In addition to a rod, reel, and a line, what single purchase is most likely to improve an individual's fly casting - either accuracy, or distance, or both?

A tweed jacket?

Casting lessons as long as you buy one of those gillie hats also.

A trip to Fantasy land.

Ceramic guides..tee hee!

The book "Longer Fly Casting" by Lefty Kreh

Practice, practice, and practice. Identify your specific goals; distance, accuracy, presentation in measurable terms and then set a plan to meet them. Casting better is to obscure, instead go for a set distance. Accuracy, set parameters in terms of measurement from a specific target. Presentation is yet another if not more subjective goal. Also consider the type of fishing you are going to be doing. Tarpon fishing is much more demanding in terms of muscle use as compared to small stream fishing with a 2 or 3 wt.

I assume the recommended book is to be pressed against the side of the chest by the casting arm to achieve the proper appearance - the one so beloved by classical [22 feet] fly casters? A flying elbow on a free arm hauling the line? Heavens to Betsy, No!

It is like a a golf stroke in some ways, that when you learn, if you learn to do it wrong; it will always be a problem. The answer to your question is a "camera". Take a video of your cast, see what your doing wrong and correct it.

This brings up some other thoughts. I taught myself to cast for saltwater fishing, where distance is a goal (one of a few). I only had a Lefty Kreh Saltwater Fly Fishing book as instruction, because there was no internet to use. What about someone who is self taught and only fishes small rivers and creeks. Do they have an impairment to be able cast over 40'?

I always thought that fly fishing vest, wicker fish basket and wooden net, would let you cast farther along with that bucket hat with flies hooked in it. It least you look like you could fly fish. Maybe a stripping basket would improve you distance also.

Lessons from an expert, like going to an Orvis fly casting school.

As mentioned above, "lessons" from a qualified instructor. I use the term qualified, as there are many ways we learn, some from observation, others the diagrams and many with in person instruction correcting ones faults.

I teach fly casting, and a note to Ewaniki........double hauling is way down on the list of techniques I teach. Many fly fishermen never have a need for the technique!

Relentless persistence and a genuine love of the sport .

I was helped by Mel Krieger, and others many times at the Golden Gate Casting Club, can't remember how much it cost to join, but it was ridiculously cheap compared to what I received.

Some fly fishers don't even need a reel - a roll cast will do everything they need! Fly fishers on big rivers, lakes, and on the ocean can use every foot of casting distance they can get. Do not assume your own fly-fishing wants and needs apply to all fly rod anglers. Here in Florida long casts are a valuable tool for the fly caster - the ocean, you know. No angler ever suffered from the ability to cast 80 feet, but numerous fly-casters have regretted their inability to cast over, say, 35 feet. Fishing guides smile and adjust their fishing locations when they discover their anglers can double-haul. But if you have no need to cast further when you are fishing don't waste your time learning to double haul.

I taught myself to flycast at age 12. Just asked for a fly rod for my birthday, got one, and took it from there.

Never read an instructional book until I was in my mid 20's. Though, from time to time, I did read one of the incredibly pretentious articles about flyfishing in magazines like Grey's Sporting Journal and others.

One day when I was about 17, a grown-up carrying a fly rod approached me while fishing for steelhead in a Great Lakes tributary, and asked where and how I learned to double-haul so well, and cast for such distance. I didn't even know what a double haul was, but I guess I was doing it pretty well.

I've always held that the double-haul is an overrated, over-marketed term, the concept of which is not some Holy Grail in fly casting.

If you need to present a fly to a piece of lake or river that's far away, work on your timing, use your hands to achieve line speed, and throw it out there. That's all I did when I was a teenager, and it still works today.

A double haul is to fly casting much like a jump-shot is to basketball. You can get along without either, but they are both very handy in some situations.

A double haul is to fly casting much like a jump-shot is to basketball. You can get along without either, but they are both very handy in some situations.

So Phil, is your double haul as good as your jump shot..lol

Personally, I like spey casting. It gets long distances, and you don't hafe to worry about catching a branch, of tuft of grass on the back cast. I feel that the roll cast, and spey cast are more important on rivers and streams than is the double haul. Of course on big water, the double haul can be very useful.

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF

Joel, I think that,s how most of us learn. We jerk the rod back then jerk the rod forward and if you learn to make the jerks at the right time, your a fly fisherman..lol.