Techniques Videos

How to Make a Tuck Cast

The tuck cast or tuck cast mend is a great cast for getting heavily weighted nymphs or even streamers quickly down into the water column.

The Pile Cast

One of the most basic of the slack line casts is the Pile, Puddle, or Parachute Cast—three different names for essentially the same cast.

Introduction to Fly Casting

Carl McNeil offers tips on why learning how to fly cast effectively will make your fly-fishing experience more rewarding and enjoyable.

Casting: The Five Essentials

Casting expert Carl McNeil introduces the "Five Essentials" that are a part of any good fly cast.

Joan Wulff: “The Hand and the Arm”

Joan Wulff describes vital hand and arm movements and practice routines for learning almost all kinds of casts.

Casting Essentials: Straight Line Path

Casting expert Carl McNeil explains why moving the rod tip in a straight line is essential to loop formation and effective cast control.

Casting Essentials: Eliminate Slack

Casting expert Carl McNeil describes how to eliminate slack in your cast and why it is so important.

Casting Essentials: Power Application

Casting expert Carl McNeil describes the importance of proper power application in the casting stroke.

Joan Wulff: Hand Tension

"Hand tension is a major factor in whether or not we can make the hundreds of casts sometimes necessary in a long day of fishing."

Joan Wulff: Shooting Line

"Shooting line is somewhat magical. It enables you to carry X-feet of line in the air but make a presentation that's a lot farther."

Joan Wulff: Changing Direction

“So it's a rotation: the elbow goes out, the hand goes across, or on a backcast the elbow goes in and the hand goes across.”

Joan Wulff: The Roll Cast

"The first part is movement of the whole arm, just the way it is -- static. Nothing changes. No extension. You're rocking from the shoulder."

Joan Wulff: The Basic Cast

"Fly casting is the back-and-forth motion of the forearm and hand within the up-and-down motion of the whole arm. The wrist moves from bent down to straight."

Casting Essentials: Vary the Casting Arc

Casting expert Carl McNeil describes the difference between the casting stroke and the casting arc, and explains how to adjust the cast and arc to match casting length.

Casting Essentials: Timing

Casting expert Carl McNeil describes why timing is so important in fly casting and how to identify problems with your cast.

Joan Wulff: The Double Haul

"What happens is that by using that second hand you are adding speed to your line. The rod is loaded more deeply, and that transfers to greater energy in your line."

Joan Wulff: The Reach Cast

Excerpt: "Drag is that motion that makes the fly look as if it is a water-skier instead of a free-floating insect, and it's caused by the currents that work on the line and leader."

Fishing Shoreline Estuaries with a Switch Rod

HOW TO approach saltwater shoreline and estuary fishing opportunities, emphasizing the strength of switch rods at covering water.

Trailer for “Casts That Catch Fish”

CARL MCNEIL and Jeannie Ackland's new DVD on effective fly casting techniques includes some of the best video work we've seen.