Fly-fishing isn't difficult. This fine loop came from a young girl who just started fly-fishing the day this photo was taken. Photo by John R. Gantner.

You move the hand and arm behind you, and stop the movement abruptly. This causes the rod tip to continue traveling to the rear while the rod grip stays stationary in the caster's hand. Repeat the move-and-stop motion out in front of you. As the caster stops the motion, the rod tip unbends, or unloads, forward, shooting the line out and dragging the fly to the target.

You get extra distance by timing -- using a more abrupt speed-up-and-stop -- rather than sheer strength. You'll actually lose distance by trying to power the fly farther. You'll also lose distance with excessive wrist movement.

If this seems complex or confusing in the written word, it's not in practice.

With a little time with a casting instructor or competent fly-fishing friend, you'll understand the basics of the cast. Practice a bit on the lawn, and you're ready to fish.

Many great DVDs are available to show you the proper cast. Most fly shops will offer casting help, and most fly-fishers are happy to take the time to work with a beginner on the basics of the cast.

I've helped many neophytes with their casting both on the stream and on the lawn of campgrounds wherever I travel.

Moreover, you don't need to be a great caster to enjoy fly-fishing.

You'll very seldom have to make long casts. Most fish are caught with casts of 20 to 40 feet, a feat you can master with a little practice.

You can learn the 20-foot cast the first day. Then limit your fishing to smaller streams or fish lakes from a boat. Adjust your position relative to the target to allow short casts to the prey.

Don't be tempted to try longer casts until you are fully comfortable with short casts. The newbie will invariably try to muscle, or power, the longer cast with arm or wrist rather than with timing and a good speed-up-and-stop casting motion. That leads to frustration. Take it slow.

THE TARGET: LOCATING FISH
June is when many of our streams clear and insects hatch. With it come great fly-fishing opportunities. Once you have down the basic casting stroke, you need to find fish.

It is said that 10 percent of the anglers catch 90 percent of the fish. That's not surprising when one considers that perhaps 90 percent of the feeding fish hold in 10 percent of the water, whether it is streams or lakes. How to eliminate the 90 percent unproductive water is the means to becoming a good fly-angler.

To do this you need to mentally break the water into vertical sections -- top to bottom -- and horizontal sections -- bank to bank.

Let's start with the water column top to bottom. Where are the fish feeding? Look at the water. Now, take a real good, long look at the water. Are there blips, circles or splashes on the surface indicating fish feeding near the top? If there are, try a dry fly, one that is designed to stay afloat and imitate the winged adult insect.

If not, can you see the flashes and side-streaks of fish taking food in the weeds? If so, or if you find no signs of feeding fish, start on the bottom with a weighted bottom-bouncing nymph fly.

Now let's inspect the river, bank to bank. If we can't actually target surface feeding fish, which is our prime endeavor, then we will fish where we know fish tend to stay when feeding.