Casting and teaching are two different things
December 2025
By Capt. Scott Swartz
Scott Swartz founded the Atlanta Fly Fishing School, which began in 1999. It is the largest such operation in the Southeast and the only Trout Unlimited “Gold Endorsed” school in the United States. His Florida Fly Fishing Schools started in 2008, helping anglers learn to successfully fly fish in saltwater.
Many new fly rods appear in December brought down chimneys and left under trees. With the new rods come questions of “How do I learn to cast?” or “How do I teach my (spouse, child or friend?).”
For the “How do I learn?” folks, there are online videos from individuals, fly shops and organizations like Fly Fishers International. Many have good suggestions to get you started. Those who struggle can benefit by finding an instructor. If you are not progressing, chances are you do not know what to change to improve, and feedback helps learning go much quicker.
Trying the “throw” the line just results in big open loops. Photo by Polly Dean.
For the “How do I teach?” folks, please understand that knowing how to cast and teaching casting are two entirely different things. I recall trying to teach before I learned how. It was a train wreck. Effective teaching includes having the ability to analyze a cast, prioritizing what needs to change, and being able to describe and demonstrate the changes 11 different ways until it clicks with the student. Quality instruction also takes into consideration individual learning styles of visual, auditory and kinesthetic types to help the student in the way they learn best.
A fun way to get started, whatever your learning style, is not attempting to cast at all! Before starting any regimented casting drills, spend a few minutes playing instead. This non-structured play time is the fastest way to get the feel of a rod pulling line.
Start with the leader and 15 to 20 feet of line out of the rod tip and try making circles overhead. We call this “helicopters.” Make circles clockwise and counterclockwise. Make big circles and little circles. You can even make figure eights. The line will follow the rod tip. Eventually graduate to long skinny ovals with the line traveling farther in front and behind than to the sides. Now that you’re pulling fly line, simply add a stop at the end of a forward stroke. Stopping the rod crisply lets the fly line pass the rod tip, thereby forming a loop.
Congratulations, you just cast a fly rod!
The benefit of starting with this technique is that there is no attempt to “throw” the fly. Beginner casters trying to throw tend to make big sweeping arcs, resulting in huge loops with the fly going nowhere. Most students making helicopters automatically keep the rod tip fairly level overhead, creating a narrower loop with a stop, which projects the energy forward and sends the fly farther.
Fly casting is not hard, it is just different. Most things we throw have follow-through, but when fly casting, we must stop the rod to form a loop, which seems counter intuitive.
You will know you are getting it right when you realize how little effort you can use to make a cast. Let the rod do the work for you. That is what that new fly rod is designed to do.
Send casting questions or comments to: scott@AtlantaFlyFishingSchool.com.
