old f--ts with flyrods

[trapper2000]

sorry RG you are dead wrong there is wrist  usage in fly  casting  ...

the  new encounter  rod and reel  from orvis is  a great  deal  ...  you can  own a orvis  rod reel  ready to  fish  for under  200  bucks  ....i  personally would  go with a  9  ft  5 weight  .....
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+cast+a+fly+rod+youtube&oq=how+to+cast+a++fly+rod&aqs=chrome.2.0i512l10.15265j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_kG-RZK71G8eIptQPisqO0Ak_30

don't try  to get distance  or fight wind until you get a basic  cast down ......a longer rod is a must at least a 8 1/2  but a  9  would  be  perfect  ........ 

i do  reccommend the orvis  rod  i  don't preach   companys  but i  bought one  for  my  granddaughter  and  was  very impressed with it ....  it is a  great  combo  but i wouldn't call it a  beginners  rod  ...check it out .......again   i  have  everyone i help cast  film themselves  you can  compair what you  are  doing to any instructional video   and  correct your  mistakes  fast  ....most you don't even see .... if you have a  good  fly shop  ask if   anyone  would  be  willing to step out side and  maybe  give you  some   hants on pointers  most fly  shops   are  more then willing .......

[62 & Done]

This is good stuff trapp,  lots of good info here   BTW  do not let me start contest of instruction for beginners between you and rg as I value any and all help I can get here. You guys have been GREAT!   
         Just got done weeding the garden so I'm done in for today. Will take another stab at it this week.

[rgfixit]

Not arguing the point but watch  this Lefty Kregh lesson….all of it.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&q=lefty+kreh&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi18pPIlNL_AhUUmokEHb2mDiAQ0pQJegQIChAB&biw=1224&bih=813&dpr=2#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ab6955f4,vid:57Ux1pqzUKQ

[62 & Done]

Just when I thought I had learned something.....Now I gotta start all over    Jeepers !

[rgfixit]

Yeah, Lefty’s  teaching was kind of confusing like watching Moe Norman teach the golf swing. But, I think he’s more about fishing than casting. Real situations.  I gave you Joan’s  lesson because it taught a very basic, traditional and functional vertical cast. Something you should master.

Once you’ve got the feel of that you can move on.

Personally, I use my body not my elbow and wrist, as he teaches. It makes sense. I find it way more comfortable. I pretty much lock that wrist. Whenever I get “wristy” the line does exactly what he says. Big old loops, lost accuracy and distance.

But that’s just me. Maybe something else will work for you.

[62 & Done]

Back to the drawing board     Now I'm going to practice tyeing some knots   Don't get me confused!

[rgfixit]

Only 2 I use for fly fishing. Trilene and Improved Clinch. I can pretty much tie them in the dark. Good thing cause any more tippet looks like hair to me,

[trapper2000]

i  met  Lefty Kregh at  a seminar  on long island  years  ago  ...i have to  be  honest   i am  not a  fan  , lefty is a  busness man ,he's  a good caster  ,unfortunately lefty decided to  taylor his instructionals around  his  busness interest  and  endorcements , i  would  dare  say ,i  would  rather  go to a  RG seminar anyday  where the  only interest is to help  people  become  better  fly  fisherman  and  not  selling your products or  selling  class time ......again opinion .......

i  stand  by the  best thing one  can  do  is  film yourself   casting   you will see your mistakes and short comings  and  fix them !  it works  !   15  minutes  with a  caster  to  help you  with  basics  ...and  a   longer rod  and  my bet is you would  be   a  decent  caster  in  no  time  you have the heart and  desire  you  need a  few  tools  and  you  will be  fine ......by the  way i  do  not cast  over head  my  arm is  out  to the  right  my cast  is  basic   and yours will be  too 99% of the  time  we are  not on  a  ocean beach  casting   long  distance   your  in a stream  for a  trout  or  a  backwash  for a  blue  gill  work on  accuracy and  the  line  landing  soft on the  water....get the  basics  and it will all  come to you   

[oatkasut]

I am a self taught fly caster and people chuckle when they see me in action; regardless I catch fish! Even if you cannot cast perfectly you can always put the fly upstream  (or downstream and let out line)and let it drift over fish as  long as it  looks  like a natural bait, (no drag or wake) and you will have hits! More important is line management, reading water, and fly presentation.  Since I dry fly fish 90% of the time I always use  dry fly dressing  on my fly AND the entire leader regardless of length,only a drop will do.  Additionally I like to twitch my fly; most insects on the water are not dead but move, and third I many times  like to retrieve my fly in the water using a slow stripping motion to  invoke a strike instead of lifting the fly directly off the water.
Even when traditionally  nymphing I retrieve my fly with a slow retrieve before casting again. I have learned to fish without an indicator allowing more flexability in fly placement. I catch more fish. Yesterday  an early start resulted in landing 14 brownies some 12-14 inches. Returned to catch again! JUST HAVE FUN.

[rgfixit]

Well I appreciate that Rick. Kind of like a golf swing. Take what you have to the stream and go fishing. We’re not going for records. Just a few fish and some relaxing time away from it all.

Regardless of what casting abilities I have any particular day, I always get lost and enjoy every second.

Next we have to get him hooked on fly tying……so to speak.

Poor guy. Makes me feel like a classic enabler.

[trapper2000]

RG I'm serious you would be a better instructor  because you would want people to fish better not make money your a better sportsman and a better human being then lefty  again my opinion ........ Oat I twitch dry flies all the time and that's usually when the fun begins..... My bad habits are self taught lol but  I learned watched asked questions  and it all comes I don't use my body much cause I don't want to spook fish my arm can load that rod just fine ...... At a point we all get stuck in our ways well my ways might not be the same as yours but as long as we catch fish it doesn't matter .....

[rgfixit]

Yeah…jiggling dries and foam is always fun. I don’t mess with trout much. But,  the warm water fish love it…so do I.

Ain’t fly fishing’ fun?

[trapper2000]

trout love  foam too

[oatkasut]

Now that summer is here don't forget those hungry trout love, ants, red and black, grasshoppers, beetles, and bumble bees. Have caught trout on them all with the bumble bee being the most shocking in that it worked!

[62 & Done]

Now I have to tie flies?  OMG What have I gotten into    I think for now I'll concentrate on landing one where I want it in a respectable fashion  Hopefully the summer is long enough. That 9 footer is starting to knag on me- I think it's coming.

  Just curios, from how deep could I expect to be able to draw a gill to a foam surface fly?  I'm catching most of my fish in 10-15 fow and they seem to mostly be hugging the bottom. Recently with the wind torturing me I have been jigging a lot. I'm not getting any respectable fish shallow.

    Any body's $.02 is welcome here