Casting a fly

The overhead cast and the roll cast, for trout and salmon on a brook, a river or a pond.

What you need

A fly rod with a matching reel and line, a five or six weight for trout, a seven for salmon
A tapered leader and some tippet
A few flies: a dry, a wet and a streamer
Polarized glasses and a hat
Your licence and the current angling rules

Strip about ten metres of line off the reel and lay it out straight on the water in front of you.
Start with the rod tip low. Lift smoothly, speeding up, to a firm stop with the rod near upright, about one o'clock.
Pause. Let the line unroll behind you until it is almost straight. Look back the first few times.
Push forward and stop firmly at about ten o'clock. The stop is what makes the loop.
Let the line roll out and settle, and lower the rod tip as the fly lands.
Where there is no room behind you, roll cast: draw the rod back slowly until the line hangs beside you in a curve, then drive the rod forward and down to a sharp stop.
Keep your wrist firm. The forearm does the work.

Don't

Do not whip the rod. Speed without a stop just piles the line up.
Do not start forward too soon. If the fly cracks like a whip behind you, you have just lost it.
Do not cast across another angler's water or across a path behind you.

Danger

A hook in the eye is the real danger. Wear glasses every time you cast, and a hat.
Look behind you before the first cast. Power lines, trees, people and dogs all catch flies.
Atlantic salmon rivers have their own rules, tags and fly only water. Read the current angling guide before you go.

Most casting trouble is too much power and not enough pause. Slow down and let the rod do it.

Wind at your back helps the forward cast. Wind on your casting side blows the fly into you, so bring the rod across and cast over the other shoulder.

fly fishingtroutsalmoncasting

Updated 2026-09-23