i do both...let me rephrase that.
I kick ass at bait and lure fishing and I would get dusted in the special olympics if fly fishing were an event. I am truly atrocious and should probably be banned from doing it.
I sucked at flyfishing until I started cat fishing 25 yrs ago as a kid......
cut the hook off a big streamer fly and was practicing casting in the yard. My old orange cat started chasing and it was game on.... So much fun and learned quicker. Had him doing backflips.
seriously practice in the back yard with a cut fly. Put some target zones at 30,50 and 70 ft. If you have a cat you will be laughing so hard....
casting my best tip is do not bend at the wrist at all, try to use your shoulder more than bending at the elbow. On the backcast bring the rod back to 2 on the clock pause before going forward. Forward is 10 on the clock. 10 and 2, 10 and 2......
Biggest rookie mistake is bringing the rod back too far, tip up at 2 keeps the line loop high away from the ground.
After false casting once or twice, on start of the forward cast pull the line sharply 6inches and let it go when you stop at 10 on the clock. This loads the rod and accelerates the line. you will get 20 to 40 ft more on your casts when you get the handle on that. (the technique is called a single haul)
Once you get better do the haul when picking up the line(back) and haul on the cast(forward) this is the double haul and I can cast an entire 90' flyline doing this.
I have taught a couple dozen people and love getting them hooked on flies.
fishing fever is here, with the olympics over I have little excuse except finding work.........
