It surprises me a little that when I ask my casting course students whether they know what 'swoop' is in fly casting. They look back with blank faces. I can assure you that unless you fully understand swoop you will never be a seriously good caster. Swoop is of paramount importance in both long casting and roll casting. Roll casting can, and will, become your favorite cast if you understand and practice swoop.

Let me try to explain. In fly casting when you are striving for greater distance there are two main considerations when throwing the forward cast.

The first is that the rod tip travels as far as it can possibly go from the furthermost rear position to the furthermost forward position. Think of throwing a stone or a ball. A long hand stroke will produce a more powerful throw and hence a greater distance. A cricketer doesn't throw a ball from the boundary to the stumps with the hand and arm stroke of a dart player does he?

During this movement we are obviously building an increasing bend into the rod as we move it forward against the weight of the line. It's this bend that produces the catapulting effect we love.

The second, and also very important consideration, is that the rod tip must travel this long distance in a straight line. Inexperienced casters will often 'dome' the tip over on the forward cast, or worse still, around the side as well. The straighter line the tip moves in, the more powerful the cast.

Enter - 'Swoop'. What path should your hand take for the forward cast? You probably realise it should not take a convex path - that would produce the domed rod tip movement. Most people when asked say that your hand should move in a perfectly straight line. This is not true either. Believe it or not, your hand needs to move in a convex path or curve. Get this right and it will produce the most remarkable cast you have ever made.

A simple way for you to see what I mean is for you to try this exercise. Take the top half of your fly rod and standing 1.5 meters away from your lounge room wall scrape the tip up the wall until it meets the corner of the ceiling. This is the cornice. Now, if you have had a half decent builder the cornice should travel forward and back in the long straight line I am talking about. Do you agree? Now move the rod tip as far back along the cornice as you can go. Move it forward as far as you can go. That is a straight line isn't it. Do it again this time watching your hand and elbow position as you do it. Interesting?

Have a think about it then try it with a full rod and 15 meters of line. If you have any trouble almost doubling the line speed and adding 8- 10 meters to your distance you need to come along to one of our regular casting schools in a city near you.

Remember, 'Life's too short to be a bad fly caster'. Practice on water and to a target.