There are two kinds of muscle tension in fly casting, good and bad.

Do you squeeze the grip of the fly rod when you cast? At some point, you should be. I’ve seen a lot of casters who use a white knuckle grip when they cast. You can’t make a good cast that way. It’s important to be loose and relaxed when you’re casting, but if your grip doesn’t tighten at the end of the stroke, you’re leaving casting power on the table.

A good fly caster’s grip pulses with the cast, becoming firm at the end of both the forward and back strokes. Not just the grip but the muscles of the arm and core should come tight for an effective stop. It’s all about timing and when you get it right, the line just goes.

Watch the video for some tips on muscle tension in the fly cast.