Casting vs. Catching: The Truth Every Beginner Fly Fisher Needs to Hear
As a fly-fishing instructor with decades of experience, I’ve come to view fly casting through two distinct lenses—two “buckets,” if you will:
Casting and Catching.
These two pursuits are not necessarily connected. In fact, they often pull us in different directions.
🎨 The Art & Science of Casting
There’s something beautiful about casting just for the sake of casting. The meditative rhythm of the rod moving through the air. The precise timing. The stored energy in the rod loading and then releasing into the line. This is where art meets physics. It's why there are casting competitions—measuring distance, testing accuracy, refining technique.
Honestly? I love this.
I’ve spent countless hours in my backyard or on an empty field, casting for no reason other than the feel of the rod and the challenge of precision. It’s a discipline I’ll never fully master, which is what makes it so endlessly engaging. It’s not about fish—it's about form.
But for beginners - the overhead cast is for sure a learning curve - it takes time, to get the feel and timing. So don’t get discouraged - because, you can still catch fish today! Yes, even without an overhead cast!
That brings us to the second bucket.
🎯 The Reality of Catching - Where Are The Fish!
Catching fish is a whole different game. I have friends who have no interest in perfecting their overhead cast—and they still catch fish. A lot of them.
Why? Because they focus on strategy:
They think about fly presentation.
They observe the water and its currents.
They anticipate where the fish are holding.
And most importantly…
They keep their fly in the water.
I can’t stress that enough. You don’t catch fish in the air. Every second your fly is flying around is a second it’s not catching anything.
The Fish are in the water!
🧒 A Client Story: The 13-Year-Old Who Got It Right
I recently guided a father and his 13-year-old son—both new to fly fishing, both eager to learn. The dad had this cinematic image of the perfect mountain trout stream (which I put them in) and that stereotypical “River Runs Through It” overhead cast. He was determined to nail it. He spent so much of his day on this beautiful, remote, NH Wild Trout stream making 3,4,5,6,8!!! 8 Casts!!! I literally counted 8 Casts before he would let that fly land in the water!! I got vertigo on behalf of the fly!!!
His son, though? He Got It! I taught and reinforced to them both, how to minimize their overhead casts and to keep the fly in the water as much as possible. The son, he kept the fly in the water. I taught him how to do simple flips and roll casts, he listened, he did what I told him to do, And… he caught fish! Lots of beautiful wild Brook Trout! Not so much for the Dad though - he was more drawn to the overhead cast.
So much so that it became a running joke. with the son and me, every time the dad would drift back into casting numerous times, I’d glance at the son and ask,
👉 “Where are the fish?”
And he’d smile and reply,
“In the water!”
🙌 Tips for Beginners Who Want to Catch
If your primary goal is to catch fish—not to become a casting champ—remember this:
Stop worrying about the perfect overhead cast.
Master the roll cast, a flip cast or a simple sidearm cast.
Let the current move your fly naturally.
Slowly retrieve and repeat.
Keep the fly in the water.
Even in dry fly fishing, I usually do just one or two quick false casts to dry the fly off—and then let it drift. Often, the most productive takes happen when the fly sinks just slightly below the surface.
Lefty Kreh used to criticize excessive false casting. It wastes time and energy. One good back cast, reposition your body, and let it fly. That’s all you need.
🧘♂️ Zen of Casting, Joy of Catching
Casting can be a Zen-like experience, and for many of us, that’s part of the allure of fly fishing. But don’t confuse it with catching. One is meditation. The other is the connection with the fish, the water, and the moment.
Final Thought
Whether you're casting or catching—know which bucket you're in. They’re both beautiful. But if your goal is to catch trout in a wild New England stream? Say it with me now:
“The fish are in the water.”
Tight Lines New England!
