"Mike Connor" wrote in message
...

"riverman" wrote in message
...
SNIP
The *backcast* loads the rod, NOT the beginning of the frontcast. His
point
(which is accepted, btw) is that we all do this horizontally: false cast
parallel to the bank before we release out over the water, perpendicular
to
the direction of our false casts. The V-shaped cast is just a vertical
application of this 'around the corner' horizontal cast. Except that I
couldn't do it.

--riverman



Not true. A good caster under normal circumstances will attempt to remove
any load from the rod at all on the backcast, ( Drifting!). The forward
stroke ( unless you are doing pre-loading tricks, with shooting heads
etc),
is all that loads the rod.

In order to get the line to go where you want it to, you merely need to
move
the rod tip in that direction. No matter what direction your back cast
is,
the main purpose is to get the line stretched out from the rod tip in a
straight line, with no slack. This also works if you cast the line
straight
up. The forward motion is more of a thrust and flick, than in a "normal"
back/forward cast in the horizontal plane.

TL
MC

Yes, agree with Mike, the drift after the stop on the back cast is very
important, this allows you to load the rod correctly.

On the forward cast, slow the rod down as you accelerate. What this does is
take the slack out of the line, and then a thrust or flick at the end of the
forward cast at 11:00 will give you those nice tight loops.

Some of the best fly casters at the show had a nice smooth gentle cast. It's
not about power, let the rod do the work.
-tom