Throwing it backwards!

The Casting Connection

May 2026

Article and photo 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.

It is hard to imagine how much trout water there is in the South. In Georgia, where we teach, there are 4,000 miles of designated trout streams. Most are not big water. There are more streams here that you can jump across than there are streams you will get in over your waders.

Large streams can be a pleasure to fish. Many times you do not even need to watch your back cast. Small wooded streams in the South are not so forgiving. Usually, your cast does not need to be long, but it does need to be accurate, and here we need to be accurate on back casts as well. If your back casts are not precise you spend the day retrieving flies from vegetation and tying and buying to replace what was lost.

In a day fishing wooded streams, you spend as much time looking over your shoulder for an opening as you spend looking in front to present your fly. Attempting back casts into small openings usually does not turn out well. We try anyway.

Here comes the Galway cast to the rescue! The Galway cast, or reverse cast, is easy to do and can help make your back casts more accurate. Actually, it is not a back cast at all. It is a second forward cast you make behind you. After making a cast toward the target turn your hand and rod around, and make another forward cast into the opening behind. Then, as that “back cast” is unrolling, turn your hand and rod around again to make a forward cast to your target.

The Galway cast is comprised of forward casts made both in front and behind. It works because we throw more accurately even when not throwing straight ahead. In our lifetimes we have learned to accurately toss things in all directions except one – behind us.

With practice you can become exact with conventional back casts, but most folks would rather go fishing than practice back casts.

It is easier to demonstrate a cast than to describe it, so here is a quick visual of this super easy cast. The Galway cast is a quick hack to deliver more accurate casts behind you and is easy to do. Give it a try.

No cast is snag-proof, but the Galway cast can really help if you like to keep your flys.

Send your questions or comments to: info@atlantaflyfishingschool.com