F l y F i s h i n g T r i c k s . c o m

Casting: The Pause

The mistake most often made by the novice is to assume that the forward cast immediately follows the back cast. He forgets the pause and thereby "bunggles" his cast.

The pause is a very important stage in the process of casting a fly. Its object is not entirely to permit the line to straighten out behind, and thus avoid snapping off the flies, as most writers claim, but to permit the back-traveling line to exert its weight and force and put spring in the rod tip for the forward cast.

Some writers on fly casting tell us to start the forward cast when we "feel the line pull from behind" but in casting a short line, as the novice should, he is not likely to feel any "pull" so should not wait for it.

The relation of the pause to the back and forward casts can be kept in mind by counting "one" at the beginning of the back cast, "two" at its finish, "three" for the pause and "four" for the forward cast, slowing the count as each subsequent cast is extended. People with a sense of rhythm learn fly casting quicker than others.

Click here to learn about the forward cast

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