Fly Angers on their casting. It was much fun and also very good to get out again on a cool crisp night for some casting on a lighted football field. Two common occurrences with a lot of good casters which this club has plenty were the overpowering of the rod and keeping the rod tip on a straight line path. Two important casting components when casting in salt water situations that can cost you much distance and accuracy. The anglers picked up my observations quickly and much improvement was had by all and they were delighted and very complementary. I wanted all of them to know how humbling of an experience it was for me to be doing what I love, in teaching and being with a great bunch of folks. I look  forward in getting down for a meeting to watch some of the finest fly tiers on the east coast and see with my own eyes the flytying ninja in action. Tight Loops! Andrew

What does it me to be a fly fisherman>

What does it mean to me to be a fly fisherman?

     I think first and foremost it means to be an ethical angler, a steward of the environs where we all fish. Secondly it means a way in which we catch fish;  how we catch fish with artificial flies that we make and no barbs on our hooks giving the fish much more advantage than other ways of fishing. For example most fish caught by fly fisherman when the fish strikes the hook is set by the angler and his hand on the line whereas other ways of fishing  such as bait casting , cane rod fishing the hook is set with the rod  tip and not the line, therefore a fly fisherman must keep his/her line tight at all times.

Why did you choose to be a fly fishing professor?

 Why did I become a fly fishing professor?

     I love the sport of fly fishing and all the aspects of it , casting , fly tying, reading water and traveling to all the great destinations that allow me to fish in some of the prettiest places in the world and by doing this I wanted to share my experiences and the sport to others and what better place than a college or university where they are trying to get you people back out doors.  So I came up with a proposal and started to contact all  the colleges and universities in my area to pursue my interest and spread the sport of fly fishing to students how need to get out before the go into the working world full time. One more Cast, Andrew

 

First Blog

Well, Hello out there I am really excited to start my blog and pass on the great fishing stories and travels with my fly rod to anyone who will read and listen. I up for a lot of fun see you out there, TIGHT LINES!