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The Proper Application of Power
Rick Beare - 2026-09
The definition of the proper application of power is a gradual acceleration of the rod to an abrupt stop. This gradual acceleration and stop must be done on both the back cast and the forward cast. A well executed back cast comes before the forward cast. There is no rod made or forward cast technique that can overcome a poorly made back cast.
A well-executed back cast allows the loop to form behind the caster to begin the forward application of power. While maintaining all of the other fundamentals eliminating slack, a narrow arc and straight line path we are on our way to forming a tight loop.
Many new fly casters have a wide casting arc caused by too much wrist action to move the rod or not enough power or no acceleration to make the rod tip to bend to store or transfer energy to the fly line. In the diagram below notice how the rod remains straight throughout the casting arc. Remember that the fly line always follows the tip of the rod. In this case the rod tip does not bend at all. The tip of the rod creates in a curved arc not in the desired straight-line path. This casting arc produces a wide casting loop like the windshield wiper on the rear window of minivan.
No Acceleration of the Rod Creates a Wide Casting Arc Producing Open Loops
How many of have noticed the loops of your false casts look so good until you make your presentation cast? On the presentation cast the casting loop widens and collapses or you see a tailing loop? I know I have!
This is often caused by poor application of power along with a few other casting flaws.
Have you noticed that when you relax and simply cast the results are a nice loop? On the presentation cast we tend to overpower the stroke to punch the line forward. The results is an open loop and a collapsed line that does not straighten out.
Golfers might recognize this overpowering of force while driving on the tee box to cut the corner on a dog leg. Our muscles tense up we are going to let it rip and the ball lands short in the middle of the woods of the dog leg.
The more experienced golfer relaxes the muscles removing the tension to allow the muscles to do their job and the ball lands in the fairway.
Fly casting is much the same. Less is more. Often times male anglers tend to "Muscle" the forward stroke too early in the forward stroke. This power applied either at the wrong time or too much too soon causes the rod tip to bend below the straight-line path during the casting stroke.
When too much power is applied too soon the rod tip drops below the straight-line plane. The fly line follows the rod tip resulting in a wider loop that falls below the rod leg of the fly line. The result is a curved fly line below the straight-line path resulting in the dreaded "Tailing Loop".
Improper Acceleration of Power Too Early in the Casting Stroke Producing a Tailing Loop
Have you ever inspected your fly leader or line and found an over hand knot in your leader? WE ALL HAVE. This is called a "Wind Knot". Wind knots are caused by the tailing loop. The root cause of the wind knot is the improper application of power during the casting stroke.
Another common cause of the tailing loop is caused by "Creep". Creep is when the rod hand at the end of the back cast. By moving the rod hand forward shortens the casting arc of the forward cast. When the arc is prematurely shortened, the caster will try to compensate by applying more power at the wrong time resulting in a tailing loop or a collapsing loop.
Remember the metronome used by some casting instructors to help improve timing. Audible cues you can be used in place of the metronome to assist the angler in timing.
A simple phrase said out loud during the casting stroke can replace the metronome. The length of the phrase will need to change depending on the caster's tempo and distance of the cast. Short distance cast use a short phrase. Longer distance cast a longer phrase. The length of the phrase is dependent on the distance and the tempo of your casting stroke and yes the flex of your fly rod. Faster action fly rod have a shorter tempo as compared with a softer medium action rod or bamboo rod.
It is important to get the feel of each rod as they do not all respond the same way. The angler will need some time to get the feel of each rod to establish a rhythm or tempo altering the phrase for each given distance.
Start with a short distance to get the feel of the rod. Short distance short phrase like "Slow to Fast" said slowly will suffice for a 40-foot cast.
If you make the distance a little longer, add a word or two like "Slow to fast and stop". As the distance changes, you can add and subtract key words to remind you for what you want your body to do.
Some casters will simply count 1,2 ,3 4. For a longer stroke 1,2, 3, 4, 5. These audible cues can vary from rod to rod and distance tempo etc.
The calm cadence of the phrase will help your time and remind you to stay in control and slow things down. Make your phrases support the results you most desire.
To help resolve CREEP, Lefty Kreh used a techniques called "Drift". Drift is just the opposite of creep. On the back cast instead of allowing the rod hand to creep forward, he would purposely extend his hand back further on the back cast. By doing so he preserves the length of the casting arc. Distance casters will use this " Drift" technique when making long distance casts.
While drift is a remedy for Creep, it is encouraged that anglers practice the fundamentals to keep the rod hand stationary after the stop on the back cast.
Beginner and intermediate anglers are encouraged to build strong fundamental techniques before venturing into more advanced casting techniques. Using more advanced cast techniques like the single haul and double haul before you a have a strong foundation.
While using a single or double haul can eliminate slack and increase line speed. They can also mask inherent fundamental flaws in your casting stroke. These casting flaws will ultimately come back to haunt you as you strive for greater distance and more advanced casts.
Build strong fundamentals in your casting stroke and you find you can get better results with less effort. When you can consistently perform a lay pick up and lay down cast of 50 feet and learn to shoot another 10 feet of line you are on your way to new casting possibilities.
Strong casting fundamentals and PRACTICE will allow the angler to aerialize (keep more line in the air while false casting) far more line in the air without resorting to hauls. The ability to aerialize more fly line without a haul will help the caster to be better able to maximize your full potential. This also allow them to make a presentation cast with a single back cast and presentation cast keeping the fly in the water more causing far less fatigue.
Key Takeaways
The proper application of power begins with a gradual acceleration to an abrupt stop on the back cast. A strong back cast sets up for a gradual acceleration to the abrupt stop on the forward or presentation cast.
It is the stop of the rod hand that causes the fly line to form the loop. The bottom leg of the loop is the rod leg the upper leg is called the fly leg.
In order to get these two legs to form a nice smooth loop in both directions is maintaining a straight-line path within a given casting arc. The smooth gradual acceleration of power allows the rod tip to remain on the same plane from the back cast to the end of the forward cast. This means the rod leg of the fly line will follow the tip of the rod in a straight-line path creating symmetric tight loops.
The Desired Straight-line Path with Gradual Acceleration Produces Symmetric Loops in both directions.
Remember the variable casting arc, the image above depicts the gradual acceleration on both the back cast and forward cast producing symmetrical loops. On short distances the arc is narrow, the plane of the arc is higher on the back cast, lower on the forward cast. Tilt the image downward to represent a shorter cast and more horizontal for a longer distance cast.
Practice Session Tips
The easiest way to see all of this acceleration of power to the abrupt stop is to practice your loop control by castings on a horizonal plane.
Set out a tape measure or a line of a football or soccer field to give you a reference for the straight-line path you want to take on both the back cast and forward cast.
Place two cones 12 feet apart on the line. The caster is positioned about 9 feet from the line mid-way between each cone.
These cones represent stopping point of the back cast and forward cast. Pull out two rod lengths of line along with your leader. Place the fly line and leader on the line representing your forward cast or presentation cast. Grip your rod with your rod hand palm up on the forward stroke. Keep your rod tip low and begin the pickup to gradually accelerate the rod to the cone located behind you for the back cast.
As you accelerate the rod, notice the rod tip begins to bend or flex at the tip. This is called by many as "Loading" the rod. If your rod does not bend, you need to apply a little more force. If the rod remains straight, your rod tip and your casting arc will travel above the straight-line path forming an open casting loop like the windshield wiper on a minivan.
You want to see and feel the rod tip bend as you begin to gradually accelerate the rod from the cone in front to the abrupt stop at the cone in back for the back cast.
Now just before the line has completely straightened out behind you begin to accelerate gradually to the abrupt stop of the forward cone for the forward cast.
The gradual acceleration of your rod hand smoothly accelerating to the stopping point. The abrupt stop causes energy stored in the rod to propel the line after the abrupt stop to form the loop.
Continue to practice this gradual acceleration to the abrupt stop between the two cones. You are now False casting.
The gradual acceleration of the rod stores the power into the rod. The abrupt stop transfers the energy from the rod to form the loop and propel the fly line in the direction of your cast. If your rod tip travels in a straight-line path and the casting arc is narrow, it will produce a tight loop.
Practice this exercise experimenting with speed tempo and power of the rod hand. Strive to make the cast with the least amount of power and effort to let the rod do the work to conserve your energy. All of these changes is power, speed and tempo have effects of the shape and size of the loop. This is essential in you being able to alter the size of the casting loop on demand a the fishing situation dictates.
Anglers able to alter the size of the loop are better prepared for a wider variety of fishing situations and cast and flies. Distance, fishing multiple flies and weighted flies each require a different size loop. Your ability as a fly caster help you in these situations on the water.
The intermediate to advanced caster can take a hulla hoop upright and infront of you at about waist height. Practice casting your fly line inside the hoop.
Tips for making the abrupt stop.
When making the abrupt stop, recall the analogy of the paint brush with water in the bristles. Your task is to gradually accelerate the paint brush and simultaneously not allow any water to come off the brush. This even acceleration presents the stored energy in the rod. Once you reach the end point of the casting arc you make an abrupt stop to allow the water stored in the bristles of the paint brush to propel in the direction towards your intended target.
If you are casting on a horizonal plane, keep your paint brush tip pointing towards the cone. Do not allow the tip of the brush to point towards the target.
Joe Humpreys says he would gently squeeze his grip at this abrupt stop to allow the line to unroll on both the back cast stop and forward cast stop.
Many beginner casters make this fatal flaw of running through the stop sign on the presentation cast. Failing to make the abrupt stop results in an open loop and a collapsed fly line not straightening out.
It is absolutely essential to make the abrupt stop on both the back cast and forward cast. On the presentation cast the rod follows the line towards the traget ONLY AFTER THE ABRUPT STOP HAS OCCURRED. This is the fundamental flaw observed in many beginner and intermediate casters.
The other analogy of the abrupt stop is the hammer in the doorway. We accelerate the hammer gradually to pound the nail and "Stop". This happens on both the back cast and the forward cast.
Joan Wolfe actually installed a screen door handle on a rod grip with the handle and button on it. Using the thumb on top grip the thumb presses the button on the door handle on the stop. Similar to the firm grip used by Joe Humphreys.
Casting Exercise
To develop casting plane dexterity the caster can use the two cones as reminders of the casting arc. When your casting loop is consistent on demand on the side arm or horizontal cast you can begin to walk your way up from the horizontal to the vertical plane in a methodical manor. Begin at the horizontal position of your rod now located at 3 o'clock to make nice smooth loops.
Once you can create nice tight loops on the horizontal plane move your rod angle or casting plane up to 2 o'clock and repeat to make nice tight loops. Once perfected, move the casting plan and rod to 1 o'clock and finally about 12:30 not quite vertical. A
perfectly vertical plane is dangerous for the back of your head and your rod should your tracking be so perfect that your fly collides with your rod or head as you make the forward presentation. The purpose of this exercise is to give you options of multiple casting planes useful in windy conditions and to begin the offside or non-dominate side casts.
Repeat this exercise on the non-dominate side or off shoulder cast going from 12: 30 to 11:30 to 11:00 o'clock, 10 o'clock and finally to 9 o'clock position.
This simply means casting from the non-dominate side shoulder. This casting drill becomes a valuable tool in your tool belts for casting in wind and avoiding overhanging trees on either side of the river.
Practicing these exercises at a short distance will help the fly angler to become more disciplined in forming strong fundamentals. As you practice these exercises, the angler will gain confidence backed by visible results. This will allow the beginner to progress to longer casting distances and more advanced casting techniques.
The humbling thing for me is casting with more knowledgeable fly casters is while, I can see my skills improve I learn that I still have much more to learn.
One of the things I have learned is to slow down and focus on the arc, maintaining a proper plane for distance cast, smooth gradual acceleration to the abrupt stop.
I have found I am able to cast better when I remain in control. My flaws return when I get out of timing and try to fix the issue with improper application of power.
I was casting on a beach one day alongside a surf caster. Both of us targeting strippers. He was amazed how little effort I used to cast my fly rod in the wind as I was casting just as far as he was with his surf rod.
Slowing down to allow the expensive rod to do the work instead of your muscles. Having a quiet upper and lower body allows you to fish longer. Less movement of your lower body creates less pressure waves on the hull of the skiff so you do not spook the fish you are after.
Hopefully you have made some progress and are beginning to see and feel the five fundamentals come together.
Practice making 40 foot casts accurately with a simple pick up and lay down cast. No False casts. Make them accurately without false casts you increase your odds of catching more fish.
In the next issue we will look at accuracy more and ways to practice. Before we discuss more advanced concepts like hauling and line speed. Let's master the fundamentals first.
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