Flycast training session

Equipment needed for this practice: rod tip, yarn, sponge
#	Preparation	Description	Purpose
1.	Set aside 20 minutes	this practice can take place indoors or out; during daylight if outdoors	20 minutes is about right; too long at one time seems to "overload" a beginner
2.	Take out the rod tip section	you will use just the tip section for this exercise (or the top 2 sections if you have a 3+ piece rod)	using the tip only allows you to "start small"; there's just less mass than having to begin with the full length rod
3.	Attach yarn to rod tip section	tie the yarn to the tip section of the fly rod	a brightly-colored piece of yarn produces a casting loop that you can see; it reasonably simulates the loop of an actual fly line
4.	Use the sponge	place the sponge under the elbow of your casting arm & keep it there	its purpose is to keep your arm & elbow from wandering during the cast
5.	Establish a straight/horizontal line on the ground	use a rope laid on the ground or other form of a line about 20’ long; you will use this as a reference to make your casts	Practicing casting “on the horizontal plane” allows you to see the entire cast (whereas a conventional upright/vertical cast obscures the backcast)
6.	Cast the yarn	holding the rod tip, make short “flips” of the yarn, in both directions, along the horizontal line on the ground; keep the rod tip in the same point of reference as you go back & forth with these “casts”	using just the rod tip & yarn is a "bike-with-training-wheels" approach; look at the yarn as you cast & strive for a consistent loop on both back & forward casts
7.	Change the casting plane	Move from casting “on the horizontal” to the regular, upright, vertical position	Move back & forth between the two casting planes (horizontal & vertical), keeping the range of motion between the two strokes (backcast & forward cast) the same