Fly Casting Distance Baselines (2024)

Posted by: Rob Boughton (---.rasserver.net)

As I'm building more and more fly rods and test casting them, I built a little range in my backyard with markers at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 feet.

My question is for each given fly line weight, say in weights 3-10, what is considered a short, average, and long cast. And are these distances calculated from rod tip to leader connection or from my hand to the fly, etc?

I'm just looking for a baseline in which to test finished products and verify CC ratings and ranges. A 5wt for example, is 20 ft short, 30-50ft average, and 50+ considered a long cast? Is a 60ft considered a really long cast for that weight or is that more in the upper moderate range? For a saltwater 9 wt, is an average range 40-70ft and 80+ long or super long, etc?

Consider your baseline from another angle--what will this line be carrying(fly size/weight). How windy can it be?
I think you will find that you will achieve practically the same distance results from rods with a similar action in line wts. 4-8 maybe 9. At least with a small yarn fly and no wind.
Now add a sz.2 deciever and a given moderate to strong wind,and you may be looking at your 8 wt,wishing you had brought the 9.
Even on a small lake or stream,wind can make you put down the 4wt for a 6wt in a hurry. The stream you love to dry fly with a 3wt or 4wt will probably require a 5wt or 6wt for buggers and weighted nymphs and streamers. Yes you can probably get by with the 4wt,but in the wind it's not worth the aggravation. At least,this is how I have found it to be. Actual milage may vary.
Alex

Posted by: Steve Kartalia (---.ferc.gov)

People really use their rods in different ways so it's hard to say what is typical or average for a certain line wt. designation. Really, that's the problem with many of the rod manufacturer's ratings. How do they know how I'm going to fish my 4wt?

One thing for sure, if you want to get an idea how it will fish, use a leader, split shot, dummy fly etc. to really simulate fishing conditions. For me, my standard fishing is a #8 wooly bugger, 1 BB split shot, and 25' of actual line past the tip plus the leader. So, I have a #8 wooly bugger with the hook snipped off at the bend and that's how I test cast - split shot and everything out in the yard.

I'd say your general assumptions are about right, as far as an average is concerned. The overall average fly casting distance is from about 30 to 50 feet. Most guys will tell you that's about the range they cast and fish in.

In some situations, of course, you find yourself needing to fish at shorter or longer ranges. Considering how the AFTMA line weight standards have been set, you can consider anything where you're aerializing less than 30 feet of line (not counting leader length) to be short. Anything where you aerialize more than about 50 feet of line will be considered long.

Now it gets confusing. The rod manufacturers have long ago ditched the old idea of rating all rods for the line that loads them at a specific distance. Each maker will try to guess what a particular rod will be used for. A manufacturer may consider a 7' 4-weight rod to be a tool that will be used on small streams and only for close in casting. Thus, a 20 feet cast with a 4-weight line will be considered "average" and is why the rod is rated as it is. On the other hand, the same manufacturer will turn around and decide that his 9' 9-weight will need to be cast an average of 75 feet to do what he thinks is going to be done with it. So you have one rod where the average use may be considered 20 feet, and another where the average is considered 75 feet. But they don't really spell this out for you.

If you use the Common Cents System measurements as ERN = ELN, then you'd be back to what the AFTMA line weight system generally regarded as average casting distances for all rods. With this, 30 to perhaps 40 feet of line aerialized (not total casting distance, but aerialized) should load the rod for the average caster. In closer, upline by one. Out farther, downline by one.

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Posted by: Mike Kosiba (---.Level3.net)

For some interesting thoughts on casting distance with fly rods check out the Fly Fishing Forum at www.faol.com

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