Adjusting to a fast action rod

[speedbird]

I quite like my new Boost Blue. I can feel it load my rio outbound short much better than my Base, and while they still need improvement I am able to double haul, which i struggled to with the Base.

That said, I've noticed my casts have gotten a little shorter, from a 50-70 average down to a 40-55. Are there any specific considerations to keep in mind casting a faster rod?

 

[Greggor]

I don't consider myself someone to ordinarily offer casting advice. But, seeing as how I am a recent purchaser of a Boost Blue in both a 6wt and 7wt, here goes...

Fast rods, soft tips; so for me this means no extra right side effort to achieve distance, let the rod do the work. In particular on that final cast. Increase line speed with the left hand haul only.(assuming you're right handed)

Anything that resembles a spin cast in that final effort will just blow things up.

 

[Jake Watrous]

I quite like my new Boost Blue. I can feel it load my rio outbound short much better than my Base, and while they still need improvement I am able to double haul, which i struggled to with the Base.

That said, I've noticed my casts have gotten a little shorter, from a 50-70 average down to a 40-55. Are there any specific considerations to keep in mind casting a faster rod?

40-55 is with a haul or without?

I am no expert, but it could be your forward stop isn't as complete and abrupt as it could be. Faster rods tend to have less margin for error, and one of the ones I'm frequently having to help my kid with is his forward stop. He's not consistently quick and precise with his faster rod (also a boost blue), and that seems to be the solve for him.

If it’s the case that the 40-55 is with a haul or double haul, it may also be that your haul timing is off due to the faster rod requiring different timing.

 

[Shad]

Fast action rods aren't my natural favorite for comfortable casting, but I have come to appreciate the ease with which a haul can send out line to where you need it, and fast action rods respond to hauling amazingly well. They are also more accurate when shooting line.

If you find yourself losing distance with a fast action rod, it might be because your casting motion is slower than what the rod wants. Try making quick, compact, 10-2 strokes with hard stops. Those hard stops activate the launching recoil on fast action rods, and hauls on backcasts and forward casts accentuate that effect...

It's a different (maybe less elegant and fluid) tool than your old favorite dry fly presenter, but when you get used to it, you'll appreciate its virtues....

 

[Hoofer]

When my father said it was an art that ended at two o'clock, he often added, "closer to ten than to two," meaning that the rod should be taken back only slightly farther than overhead (straight overhead being twelve o'clock).

Perhaps even more true with modern rods than with Norman Maclean’s childhood bamboo. I also struggle to double haul effectively while fishing; a single haul is better for me.

 

[Salmo_g]

Are there any specific considerations to keep in mind casting a faster rod?

With faster action rods, your timing becomes more critical. The more you deviate from perfect timing, the less useful the fast action rod is going to be for you. Medium to medium-fast action rods are much more forgiving of imperfect technique.

 

[speedbird]

Fast action rods aren't my natural favorite for comfortable casting, but I have come to appreciate the ease with which a haul can send out line to where you need it, and fast action rods respond to hauling amazingly well. They are also more accurate when shooting line.

If you find yourself losing distance with a fast action rod, it might be because your casting motion is slower than what the rod wants. Try making quick, compact, 10-2 strokes with hard stops. Those hard stops activate the launching recoil on fast action rods, and hauls on backcasts and forward casts accentuate that effect...

It's a different (maybe less elegant and fluid) tool than your old favorite dry fly presenter, but when you get used to it, you'll appreciate its virtues....

During fly casting instruction, I have definitely been told to have a more pronounced hard stop, I will try being more conscious of that

When my father said it was an art that ended at two o'clock, he often added, "closer to ten than to two," meaning that the rod should be taken back only slightly farther than overhead (straight overhead being twelve o'clock).

Perhaps even more true with modern rods than with Norman Maclean’s childhood bamboo. I also struggle to double haul effectively while fishing; a single haul is better for me.

I was taught to stop at 12 because you would subconciously go back to 1, and funny enough that is exactly what happens on my casts

40-55 is with a haul or without?

I am no expert, but it could be your forward stop isn't as complete and abrupt as it could be. Faster rods tend to have less margin for error, and one of the ones I'm frequently having to help my kid with is his forward stop. He's not consistently quick and precise with his faster rod (also a boost blue), and that seems to be the solve for him.

If it’s the case that the 40-55 is with a haul or double haul, it may also be that your haul timing is off due to the faster rod requiring different timing.

With the haul, but my timing with the Base was so bad that I gave up on it. I’m finding it easier to haul with the BOOST Blue funny enough.

I don't consider myself someone to ordinarily offer casting advice. But, seeing as how I am a recent purchaser of a Boost Blue in both a 6wt and 7wt, here goes...

Fast rods, soft tips; so for me this means no extra right side effort to achieve distance, let the rod do the work. In particular on that final cast. Increase line speed with the left hand haul only.(assuming you're right handed)

Anything that resembles a spin cast in that final effort will just blow things up.

By “right side effort” I assume you mean super hard casts that get your arm sore? I definitely am a sufferer of what the folks at the Avid Angler refer to as “the guy thing”, where on my last cast I try to throw the fly out as if it was a spinning lure

 

[DimeBrite]

With a RIO Outbound short you can make good casts within two strokes with a fast action rod. Speed up to a hard stop on forward and back casts, then launch. Don't try to over power the cast, it reduces distance. Practice making tight loops to punch casts into the wind.

 

[Greggor]

By “right side effort” I assume you mean super hard casts that get your arm sore? I definitely am a sufferer of what the folks at the Avid Angler refer to as “the guy thing”, where on my last cast I try to throw the fly out as if it was a spinning lure

Yes, it includes that, but also can just be an over-rotation of the wrist break, trying to 'fling it out there' on the final cast.

Sometimes, I have to remind myself: nothing different from my previous false cast, except maybe a little more length on the left hand haul.

It's rather satisfying delivering more line without using any greater right side effort. Once you get that result, you develop trust, and then you can incorporate it to muscle memory.

Anyway, that's just my own two cents.

 

[jaredoconnor]

Rio Outbound Short isn’t a long distance line; it is an easy distance line. Once the 30ft head is out, all you can do is give it a haul and shoot the line. There isn’t a whole lot of nuance to it, in comparison to a long head fly line. The fact that you’re able to cast the distances that you mentioned indicates that you’re not doing anything terribly wrong. If you’re not getting the distance that you desire, there’s really only a few possibilities…

1. You have too much/little line out.
2. You’re hauling too much/little.
3. Your setup isn’t capable of doing what you think it is.

With practice, you will figure out what the issue is. I don’t think anyone would be able to speculate, meaningfully, over the interwebs.

 

[Stonedfish]

What weight is your new Boost rod and what weight is your OBS line?
SF

 

[ifsteve]

Make sure your stroke accelerates quickly and stops as quick. Don't let your rod drift too far back on the back cast. As already mentioned a tight 10-2 is pretty solid advice on a fast action rod.

And that rod combined with an OBS should rocket a 70ft cast pretty easiliy.

 

[jasmillo]

I think you have been fly fishing for a bit so my advice will not be very specific. I am an ok caster. Not winning any competitions but hold my own. I use a combo of OBS and fast action rods often (beach coho, lakes and big streamers in rivers). If you are experienced, my best advice is simply feel it out. Take the time to see how the rod reacts to the line. Feel the rod load, figure out the timing and don’t try and muscle your casts. Sometimes it just takes a little time to work out. With that combo you should be able to hit your max distance or close with a water load, and single false cast (or a couple of false casts).

Eventually your biggest issue will be tangles and durability concerns with your OBS. I have lost two since July. Cast really well but the tangles are horrific and durability is garbage.

 

[Matt B]

What’s your running line doing during your cast? If it’s sitting on the water, that’ll rob distance from you. Try to place it in reasonably stacked coils as you strip in so it can fly out with ease when you launch the head.

 

[Chucker]

If you follow all the advice on this thread …. It will really mess you up!

 

[Wetswinger]

A 15 minute lawn cast session could help. Don't be tempted to let too much line out. Your line and rod are rated to carry 30ft of line plus leader, out of the tip. Actually turn to watch your backcast unfurl and load the rod before you forward cast. Think timing not muscle. Start with quality short cast and then work outwards. Stay calm grasshopper...

 

[Zak]

A 15 minute lawn cast session could help. Don't be tempted to let too much line out. Your line and rod are rated to carry 30ft of line plus leader, out of the tip. Actually turn to watch your backcast unfurl and load the rod before you forward cast. Think timing not muscle. Start with quality short cast and then work outwards. Stay calm grasshopper...

Glancing over my shoulder to watch the line straighten out behind me often helps me get back on track when my casts aren't what they should be.

 

[Tom Butler]

If you follow all the advice on this thread ….

I started thinking this once I got into this thread. A lot of really good casting advice.

Don't try to over power the cast, it reduces distance.

Doing this messes me up most every time. Let the rod do the work.

I definitely am a sufferer of what the folks at the Avid Angler refer to as “the guy thing”, where on my last cast I try to throw the fly out as if it was a spinning lure

Yes! Especially if I'm tired or not focused, or have just been spin fishing with the wife and kids.

 

[BriGuy]

I started thinking this once I got into this thread. A lot of really good casting advice.

Doing this messes me up most every time. Let the rod do the work.

Yes! Especially if I'm tired or not focused, or have just been spin fishing with the wife and kids.

It's kind of like dialing in a golf swing, and almost as frustrating. It's hard not to overpower your swing/stoke and let the club/rod do the work. Following all the good advice to be smooth and easy can be really hard, but is the right approach.

Or, you can just say screw it and let might make right like I often do. Damn the torpedos, full steam ahead!

 

[EB590]

Imo obs (or any shooting head) is not a good line to learn to cast with. I think the best line to learn to cast with is a dt. Once you can cast a dt or a longbelly wf well (including double haul) it will make using a shooting head immensely easier.

I think people who learn on a shooting head more often than not develop bad habits and eventually have trouble casting a anything other than a shooting head.