Roll Cast Lesson
Objective: Teach student(s) basic roll cast skills
Student Level: Beginner to novice
Student:Instructor ratio: 2 : 1 (add 5 minutes per student to 4 : 1 max) Note: Add 1 instructor per 5 students
Equipment: Casting outfit for each student, new leaders, teaching rod, targets, extra leaders/tippet, yarn flies, hand-outs, roll cast anchors. Students to provide rain gear, eyewear and hat
Goal: Each student will understand the roll cast, when to use it, and its limitations. This sets the student up for success in learning the fundamentals of fly casting. The student will be able to practice independently.
Time: 15 minutes
What is a roll cast? A normal forward cast that uses water tension on the fly line to load the rod.
Uses: To extend and straighten line prior to a normal casting sequence. When obstructions prevent a back cast, or a clean pick-up. To remove slack prior to a back cast. To get a heavy fly or sinking line back to the surface prior to a back cast. Changing direction.
How to: Start with 30’ of fly line plus leader stretched out in front of rod tip, fly line trapped under fingers on grip. Slowly raise the rod tip up and just past vertical with your hand at ear level. The line should slide toward you on the water and form a “D” shaped loop behind you, with the rod as the straight part of the “D”. Form the “D” loop 180° from the direction you want the cast to go. Tilt the rod tip slightly outward when forming the “D” loop to make sure the fly line is outside the rod tip, and not between the body and the rod tip. If the cast is to be made to the same side as the casting arm, make an off shoulder cast by raising the elbow up and outward to place the rod tip and the “D” loop over the opposite shoulder. Allow the line to slide to a stop. Start the rod forward, pulling down with the elbow. When the rod reaches vertical and the hand is clearly visible, rotate the rod with the wrist, smoothly accelerating to a stop. A lower stop will yield a more open loop. More acceleration with a higher, harder stop will yield a flatter, tighter loop. Experiment with trajectory and speed for different loop shapes. After the lesson, introduce Gammel’s 5 Essentials and examine how they apply to the roll cast.
Things to note: Fly line between caster’s body and rod tip.
Head length of Fly line.
Tall, open and round loops vs tight, narrow and oval loops.
Trajectory of loops.
Stop sooner than later.