Fly Fishing Stance

It may seem obvious, but when you start out fly fishing you need to know the basics, which are about good casting and learning to grip or hold a rod correctly. In addition you need to know how to stand correctly for maximum comfort and balance. In this sense it’s not unlike golf - poor stance equals poor performance.

The basic, conventional fly casting stance is that you put your foot below your casting arm shoulder and slightly in front of the other foot. When you cast with the right hand, the right foot should therefore be slightly forward. But if you are casting backhanded (by using the right hand to cast over your left shoulder), your left shoulder and left foot need to be forward.

Keep your feet slightly apart. This affords you good balance and stablility. It also allows you to transfer your body weight between and during casts. Not that this will always be feasible; it will very much depend on the terrain and the waters you are fishing, not to mention weather conditions and a host of other factors that may devolve against the ideal situation.

The open stance is opposite to the orthodox stance, and is used mainly for distance casting. It allows you to turn your head to watch your back cast without moving or turning your shoulder. After all, fly fishing isn’t a dance contest!