Help

[mitch]

My dad and I are just getting into fly fishing. We both have rods and the whole setup, and we have gone out a few times and my dad caught a nice bass. The problem we are both having is when the line is behind us it cracks like a whip. We have already ruined a couple poppers so I would like to figure out whats wrong so it doesn't cost us a fortune. What are we doing wrong?

[Magneto]

Hard to tell with out actually seeing your casting. I would hazard a guess that you are begining your forward stroke too soon. I suggest standing in such a way that you can watch your back cast, by doing this (and it has worked for me) you can see what is going on, and most often it is self correcting. When I first began I had the same problem among many other problems, but the main thing is to slow down and try not to force the casting, and let the rod do all the work.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[mitch]

Thanks for the tip. I think part of the problem is we were in a spot that had a bank with vegetation on it that we kept getting snagged on so we were trying not to. That might have made us rush.

[turiprap]

Magneto's advice is on the money. Observing your backcast can be very helpful. The sound you're hearing is exactly like the crack of whip - a miniature sonic boom created by breaking the speed of sound. It's a great way to snap tippets, as you've learned. Timing counts more than power and at least as much as line speed in making an effective cast. Poppers are about as air-resistant a fly as there is, which makes the timing issue even more critical. There's a Dave Whitlock tape on fly fishing for bass in which he advocates casting as close to overhand as possible in order to create a high backcast and to prevent the formation of a tailing loop (where the fly falls below the plane of the line). He also says to make sure that your backcast and forward cast lie in the same plane for the same reasons. He also suggests limiting or, preferably, eliminating false casting because of the timing trouble you can get into with an air resistant fly. Good luck.

[WxGuy]

Along with the great advice you've already got here, try to be as kind to yourself as possible, since you're just getting used to casting a fly rod.

What I mean is, try to give yourself the best, most clean casting lane you can find. Especially since you're chuckin' those big flies. Look for bigger water if you can, and if there is some shallow water you can wade in to get away from the high, weedy banks, that might help you get a full backcast.

Best of luck to you and your dad!

[mitch]

Thanks for all of the replies and the tips. I really appreciate it.