Peter Hayes, the great Australian angler, instructor and competition caster, stopped by recently for a visit and a lengthy casting session. I hadn’t seen him for several years, and while casting at a small target into a stiff headwind he graciously allowed me to video his stroke and post it here.
Peter’s stroke is technically sound, and an excellent model to emulate. As with all great casters, the primary pivot point is the shoulder joint. Peter’s elbow moves up on the backcast and down on the forward cast, which sets his trajectory properly and all but eliminates the chance for a tailing loop, no matter how forceful his stroke. He makes excellent use of his wrist in the second half of each stroke, adding additional line speed to that already created by the upper arm. The rod is kept in one plane throughout the stroke, facilitating great accuracy. Peter uses a casual single haul here on the backcast, more out of routine than necessity, as his stroke is very powerful and at this distance—roughly 40’—he doesn’t need the extra line speed that full-blown hauls (single or double) provide.
As a side note that highlights what a fundamentally sound stroke can accomplish, earlier in our session Peter was casting a short, soft bamboo rod and 22′ leader with a 7′ tippet. He turned it over with no problems, even into the wind. No small feat, that.