Master the Cast : Fly Casting in Seven Lessons [Hardcover]

Jr., George V. Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 14, 2002

Written by a lifelong fly fisherman and one of the art of casting's most sought-after trainers, Master the Cast offers a complete program that is guaranteed to have readers casting a fly with precision and grace after only a few hours' practice. With the help of detailed illustrations and photographs capturing all the key elements of the cast, George V. Roberts Jr. breaks the complicated mechanics into a few simple components, and then shows how to master these in seven easy lessons, each of which adds another skill to the reader's repertoire: the roll cast, the pick-up-and-lay-down, the false cast, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Fly casting is central to the fly-fisher's art. With good casting technique you can place the fly where you want it, effortlessly and with precision and grace, even when wind or obstructions conspire against you. Without good technique, all your efforts will be frustrated. If you can't cast, you can't truly enjoy fly-fishing.

In Master the Cast, George V. Roberts Jr., a lifelong fly-fisher and sought-after instructor, walks you through a course that will have you casting and catching fish with a fly rod after only a few hours' practice. With the help of more than 140 photos and illustrations, Roberts details the fundamentals that will help you become an efficient, accurate, and consistent fly caster, and lays the foundation on which you will build all advanced fly-casting techniques.

Master the Cast first provides a comprehensive picture of fly-casting mechanics--both fly-rod mechanics (how the rod and line operate to deliver the fly) and rod-arm mechanics (how the hand, wrist, forearm, and upper arm function to make the rod work). Then, over the course of seven concise lessons, you learn how to build a solid fly-casting repertoire. Each lesson focuses on specific problems novices commonly encounter and offers proven solutions to them.

Lesson 1 teaches the roll cast, which builds your intuitive sense of rod-arm mechanics. Lesson 2 details the pick-up-and-lay-down cast, which forms the foundation of all straight-line casting. Each subsequent lesson builds upon skills acquired in the preceding ones, so that you rapidly develop the complete fly-casting skill set, from false-casting and line-hand functions and shooting line, to casting in all planes and rod drift and follow-through, to off-vertical casting from an open stance. A section on hauling is also included.

Master the Cast is an indispensable resource for all beginning fly-fishers, freshwater and saltwater alike, as well as for experienced fly-fishers who want to hone their skills.

"Most fly-fishers cast mechanically without understanding the mechanics of the cast. But understanding precisely what is going on and why is what makes a good caster into an excellent caster. George Roberts understands casting mechanics inside and out, and his Master the Cast will help you do just that."--James R. Babb, editor, Gray's Sporting Journal

Hone your fly-casting skills in just a few hours!

Written by a lifelong fly-fisher, Master the Cast will have you fly casting with confidence, precision, and consistency after only a few hours' practice.

With the help of hundreds of detailed illustrations and photographs that capture all the key elements of the cast, George Roberts breaks the complicated mechanics into a few simple components. He then shows you how to master these in seven concise lessons, each of which adds another skill to your repertoire. You'll quickly master the roll cast, the pick-up-and-lay-down cast, the false cast, and much more.

Praise for George Roberts' A Fly-Fisher's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation

"A book in a class by itself."--Fly Fishing Saltwater

"Thanks to George Roberts, the world of saltwater fly-fishing now has a bible."--Hal Janssen

"It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this book."--The Fly-Tyer's Catalog

"Absolutely essential."--California Fly Fisher

"This is a book to be read and savored."--Islands

"Fascinating . . . a very useful guide."--Salt Water Sportsman

About the Author

George V. Roberts Jr. has been fly-fishing since age seven and now teaches fly casting throughout the country. He is a frequent contributor to Saltwater Fly Fishing, Fly Tyer, and On the Water, among other magazines, and he is the author of A Fly-Fisher's Guide to Saltwater Naturals and Their Imitation, which won the United Fly Tyers' Book of the Year Award for 1994.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 142 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (May 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007137972X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071379724
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,440,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looking good, even if they're not biting...., August 7, 2002

By 

Spencer Carruthers (West Bridgewater, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Master the Cast : Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (Hardcover)

Just as with Ben Hogan's famous Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, understanding the "mechanics" does not always mean you'll shoot lower scores. (I'm a testament to that!)

And by reading this book, doesn't mean you'll catch fish. What it does do however, is give you the confidence, and style, in your cast to make fly-fishing both more enjoyable, and fun. Whether it's golf or fishing, style points count and that's what "Master the Cast" did for me. Follow the drills and cast with confidence! If you own a fly rod, you need this book

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Transformed my casting, March 15, 2011

By 

Hambone - See all my reviews

This review is from: Master the Cast: Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (Paperback)

I happened upon this book in our local library. I have been flyfishing off and on for the last 15 years, even so this book greatly improved my casting. My biggest improvement came in using the flyrod more efficiently. The author really focuses on the basic casting stroke rather than going into detail of all the specialty casts. I didnt realize how bad of a caster I was, until I started to make near effortless casts after reading this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fundamentals and much more - you won't regret buying this book!, June 6, 2010

By 

F. Norman "Mean Bone" (Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Master the Cast: Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (Paperback)

I gave my first book away to a friend who is learning and bought hardback for myself through Amazon. I should buy more to give away!

An excellent book on fundamentals and more that should be in every fly fisherman's (and woman's!) library. For the novice an excellent place to start. For the experienced a great reference to review for curing those little problems that crop up from time to time.

Roberts has extensive experience teaching and it shows in how well he explains what the fly rod does during a properly executed cast and what you need to do accomplish it. When you understand that and experience a properly executed cast a little light goes on as you get a glimpse at the beauty and art of fly fishing.

Once you're grounded in the fundamentals he goes on to clearly explain how to perform proficient casts in varied surroundings and conditions.

Great book! Buy it!

And when you're on your way give it to someone learning and buy another.