The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Kevanf1 wrote:Look on You Tube for 'walliswizard'. It's my mate Glenn and he's done a couple of very nice, very simple videos of how to Wallis cast. The best advice I can give anybody is think of the Chinese exercise of 'tai chi'. The one where you see rows of people in the park gently waving their arms while twisting around? Start to learn your Wallis cast technique slowly and deliberately and gradually build it up from that. Practice, practice, practice.

They are good vids. It is just practice practice practice.

Also some vids of some american chap on YouTube that were pretty good.
holding yer tackle in your left hand at the start of the cast (oooh matron!) Is (i think) really important. As WM says, it gives a sort of slingshot thing to cast-good way of putting it that.

On the to do list for this season!

St.John wrote: Edited to remove a post that could have been construed as bragging/arrogant. Sorry. This is not the place for who done what etc and I appologize if I came across as more of a tosser than I usually do!

Spoken like a real man and true gentleman if I may so. Well done sir

RightCharlie wrote:On the to do list for this season!

You will not regret it. I find it almost as much fun Wally casting as I do actually fishing. Does that sound strange? I have also, in the past attempted the almost mythical overhead Wally cast. I think I managed it once or twice in about ten casts. Again, though, highly enjoyable.

When you start practising, 'RightCharlie' just stay calm. Don't aim for the horizon to start with just be happy with a foot or two further than your rod tip. Build it up from there and be prepared for some tangles. It happens. Accept it and move on. Practise until it is no longer fun and then take a break. Have a cup of tea, sit down, relax then try again. If you are getting frustrated pull a few loops of line off and cast that way. The Wallis cast is just another method of casting from a pin but it is not the be all and end all. Don't let it spoil your enjoyment of using a pin if you can't get the hang of it.

What he said!

I must stress that I am certainly no expert. I merely enjoy Wallis casting as poor as I am at conducting it

Thanks for the encouragement, can't wait for the snow to melt and give it go!

The danger there is that, while the loop from between the rings is being used up, the reel is shedding loose line - and the devil will leave any number of idle hands alone if he spots slack line to find mischief for!
The whole point of the Wallis cast is to have line running off the reel as the rig flies out, but in a controlled manner, which is why we keep the thumb acting as a pulley, and smoothly bring the thumb back into line between reel and butt ring, allowing the running loop to shrink smoothly, and denying it the chance to tangle up. We hope!

I have the line passing through my palm, with my hand cupped, holding the last split shot in finger and thumb. Found I get a bit more control like that.