Joan Wulff's Dynamics of Fly Casting
By Scott Clayton

As a fly caster I consider myself to be average. I’ve been able to catch enough fish that I haven’t been motivated to push myself to the next level. But after watching people at the Fly-Fishing Retailer show cast so consistently and effortlessly I had the desire to go back and re-learn the fundamentals. I watched Joan Wulff cast every chance I got, in hopes of picking up some little tidbits of information on how to improve my casting ability. She made it look so easy as she would lay out 100 feet of line with what appeared to be the same amount of effort I use to cast 30 feet. But distance is only one of the reasons I wanted to learn to cast better. Consistency and accuracy as well as reducing fatigue, are the other motivating factors. Since I couldn’t take Joan home with me, the next best thing is her video. Now I can spend any evening I want practicing casting with Joan Wulff.

Joan Wulff’s Dynamics of Fly Casting instructional video is approximately 90 minutes long. It is well organized and professionally done. It covers fly casting from solid basics to advanced techniques. It starts with a brief history of Joan Wulff and her accomplishments, which are quite impressive. Joan describes and displays many different casts, among which are the basic cast, the roll cast, reach casting, and the oval cast. Each concept is grouped into chapter format, most lasting from 3 to 6 minutes. This makes it easy to locate and replay specific cast instructions. The chapters are long enough to show how to perform the cast, common mistakes, practical applications (where and when to use the cast) as well as the terms commonly used.

Joan does an excellent job of explaining fly fishing terminology from rod and line materials to the mechanics involved in each cast. She also gives a description of how to grip the rod, and why. Her effortless demonstrations show that you don’t have to be strong in order to cast well. In fact timing is much more important than strength. She emphasizes ways to reduce the number of casts necessary to catch fish, including suggestions for reducing fatigue in the hand, wrist, and arm. She covers common streamside obstacles like wind, drag, and dense cover. In addition, she explains how to cast for distance and how to handle weighted or wind resistant flies. She also gives many useful practice exercises, some which can be done indoors. Her emphasis on seeing and feeling your cast is very easy to grasp when following her exercises, especially in the horizontal plane.

Joan’s mix of effortless examples, humor, and practice exercises make this video a must have for anyone wishing to improve their casting ability, including those who've never fly fished before. Anyone who has never cast a fly rod will, after following Joan’s instructions, understand the terminology and mechanics necessary to successfully cast a fly. For those who’ve fly fished before, Joan does an excellent job of explaining how and when to use specific casts. She accurately emphasizes the most important aspect of fly casting: PRACTICE. Her practice exercises are simple and practical; most of them can be performed in or around your home.

As a companion to this video I recommend Fly-O. Fly-O is a 3-ft. long practice rod that uses heavy yarn for line. It does a nice job of simulating the stroke necessary to cast a regular fly rod, and it can be used indoors. As I was watching this video my six-year-old son sat down with me, and using Fly-O, was quickly able to cast a nice loop. I found myself practicing casting with both hands using Fly-O. With this video and Fly-O you'll be able to polish your casting stroke through the winter in the comfort of your own home.

Joan Wulff’s Dynamics of Fly Casting video was produced by Miracle Productions and Down East Books. It retails for $24.95, plus $3.95 shipping and handling, and is well worth it. Fly-O retails for $29.95, and can be purchased from Royal Wulff Products.

Scott Clayton is the Fly Fishing Editor at GearReview.com.

For more information, contact:
Wulff Video/Down East Books
P.O. Box 679
Camden, ME 04843
800-685-7962

Royal Wulff Products
3 Main Street, Box 948
Livingston Manor, NY 12758
800-328-3638
info@royalwulff.com