Common Casting Problems

Even veteran fishermen had to start at the beginning—and every angler has struggled with achieving the perfect cast. Essential in the art of fly-fishing, casting accurately determines the distance and the amount of line used and reflects your knowledge of where the fish are most likely waiting (depending on the season, time of day, etc.). A good cast involves the upper arm, forearm and wrist, and comes from the shoulder. There is a large variety of casting techniques, and the perfect cast takes a lot of practices. To help you improve your cast, we’ve listed a few of  the most common casting problems (except breaking your writst) and tips on how to fix them.
 
#3 Following your back cast with your eyes
One of the most common casting problems for anglers is having the tendency to follow their back cast with their eyes. While casting, your eyes, shoulders, torso and toes should be facing your target (where you want your cast to land). Averting your eyes backward can cause you to lose focus and distance. Keep your body facing forward, and simplyfeel the cast. Over time, you will begin to know whether a cast is good or not without having to follow the line with your eyes. As crazy as it sounds, experts suggest practicing casting in the dark or with your eyes closed !
 
#2 Timing
Timing is another element that comes with practice. If the timing of a cast is off, it can cause you to stop your back cast too soon or too late, which results in either a non-loop, or a wide open loop that will end up on the ground. Remember, your back cast affects your forward cast, so timing is everything. Give the line enough time to roll out and straighten—if you cast forward or backward too soon, the line will collapse.
 
#1 Casting too fast with too much power
Getting caught up in the excitement of a possible big catch or trying to impress your fishing friends can result in casting too fast and with too much power. Although there is a certain level of speed and strength needed to give your line appropriate distance, casting is about finesse. Slowing your casting stroke allows you to develop a smooth approach, with the rod doing more work than the caster. Even better, slowing down the tempo of each cast will allow you to conserve energy so you can stay out on the water longer.