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How far is an ok cast?

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Bfishes333

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I recently picked up my first fly outfit and have been practicing in my yard. I have a 9' 9wt setup. I am casting a small freshwater fly (I fish Salt)with the hook cut just below the barb for practice.my casts are ranging from 50' to 60' on average. I have been paying attention to making tight loops and accurate casts. I understand that distance may not be a major issue when catching fish,  especially when most fish I catch inshore are caught between 30 and 60 feet out. I have yet to take the fly rod to the water because I want to be confident in my cast before I do so. So what is a good comfortable distance besides wjere the fish are? Thanks. 

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I believe that for fly fishing in salt water being a better caster is never a bad thing. A good cast is one that gets your fly to the fish despite wind, waves, and weather. It's hard to say a good comfortable distance because everyone is a little different. For one guy 70 feet is doing really good, whereas for another guy that's par or maybe even sub par for him.

 

If you're able to keep the whole head of the line in the air pretty easily and shoot to 60 feet then you're doing about average I think for the great majority of fly casters. You can catch fish like that pretty okay. There are a few unicorns out there who can push 100+ with a similar setup to what you have, but they are very, VERY, few and far between. That being said, there's no downside to being able to punch out a long cast like that if you have to. Being able to cast that far means you'll be able to still nail 60 feet even if you're up to your waist in water or there's a fair wind going. If sixty is your best throw then when it gets windy (and it is nearly always windy out there) then that will quickly drop to 30 or 40. If your best throw is 80 or 90 feet with a 9'9wt, you're in pretty good shape.

 

So, basically, don't worry too much about perfecting your cast before you get to the water or else you'll spend many months practicing before you get there and when you will you'll think "oh wow, this is different than being on the lawn". My advice is to constantly practice and push to get better with your casting, and just get out there and fish. The best way to get better at fly fishing, especially in salt water, is to just do it. Get out there, get your feet wet, and have at it!

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23 mins ago, Bfishes333 said:

I recently picked up my first fly outfit and have been practicing in my yard. I have a 9' 9wt setup. I am casting a small freshwater fly (I fish Salt)with the hook cut just below the barb for practice.my casts are ranging from 50' to 60' on average. I have been paying attention to making tight loops and accurate casts. I understand that distance may not be a major issue when catching fish,  especially when most fish I catch inshore are caught between 30 and 60 feet out. I have yet to take the fly rod to the water because I want to be confident in my cast before I do so. So what is a good comfortable distance besides wjere the fish are? Thanks. 

 

If you are consistently throwing 50-60 feet you are good for starters 

 

your casting will suffer at first on the water due to wind and other distractions but you’ll only get better 

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Take lessons before you groove bad habits and then practice what you learn.  Write down any mistakes or faults that your casting instructor tells you are apparent on a little card.  Keep it in your wallet and re-read it regularly and often.  These are probably going to be your main casting faults or issues to overcome.  Once you no longer do those things, you can throw away the card.  But I'd keep it just in case.  Have fun!!

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52 mins ago, RedGreen said:

I believe that for fly fishing in salt water being a better caster is never a bad thing. A good cast is one that gets your fly to the fish despite wind, waves, and weather. It's hard to say a good comfortable distance because everyone is a little different. For one guy 70 feet is doing really good, whereas for another guy that's par or maybe even sub par for him.

 

If you're able to keep the whole head of the line in the air pretty easily and shoot to 60 feet then you're doing about average I think for the great majority of fly casters. You can catch fish like that pretty okay. There are a few unicorns out there who can push 100+ with a similar setup to what you have, but they are very, VERY, few and far between. That being said, there's no downside to being able to punch out a long cast like that if you have to. Being able to cast that far means you'll be able to still nail 60 feet even if you're up to your waist in water or there's a fair wind going. If sixty is your best throw then when it gets windy (and it is nearly always windy out there) then that will quickly drop to 30 or 40. If your best throw is 80 or 90 feet with a 9'9wt, you're in pretty good shape.

 

So, basically, don't worry too much about perfecting your cast before you get to the water or else you'll spend many months practicing before you get there and when you will you'll think "oh wow, this is different than being on the lawn". My advice is to constantly practice and push to get better with your casting, and just get out there and fish. The best way to get better at fly fishing, especially in salt water, is to just do it. Get out there, get your feet wet, and have at it!

Thanks for the response. I have had all the equipment for about a full week and have gotten to practice about 4 days due to coming down with a cold or something. I was really discouraged because in my yard I was gauging my casting distance at about 20 feet. I finally took out a tape and measured and they consistently are at the above mentioned distance. I will keep practicing and take it with me next time I get on the water. 

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34 mins ago, Seadogg said:

Just keep practicing. You can’t expect to be an expert right off the bat. Even if you know what your problem areas are, it’s still going to take time to iron them out. Practice. 

 

47 mins ago, JohnP said:

 

If you are consistently throwing 50-60 feet you are good for starters 

 

your casting will suffer at first on the water due to wind and other distractions but you’ll only get better 

Thanks guys. I have been listening to April Vokeys podcast "Anchored" and some of the guys she interviews Steve Rajeff, Louis Cahill, and many others had me wondering if maybe I was missing something. I feel more comfortable now knowing that this distance is average for a beginner.

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23 mins ago, Killiefish said:

Take lessons before you groove bad habits and then practice what you learn.  Write down any mistakes or faults that your casting instructor tells you are apparent on a little card.  Keep it in your wallet and re-read it regularly and often.  These are probably going to be your main casting faults or issues to overcome.  Once you no longer do those things, you can throw away the card.  But I'd keep it just in case.  Have fun!!

I only know one person who fly fishes but he has been guiding longer than I have been alive. We have not had the chance to get out there yet but do plan on it and I will keep notes in my wallet and review them. Interesting you brought this up, I used to do this in Golf. Thanks for the tips.

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How far is an ok cast? If you catch a fish with it, it was an okay cast.

 

As others have said, 60' is fine for a beginner. Get some lessons from a certified instructor to shorten the learning curve and reduce the frustration, and keep practicing whatever the instructor suggests. (Don't do more than about 20 minutes a day with that 9wt rod - you'll get tendonitis. Been there, done it, hated it.)

 

Cheers,

Graeme

 

 

FFi Certified Casting Instructor

 

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Curious, what line are you using? I've been teaching my cousin a bit, he had a tough time with my usual setup

 Tonight I had him try my old school SA Mastery floater and he did a lot better. Now that he has a basic feel I'm going to get him some lessons

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12 mins ago, Del Gue said:

Just out of curiosity, what reel did you end up with?

 

 

6 mins ago, stormy monday said:

Curious, what line are you using? I've been teaching my cousin a bit, he had a tough time with my usual setup

 Tonight I had him try my old school SA Mastery floater and he did a lot better. Now that he has a basic feel I'm going to get him some lessons

 

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