How to Roll Cast a Fly Rod

Video Transcript

"The very first cast we're going to cover is the Roll cast. And, the reason why we have a Roll cast and how it got it's name is the cast occurs because the line is rolling along the water. In this case we will build and demonstrate using the example of the grass. Also, what the Roll cast provides is the opportunity to cast and fish when there's bushes or obstructions behind you or along side of you, you can still fish. Where, is if you only learn the overhead cast first, which the line goes up in the air behind you, you can see what happens is the line would go right up in the bushes and you'd have to essentially spend the money to get another fly, you take the time, you'd lose your leader and everything else. So, to properly learn the Roll cast is one of the most advantages that you have. In fact, as a guide and outfitter, I can tell you from talking to fellow guides, is most people on guide trips do not even know what the Roll cast is. Seventy percent do not. OKay? So, what we're going to do is we are going to start out with the Roll cast because what the Roll cast provides for you is the forward movement of every single cast. The other thing that the Roll cast does for you, it builds upon how the line and the rod relationship work. And, what it amounts to, is every cast starts out with a tempo or a speed. So, you start out slow, you go medium, and then you finish with a quick stroke. So, that enables the line to transfer the energy to the rod, and then with the stop, the line goes off the end. So, it's slow, medium, quick to a stop. Now, I mentioned the word stop. Stop is where the transfers of energy occurs off of the rod tip and then that, by stopping the rod, the line pivots off the end and keeps going. The stop is one of the most important things in a fly cast. So now let's cover the basics and build upon the Roll cast. I might also mention that a lot of people think that they should cover the overhead cast first. Well, the overhead cast, it gets to a back cast and a forward cast, so you're learning two things. That's why I think it's so important to cover the Roll cast first. So you understand the speed of the cast and the importance of the stop. So now let's build upon that and start our demonstration. The basis of every cast is every cast needs to start with the tip down. The reason that, the reason why that is so important is because as you begin to lift the rod up the line will begin to bend the tip of the rod. So every cast, no matter what cast you start, should begin with the tip in the water, or in this case, on the ground. The lift is one of the most important things that goes into every single cast. So what we're going to do is we're going to lift our arms, straight like this here, and then what we're going to do is we're going to bring the rod back. If you bring the rod back, then essentially, the line will begin to load from the rod coming back. Now what we're going to do, as we lift it back to this position, what we're going to do is we're going to slide the line back behind us. Did you see how I slid it back? Sliding back is the most important thing. Essentially, if you raise it up, then the wind could catch it and put your fly right back into the bushes. So, now we are in to what you'd call the key position for setting up the Roll cast. You'll notice here that the distance between the rod and my forearm or wrist is 45 degrees. That enables a nice casting stroke. You start out slow, we go medium, and then we finish fast and the line goes out. OKay, now I'll just pick up the tempo so you can see this. There's a lift, it comes back, it goes up in to the key position, there's your 45, slow, medium, quick, and the cast goes out. What you notice, there, is the smoothness that occurs in the cast and how I transitioned my weight. First from the back foot into the forward foot. Lift, back, the rod comes up to the 45 degree position, the upper arms is level, now we will do the cast. What you'll notice is that I go into the cast from the back position to the slow to the forward. Now, this 45 degree angle maintains as we go into the casting stroke. So now we have the slow, the medium, now what we're going to do we're going to finish with a flick of the wrist and that will send the line on its way. Flick. See it go on its way? OKay. That is the basics of the good Roll cast."