I know that it is a common practice to over line the fast action rods that are now in vogue. The unstated purpose is to slow the rod and make casting easier. Fast action rods are more critical of timing than slower rods and many anglers do not have the timing skills required to take full advantage ...

Jim, I use a shorthand system of marking my lines. A 5, 10 or 15 wt would have one long mark or a 3, 8 or 13 wt would have three short marks. Any fly fisher should be able to tell the difference between a 3 and an 8 or 8 and 13 wt with out the extra marks. Makes my life a little simpler. I haven't ...

I was cleaning out some of my junk drawers and found an old lazer poiner; the kind used in presentations. As I had just finished some casting practice the thought occured to me as to whether I could use it to check my tracking. So I placed a reel on a rod butt for balance and taped the lazer to the...

Microwaving will NOT kill the bugs and certainly not the eggs. It will cook the hide or skin if there is any grease or moisture on it. I ran experiments several years ago. It sounds good in theory but it just doesn't work. Has something to do with the length of the microwaves and the size of the ta...

Regal has out a new true rotary that sets a new standard in my opinion. Very well balanced so it spins like a top and has all the flexibility of their older rotary (actually more of a swivel head). It is available in several jaw configurations. The jaws can quickly and easily be tilted or adjusted ...

Chris, It certainly sounds like you are trying all the right teaching techniques. Since you have the rod hand doing everything right the only thing I might suggest is that you try having your student tug on the line when the rod is is at the 11:00 position both on the backcast and the forward cast....

Victor, At what kind of casting distances are these extra small looops generated? You mention casting arc and I assume that a very narrow arc is needed which would lead me to believe that we are casting relatively short distances when creating 6 " loops - correct?? I would also think that too ...

Every so often someone writes about the super tight loops they are casting, describing them as 6 or 8 inch loops. Are these for real? And are they on both the back and the forward casts? My loops are more on the order of 18-20 inches when I feel that I am doing things right. Our club has installed ...

I believe that for the most comfortable casting and actual fishing*, the reel and the rod should balance each other out. With the reel mounted on the rod and and a reasonable amount of line strung through the guides, the balance point should be at the front of the grip or slightly forward of it (pe...