Here’s a great video from the Orvis Fly Fishing Learning Center, featuring Pete Kutzer of the Orvis Fly-Fishing School in Manchester, Vermont. He has taught thousands of people how to cast, or how to cast better, and here he talks about the five most common mistakes that he sees on the water:
- starting with the rod too high off the water;
- not stopping the rod at the end of each forward and backcast;
- going too far back with the rod on the backcast;
- trying to “throw” the fly; and
- tailing loops.
For the most part, these errors are pretty easy to correct, and if you pay attention to the solutions Pete offers here, your casting will jump immediately to the next level. You’ll find that you can cast longer, more accurately, and without the frustrating tangles that can waste a lot of time.

Always good to review. Pete, I have a question. It seems when I am casting a 7wt on up, I have a tendency to grip the rod tighter, which I can feel in my forearm. Any suggestions?
im new to flyfishing and am curious floating line to sinking line ect
wat weight line to use for trout ponds streamers dry flies i have my best luck on blk nats yellow jackets and royal nymph any ideas to increase my flies
Pete,
Turn around and demonstrate these procedures while casting upstream and the line and the fly are flowing toward you. As you know it’s quite simple to begin a proper cast and lift the line off the water when the current has pulled the line out straight away from you.
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Superbly demonstrated, simply and clearly explained! Pete, great job teaching, doesn’t get any better.
Pete, During the period when I lived in Canada (15 years) I introduced my older son Jacob to fly fishing. I am now living back in Australia but my two sons and their loved ones remain in Canada. Jake is now a better fly fisher than me and recently sent me your video about correcting casting mistakes, after watching a video of me casting on the Thredbo River in the Snowy Mountains in south-east New South Wales. Your video was excellent- I easily identified my mistake(s) as well as the corrections required. So, my original encouragement has come full circle as the teacher becomes the student – and I don’t mind that one bit. Thanks mate for your excellent input. Cheers, Rick.