Your "last cast" is usually your longest one.
Jim Teeny

CASTING VIDEOS!

Click the "Video Clip" (broadband required) link below to view a video clip of Jim describing how to tie his favorite knots.

For dial-up users, right-click the appropriate link and select "Open In New Window" to download and play the clip. Download times assume a 56k modem.

General Casting Tips - Casting is much easier than one might imagine. Here are a few pointers that have helped me improve my casting and accuracy.

1. Always start with your rod down low and a tight or straight line when you attempt to pick up your line. This will immediately load your rod, increase line speed, and make your cast much more accurate.

2. When accuracy is important remember that on your forward stroke point your rod in the direction you want your line to go. If it is not too windy your line will always follow your rod.

3. Most people have a tendency to make their forward cast a little too soon. I like to slightly hesitate so I am in better control on my forward cast. Timing is more important than power for better casting and presentations of your fly and line.

4. I usually have my rod slightly off to the side when casting. This helps me to not hit myself and clear my rod much better. Also if you are casting under some trees or brush the line should slip in a little easier.

5. If you get knots in your leader and sometimes your fly gets caught on your leader or line, here is how to solve that problem. Remember that timing is very important for making good consistent casts. Also, almost as important is that on your forward stroke turn your reel outwards away from you. This will make your line go straighter and your fly will clear your line and leader. It may sound too easy, but try it and you will be surprised.

6. Remember that in most cases distance is not the most important part. Accuracy and presentation strongly outweigh distance. Of course, there will be times distance helps to reach new water or wary fish.

T Series, TS Series, Xtreme Distance & Basic Sink Lines - When fishing these type lines it is good to know that on an average the sinking section will descend quite rapidly. In order to have the best control of your fly line and casting there are a couple of important things to remember.

1. The color change of your floating/sinking section should be at your rod tip or close. At that point you will have complete control of your line and it will be properly balanced. At this point a roll cast can easily be made to either get your line to the surface for a single false cast or to just simply roll cast your line out. Remember that on your forward cast, how you point your rod is where your line will go.

2. Take the line behind you, leaving some line in the water to help load the rod and make a roll cast. A single false cast is all that is necessary to shoot the line.

3. Bring the rod forward and release the line in the free hand. Make sure that the fly line goes through the stripping guide unobstructed so that you can gain maximum distance.

Mini-Tip - Casting the Mini-Tip is much like casting a floating line although you will need to produce a little more line speed to control the weighted tip. Keeping your rod tip low to the water and pointed in the direction of the line, strip in leaving about 30 ft. of line past the rod tip. At this point a roll cast can be made or for a regular cast quickly lift the rod for the back cast and make your forward cast, shooting the stripped in line. Click Here for a video clip on casting the Mini Tip (this link requires Quicktime only) click here to download the Quicktime plug-in. Download time approx. 4 min.

Roll Casting Sinking Tip Lines - To perform a typical roll cast with these fly lines, the casting action should be done more quickly than with a floating line so that the sinking section stays close to the surface of the water. Start by bringing the color change to within a foot of the rod tip. While holding the fly line with your free hand, bring the rod back over your shoulder, reaching back slightly, then start your forward motion and shoot the line at the release point.

Fishing the Teeny Sink Tip fly lines - There is one basic rule for these lines in all types of water, the longer you wait before stripping line or giving the line more time to sink by casting upstream and mending the line, the deeper it will sink. The heavier the line, the deeper it will sink for a given amount of time, so the line you use should be chosen for the water type and depth needed to reach the fish. Positioning yourself for the cast is the most important part of the equation, so that time, sink rate and depth reached all come together for proper presentation of the fly. In a river for a dead drift presentation, you need to be fairly parallel to the target. For traditional down and across wet fly/streamer presentations, distance upstream of the target is crucial. For lakes and in rivers where stripping is needed, there are three types that seem to work the best. The hand twist retrieve which is simply rolling the stripping hand gathering the fly line in with small increments for slow to moderate retrieves. Secondly, a short, quick stripping motion of about 6 to 8 inches is effective for dragonfly or small streamer presentations. And the strip and pause method of 6 to 10 inches and pausing 2 to 3 seconds can be deadly.

Leader Length - When lake fishing we prefer a longer leader of 9 ft. to 12 ft. This keeps the fly away from the line and gives a more natural presentation. For rivers, 2 ft. to 12 ft. are used. 3 ft. to 6 ft. is more the norm, with longer leaders used for clear water situations where the fish are spooky. The tip section is dark in color and allows for shorter leaders to be used for more accurate presentations as well as better line control.

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Jim Teeny Inc. • P. O. Box 989 • Gresham, OR 97030
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