"Underhand Casting" is Casting Technique of fly fishing ,and born in such a reasonable thought. To be exact, underhand casting is “Straight Line Technique”. Concept is totally different from as usual(progressive line).

1. Underhand Casting
(Straight Line Technique)
Apr. 2015 Kentaro Shimizu

2. Underhand Casting is born in such a reasonable thought
2
Know where fish is
Reduce fish’
caution
Concentrate many
hours on fishing
Minimized sign of human
appearance, noise or action
Fish is always in narrow
and unreachable points
Tireless and fun
Basis of GoranObjective Required for casting
Short/Long casting with a
stroke
Tight loop aiming under the
tree (Shooting head)
Curved/U-shaped line
Compact action
(Short grip & stroke)
Flexibility of angle change
Minimized impact on the
water surface
Effective works of rods
(leverage, elasticity)
Free from line restriction
(elegance, enjoyable)
No backspace
Catch tons
of nice fish
Effective works from a circular
movement (Rotary to straight-line)
･･

3. To be exact, underhand casting is “Straight Line Technique”.
Concept is totally different from as usual(progressive line).
3
(As usual)
Progressive Line Technique
(Underhand casting)
Straight line Technique
Long line(DT,WT) Short line (ST：Shooting Head)
Heavy in total
Changes from its length
(Bent of rods change)
Light in total
Fixed
(Bent of rods do NOT change)
Arms(back and forth)
Extend long and heavy line using arms
or “fall” to throw
Rods(elasticity)
Use elasticity of rods, by stopping rods
before tips of rods drop, to throw
Wide
Draw curve line from rod to loop
Because of long line, line in front of loop
is not tensioned.
Tight
Draw straight line from rod to loop
Because of short line, from the rod to
fly is tensioned.
Line is always tensioned so that whole line will be powerful.
Usage of
lines
Weight of
lines
Movement
of loops
Source
of power

4. The way of holding and throwing a rod is simple and compact
4
Short grip
(leverage)
Short stroke
(elasticity)
Leader touch
(small resistance)
Underhand Casting
(comparison)
Spey Casting
Compact strokes
and stops drive
forces
Narrowing amplitude of
upper and lower rods
(head speed is quicken)
Only leaders touch
the water surface
(line is on the air)
Anchor touch
Anchoring by whole line
Long stroke
Long casting with wide
movements of upper part
Long grip
Casting with
the full of rods

5. Differences: Dominant positions
(Where the center of weight and power on the line?)
5
Dominant positions
(the center of weight and power)
Dominant positions
(the center of weight and power)
Underhand Casting
＝ Upper side (air)
No control needed to the lower
side, once the upper side is
controlled.
Spey Casting
＝ Lower side (water surface)
Inevitable large source of power
and rough touch to the water surface
is needed to control the lower
side as strong water resistance exists.
Underhand Casting
Leader
Upper side (controlled)
Lower side
Water surface
Spey Casting
Leader
Upper side
Lower side(controlled)
Water surface
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

6. (Reference) Points in common/difference (underhand, spey,
overhead)
6
Point
dominance/
touch Dynamics
Straight
Circle
↓
Straight
Lower
/
Anchor
Upper
/
None
Upper
/
Leader
Underhand
Spey
Overhead
Droop line
Straight and
tight line
Straight and
tight line
Circle
↓
Straight
Impossible to change angle
Backspace needed
Free angle
No backspace needed
Underhand Casting
Spey Casting
Overhead(Back)Casting
Upper side
(controlled)
Lower side
Water surface
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

7. Common mistakes
7
Left straight movement
• Hands move back and forth
• Hands move up and down
(Line does NOT become tensioned)
Casting by wrists
• Emphasized on wrists
• Strong grip
(Power does not reach to rod)
Shoot = Throwing
• Flies move with momentum
(Fall from line, less leap, wide loop)
Incorrect Correct
Make circular movement
• Shoot converts a big rotary to
forward rotary.
• Right hand positions slightly changes.
• Use Lower part of rods on Double
hands.
Image soma & soft grip
• Move from near soma (body,
shoulders, elbows)
• Feel to bend rods
• Grip softly
• Elbows direct 5,6 o’clock when shoot
Shoot＝Early stopping
• Concentrate early stopping
• Image the same position and shape
as lift
• Open grip-end

8. Common mistakes in advanced poles
(anyone can be subjected)
8
Too fast (tempo)
• Strong lift
• Half circle in a hurry
• Shoot as soon as line flies
• Tempo of forward and backward
Slowly, elegance
Small stroke, stop
Tight the side, Bring Elbows
to near the body
Too big (actions)
• Half circle made with emphasized
action by a right arm
• Large swing for drift
• Large hand casting on shoot
Far away (body positioning)
• A rod moves away from the body
• The side opens
• An elbow is away from the body
Incorrect Correct
• Stroke is made only by elbows (5 to 6
o’clock)
• Forwarding power is from the stop
• Lift and shoot stop are at the same position
• Right hand is in front of right side of belly
• Arms are near to body and in a lower position
• Back casting is just a side of right ear
• Cast as if an elder plays

9. Image: Underhand Casting
9
Image of Underhand Casting: 1
Imagine whole process of underhand casting
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

10. Image: Underhand Casting
10
Leader touch has to be
achieved to bend rods
Stop the rod early
to use its elasticity
Achieve this movement
precisely to tension line
When the height is
the same,
it will be tight loop
Effective casting achieved
when whole line is on the air
Image of Underhand Casting: 2
Learn simultaneous action and important features.
A. Lift B. Body turn C. Half circle D. Back stop E. Drift F. Leader touch
G. Shoot
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
Water surface
B. 15°Body turn
A. Lift
C. Half circle
D.Backstop
E. Drift
F. Leader touch
Leader
Leader remains…
G. Shoot
Bend a rod, then, try to drift
with taking a side glance of
late entry of line
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

11. Grip
Instructions
(Single hand)
• Put a thumb and an index finger to
the rod gently
• Support the rod with a third and a little finger
(Double hands)
• Make OK-shape for the upper hand
• Use a thumb and an index finger
for the lower hand
• Short grip
Cautions
• Grasp strongly ×
(Single hand)
• A thumb and an index finger toward to above
(Double hands)
• Wide grip ×
11
×
Emphasis on this
point
Use a thumb and an index finger
to grasp the rod and use a
middle finger to hang line.
Other fingers are just for
supporting.
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

12. Stand
Instructions
• Stand with relaxing as if your hands are
in pockets
• Line up feet, bend a right knee softly
and toward toes where you want to cast
• Grip the rod gently
• Tight the side, stretch arms among your
body
• A head exceeds from the top guide
Cautions
• Strain to throw ×
• Grasp the grip strongly ×
12
A tip goes down
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

13. Lift
Instructions
• Tight sides and bend elbows to lift
• Hands remain a lower position as “lift”
motion only achieved by under elbows
• Slow and straight
(Single hand)
• Feel weight on a third and a little finger
• Decide the grip angle without using wrists
(keep the same grip angle afterwards)
Meanings of actions
• Angle between the rod and line is 90
• Prepare next casting with tensioned line
Cautions
• Open sides and move elbows to lift ×
• Quick lift ×
• Lift with wrists ×
• Lift with the whole body ×
13
No motion from
shoulders to elbows!
Use only
elbows or lower
○
Slowly
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

14. Body turn
Instructions
• Open the upper half of the body 15 toward to
upstream
• Keep the same position after lift
• Imagine differences between lift and body turn
• Use parallel motion for a rod tip
Meanings of actions
• Introduction to enable a stable control for fly line and a
leader that start to move widely
(stability control of line which getting flying)
Cautions
• Omission ×
• Pulling ×
• Lift and turn the body at the same time ×
14
Lift
Body turn
○
Feet do not move
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

15. Half circle
Instructions
• Keep a rod tip the same height
• Action in lower position
• Bend the rod widely
(Use the whole body may help in Single hand.
Getting slower opening to a right side when
starting to move a right hand also may help to
achieve a stable rod tip control)
Meanings of actions
• Circular movement is the source of
power to line
Cautions
• Hands are above ×
(Both hands go up when use
Double hands)
• Unstable height of
the rod tip ×
• The rod does not bend ×
15Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

16. Back stop
16
Instructions
• Stop the rod consciously
• Aim the side of ears to stop
• Watch flying line carefully
Meanings of actions
• To control time lag between line
and the rod. In a Half circle, line is
flying when back stop actions
Cautions
• The rod is not stopped ×
• Line is not taken care or seen ×
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

17. Drift
Instructions
• Go up elbows (6 to 5 o’clock)
• Bring the rod hand to an elbow slightly
• Rotate a shoulder
Meanings of actions
• Preparation to shoot
Cautions
• Going up an arm ×
(An action goes to not above but back side)
• Line is not taken care or seen ×
17
2: An elbow goes up
slightly
1: A rod
goes to
the side
5 o’clock6 o’clock
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

18. Leader touch
Instructions
• This is not an “physical” action, but “check”
action when the leader touch the water surface
• A leader and line touch the water surface in a
straight line
• Where the leader touch is changed depending
on a situation
Meanings of actions
• The power of water resistance which come
from the leader, as it is on the water surface,
enables to bend the rod effectively when you
shoot.
Cautions
• Whole of fly line touches water ×
(Only the leader will touch the water surface.
This is the difference between Spey and
Underhand)
• Line is not taken care or seen ×
18Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

19. Shoot
Instructions
• Go elbows down and tight the side
• Shoot equals “rod stop”
• Stop early(near to the side and above)
• Shape the same as lift
• Open wrists
• Use a little finger when Single hand slightly
Meanings of actions
• An action to throw line by using elasticity
from the rod, which has been bent from
leader touch
• Line goes to an unexpected way unless
the rod is stopped correctly
Cautions
• Arms forward ×
• A body goes back and forth / gross
movement ×
• Too late to stop(too much casting) ×
19
Loop will be tight when start and stop are
in a straight line.
A tip has not be too low
A rod tip moves in a straight line
A tip moves a long distance
Support point
5 o’clock6 o’clock
Reference: The basic underhand casting（TIEMCO）

20. Fin.