Society Journal

A Georgia fly fishing guide knows that some fishing situations don’t always call for long casts, which often don’t call for straight casts either.  In golf there may be an obstacle, a dogleg fairway or the wind that may compel a golfer to curve the ball’s flight to the right – which is called a fade for a right-hander or a draw to the left.  To achieve the ball’s curve, the golfer adjusts his/her grip, swing path or stance; this in turn modifies the angle at which the club face meets the ball.

Similarly, a fly caster who can throw a curving line has the ability to cast around logs, rocks and branches, and put slack into the line for drag-free floats.  Curve casting, while requiring some practice, is easier to master than most anglers think.

A bass fishing Georgia guide may use the terms “curve” and “hook” synonymously, however some anglers use the term “hook” for a curve cast that turns very sharply, even as much as 90 degrees.

Contrary to what some anglers believe, the line does not go in the direction that the rod is pointing at the end of the cast.  Rather, the line continues going in a direction that the tiptop is moving when the rod shaft straightens after it has been loaded or bent.

At that point all energy stored in the rod has been transferred to the line, which continues unrolling in the direction the tip was traveling-up, down or to the side.  Any over swing of the tip may send a shock wave into the line, but does not change the basic direction of the cast.  Understanding this is vital if you want to control the direction of your cast. 

According to a Georgia fly fishing guide, the simplest curve cast travels in one plane. The angler makes a sidearm cast with the rod traveling horizontally or parallel to the water, but overpower the cast and check it abruptly.  The line travels ahead and continues turning to the left – if you are right-handed – and with practice you can make it curve accurately at various distances.