Load
Loading a fly rod can be thought of as cocking it.  It is similar to the "cocking" of a golf club, tennis racquet, or baseball bat.  For just as we do with these hitting tools…

  • A back & forth pendulum motion of the arm conducts the "stroke;"

  • A firm forearm/wrist is used to provide guidance and control;

  • The shoulder offers muscular support;

  • And the wrist is responsible for the timely release of the energy built up in the rod/club/racquet/bat.

Load is the byproduct or result of the two casting strokes: the backcast (which loads the rod as it moves from front to rear) and the forward cast (which loads the rod from back to front whereupon the resultant energy is released into the fly line.)

Flycast stages: 
pick up
 backcast
 forward cast
let down

Note in the pictures:

  1. The up & down motion of the rod brings pressure to bear on the rod tip by the fly line

  2. The general direction of the straight forearm & rod is UP (not back) and DOWN (not out)

  3. The wrist does not "cock" during most of the cast, rather it is used at the end of each stroke

  4. The rod comes to 2 definite and sharply-finished STOPS: one on the way up and one on the way down

  5. The fly line stays tight at all times providing pressure against the rod tip

Comments about loading:

Despite the common term, "backcast", which is the first segment of the casting cycle where the rod is loaded (and unloaded), we prefer that you think of it as an "UP cast." 

We have found that new flycasters tend to cast "back" way too far.  So, to convey a better mental picture of this most critical loading action, we want you to think of punching the fly line up in the air (rather than back.)  If you stop the rearward action of the rod at 10 o'clock, the fly line will take care of itself. 

Previous / Next, let's review the forward cast

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