Master the Cast

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1. Fly-Casting Mechanics

Fly-Rod Mechanics

Rod-Arm Mechanics

The Closed Stance

Part 2. Lessons

Lesson 1. The Roll Cast

Lesson 2. The Pick-Up-and-Lay-Down Cast

Lesson 3. False Casting

Lesson 4. Shooting Line

Lesson 5. Casting in All Planes

Lesson 6. Drift and Follow-Through

Lesson 7. Off-Vertical Casting from the Open Stance

Advanced Lesson: Hauling

Appendix

Glossary

Reading and Viewing for the Student of Fly Casting

Troubleshooting Common Casting Problems

Index

Hone your fly-casting skills in just a few hours!

The better you can cast, the more you'll enjoy fly-fishing. With good casting technique you can place the fly where you want it, effortlessly and with precision and grace, even when wind or obstructions conspire against you. In Master the Cast, George V. Roberts Jr., a lifelong fly-fisher and sought-after instructor, walks you through a course that breaks the complicated mechanics into a few simple components. Then, with the help of hundreds of photos and illustrations, he shows you how to master these in seven concise lessons, including:

• The Roll Cast, which builds your rod-arm mechanics (how the hand, wrist, forearm, and upper arm function to make the rod work)
• The Pick-Up-and-Lay-Down Cast, which forms the foundation of all straight-line casting
• False Casting, which allows you to keep the fly airborne for several strokes before delivering it
• plus Shooting Line, Casting in All Planes, Drift and Follow-Through, Off-Vertical Casting, and an advanced lesson on Hauling

Master the Cast is an indispensable resource for all fly-fishers, beginner to advanced, that will have you casting flies with confidence, precision, and consistency after only a few hours' practice.

"Most fly-fishers cast mechanically without understanding the mechanics of the cast. But understanding precisely what is going on and why is what makes a good caster into an excellent one. George Roberts understands casting mechanics inside and out, and his Master the Cast will help you do just that."—James R. Babb, editor, Gray's Sporting Journal

Praise for George Roberts' A Fly-Fisher's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation:

"A book in a class by itself."—Fly Fishing Saltwater

"It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this book."—The Fly-Tyer's Catalog