A Fly Casting Model for Instruction

The fly casting model for instructing fly casting includes concepts for teaching all the components of general movements. These comments are a compilation of several colleagues who invested considerable time and thought into defining a working model of fly casting. I believe this model is powerful because of its universal application for instructors globally.

The beauty of this approach is its simplicity in application. Generally, I have been opposed to rigid rules in fly casting because they almost always break down. Even today, many of the so-called establishment groups in fly casting still cling to antiquated rules. As the ever-changing casting community pushes boundaries for future generations, those holding fast to rules will fall light years behind in short order. What's more ironic is that "rules" often work for some things but fall short in other areas.

Terminology for the Model of Fly Casting

This model is different because the terms are not rigid rules set in concrete. That makes it much easier for me to accept and apply when talking with other instructors. When I first learned about it last winter, I worked through most of the fishing casts I use on the water, and it was a fun exercise to apply the model below to each cast. Thanks to Lee Cummings for explaining many of them in greater detail. The terminology applies equally well to both linear casters and free-form casters (straight line and three-dimensional casters).

Fly casting is a three-dimensional sport. Most problems today stem from straight-line casters who still adhere to straight-line rules—the "world is flat" thinkers who still believe casting is two-dimensional, fitting nicely into linear thinking. Three-dimensional casters—those who understand the world is round and learn to cast in three dimensions to deal with obstacles—are out there doing and teaching the fishing casts because that's reality-based casting. This group tends to be artists, musicians, or what many call the poets of fly casting.

Casting is Three-Dimensional

How can we expect linear thinkers to join the poets? This dimensional jump will be difficult for them because it pushes them out of their comfort zone. If you fall into the linear category, you cannot and likely will not change your thinking on straight-line casting. All we can do is maybe convert a few along the way by making them curious. We do that by demonstrating casts that solve problems on the water while fishing. That's the biggest obstacle to changing the guard here in America and, I imagine, around the globe.

Some are totally fluent with circles and eights for exercises because they've abandoned rigid rules. The model below works great with all of the Spey casts for change-of-direction casts. I think the free-form casters are much more exciting to watch because they push right to the edge of extreme timing to solve positions on the water.

Sexyloops Fly Casting Model

There is a forum thread at Sexyloops on this very topic that started today. My friend Paul Arden opened up the discussion by describing qualitative versus quantitative observations regarding the model. The similarities between qualitative observations for the poets and quantitative observations for the linear folks were shocking after I read his opening post. I would have thought Paul was in my kitchen writing the thread!

He composed it at the same time I was writing this introduction. I've been ready for the casting revolution for a long time now, and it's all about to happen! Instructors from around the globe will use a similar model for teaching approaches. Work through the terms until you can apply them to all the casts you know. Enough rambling—enjoy the model!

THE FLYCASTING MODEL

An introduction to the definitions:

Magnus Angus, Paul Arden, Lee Cummings, Ben Dixon, Grunde Løvoll,

Stefan Siikavaara, Walter Simbirski, Mark Surtees

Our objective was to define a set of terms we can use to isolate and describe the elements that go together to make fly fishing casts. Wherever possible, we have used terms as they are already used by instructors and professionals within the fly fishing community.

Overall Stroke and Casting Stroke

To differentiate between actions whose purpose is to position the rod and/or line and those whose purpose is to apply force to the line to make a loop, we need a distinction between a Casting Stroke and an Overall Stroke (or just Stroke). The Casting Stroke covers only those motions whose purpose is to apply force to the line to generate a loop. The Casting Stroke has one crucial result: a loop of line.

An Overall Stroke includes a Casting Stroke and those motions needed to position the rod or line before and after the Casting Stroke.

We have retained the conventional meaning of Casting Arc, which measures the change of rod angle at the rod butt during the Casting Stroke.

There is no obvious reason to change the generally accepted meaning of Stroke Length. However, we felt we needed to make the length of the Casting Stroke explicit, so we have coined the term Casting Stroke Length to mean rod translation during the Casting Stroke.

We are aware of the debate around the contribution of rotational and translational components of the Stroke and Casting Stroke. So, without prejudging the debate, we have introduced the term Drag to mean rod translation with little or no rotation during the early part of the Casting Stroke. The inclusion of Drag does not preclude any argument being right or wrong regarding power, but it does preclude a set of definitions based on the premise that the argument has already been decided.

Component Parts of the Overall Stroke

An Overall Stroke includes a Casting Stroke and those motions that may be required to reposition the rod and line before and after the Casting Stroke. These components are divided into rod positioning motions (which have little or no effect on the line) and line positioning movements. While line positioning means moving the line, it does not involve forming a loop, so although line positioning movements must move the line, their purpose is not loop formation and they therefore fall outside of the Casting Stroke.

We have adopted the term Drift for rod positioning and Sweep for line positioning. Specific forms of Drift and Sweep can be named. For example, Slide—where the rod runs along the line toward the line hand without moving the line—is a form of Drift. Sweep is used often in the lift on a pickup and lay down, setting up a static D-loop, many motions in Spey casts, and aerial mends—all examples of Sweep.

One Fault Definition

We believe that in our fly fishing context, Creep is commonly understood as a fault, and we have defined it accordingly.

Conclusion

We believe these definitions will describe most, if not all, commonly used casts. The definitions are neutral on outcomes, meaning that the common fault-finding processes can be applied to each element, making the definitions not only descriptively powerful but also analytically powerful.

The soft boundaries between the component definitions reflect the judgment instructors in the field use when they seek to correct faults or offer advice to students. For example, what instructor would mistake rod repositioning (Drift) for a Casting Stroke?

The definitions retain the common understanding of the terminology used by most casting instructors. They do not require a re-education process for fly casting terms. Consequently, the terminology is more likely to be accepted by a broader base of instructors worldwide.

The Whole Cast