What is the best cure to stop my bad habit. The top of my rod follows the path of an elipse and no matter how hard I try I can not seem to stop it. The result is my fly line goes out like a lassoo. Helpppppppp

Try going to a football field and standing so your casting arm is over the touch line of the pitch and following the white line back wards and forwards while concentrating on getting the fly line to travel directly over the rod tip both forwards and backwards. Then Practice, Practice, Practice until it becomes engrained behaviour.
Either that or stand with your casting arm as close to a pebble-dashed wall as possible.

Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

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make it go straight its an oft said thing but a lesson would be the simplest thing.

This may sound a little strange, but bear with me.
Have you ever done any sports that involved punching or throwing, if yes I will bet you a pound to a penny that your aiming your front cast to the middle of your body. I did this still do sometimes.

What worked for me was standing on a line as Frank suggests, right foot forward and making sure my rod was in line with foot and line. Sometimes letting the line drop behind me onto the line to check backcast and forward cast were in line.
Most definately helps.

If you can though quality instruction helps greatly.

Well worth the money, better to pay an instructor the price of a days fishing, practice for that next week or two. The results when you next fish are worth it.

Hope this helps

Sean

Use the but of a 3 (or more piece) rod with a reel attached and dummy cast in front of a mirror. Any tendency to rotate or track badly will be obvious as the reel will not remain straight or the hook to the back will show. use this to check on your tracking regularly until you get it right.
Tk