Hi All,

I've had some really good advice on tackle purchasing from the forums so I am hoping someone can help me with my next question?

Basically, I have just started fly fishing and I absolutely love it. I have had a casting lesson and can now comfortable get an appropriate amount of line out on to the water, BUT, the line never seems to fall nice and straight as I see others doing, when I shoot the last amount of line, it almost kicks on the reel and then recoils a little bit so that when it lands, it's never quite straight.

Can anybody think of anything that springs to mind as to how I can improve the delivery of the line on to the water?

Thanks you in advance!

It sounds that you haven't enough line pulled out from the reel before you cast. As it shoots forward it comes to a sudden halt and springs back. Just get more line at your feet when you cast...trial and error will do it.

kicks on the reel? do you mean it is catching the reel on the way forward? or is it that you are pulling line from the reel on the final part of the cast? if it is the first option you could try keeping your line loosely held in you non casting hand.the second options remedy is simply to take more line off the reel before you start your cast. good luck, jon.

Jon: Thanks for your advice. I will look at this tomorrow when I get out and practise my casting. I think it's more the second option that you describer. It doesn't "tug" the reel dramatically, it's just that when the final bit of line leaves my hand, the line never seems to drop neatly on to the water, there are always a few -s- bends etc in the line.

Abacus180: Cheers, I will get more line out next time as Jon mentioned too.

Too little amount of line off of the reel - what happens if you want to cast a short line?!!!

Delboy - you are casting with more power than is needed hence the loop is unrolling quickly and as the line straightens it pulls against the reel. Tone down on the power, you only want enough to just unroll the loop... And try loosening your grip too, might help you reduce power.

Scotty9: That is exactly what is happening, you've described it better than I did. When I make my final cast, as the line extends, it pulls back on itself and I fell that little tug on the reel and the line is no longer straight but has various -s- shapes and a few coils along the way!

Thank you for pointing that out. I'm going to try that tomorrow.

One more thing - if you are shooting line to lengthen it, feather it with your hand to slow it down just before it fully unrolls. This will help take the "sting" out of the line.

Scotty: Sorry to keep asking questions but what your saying is making great sense after my exprience today. Can you explain what you mean by 'feather' it? That's what I need *to take the sting out" because it's straightening out with force hence it recoils slightly once it reaches its full extension.

Right ok if you are shooting line, so line in your other hand and you let it go after you stop the rod, then obviously it is pulling itself out of the rod tip. If it's got too much energy it is going to recoil, so just before your line turns over or reaches full extension, just brake that shooting line with your fingers, apply a bit of pressure to slow it down.

Hope that makes sense?

Scotty: Yes that makes perect sense, absolutely clear. Thanks very much for this, much appreciated.