Rob Snowhite: Fly Fishing Consultant

You can't catch fish if you can't get the fly to them!


I suggest a minimum of two casting sessions. The first for you to learn the basics and then practice on your own and a second lesson for me to see your progress and correct any errors.

You will learn the mechanics and design of a fly rod and why different rods are used in different situations. Casting can be an extremely challenging, daunting, confusing, etc. I will teach you what you need to know for the situations you plan to fish and then correct any errors. We can leave the advanced and technical stuff for later, unless you want to go there.

You move the rod, the rod moves the line, the line moves the leader, the leader moves the fly. It is that simple. In simplest terms, all you have to do is move the rod.

Basic casting goes like this:

  1. Put some line out there
  2. Pick it up
  3. Throw it behind you
  4. Allow time for that line to straighten
  5. Throw the line in front of you
  6. Point the rod tip where you want the fly to land
  7. Allow the fly to drop
  8. We'll work on agility, accuracy, and distance.

With that background knowledge, we will focus on the following casts:

  • Forward cast
  • Back cast
  • Water hauling
  • Side/over shoulder cast
  • Roll cast single or two-handed
  • Puddle cast
  • Skipping flies
  • High sticking
  • Slingshot

Advanced casting includes:

  • Mending line
  • Single haul
  • Double haul
  • Shooting line
Other things to think about are:
  • Factors such as fly size | wind conditions | targeted fish species | water size | casting area | etc
  • The difference between a $150 rod and a $600 rod
  • The different uses of a switch rod, two handed rod, and single hand rod
  • Why do rods come in lengths of 6' to 14' and why to use them, when to use them, and how to use them

2 handed rod

2 handed rod

single handed rod


Mending line for steelhead


High sticking in Colorado (with my Magnum P.I. shorts)