In fly casting, as with golf, it all starts with your grip.
If you’re not a golfer, or if you dislike golf for whatever reason, you’re welcome to blow off what I’m about to say. But understand that golf and fly fishing are very similar for many reasons beyond their ancestral roots. Both sports appeal to type-A “problem solvers” who like a game that’s really played between the ears more than with brawn. And both are great tests of what a person might achieve by way of accuracy with a simple stick in hand.
When I find my golf game asunder, and come to the hard realization that I cannot fix the problems by myself (oh, I try… only to figure out that I’m only cementing flaws in my swing) I get smart enough to ask for instructional help from a pro.
Every single talented golf pro I’ve ever worked with starts in the same dang place… the grip. How you hold the club in your hands affects everything.
I’d humbly suggest that it’s the same when it comes to casting a fly rod.
You want to hold that rod with gentle tension, as if you’re cradling a little bird in hand (see Harvey Penick). Your thumb is the key; you want to be looking over your thumbnail as you deliver the cast on target.
The shape of the grip on your fly rod makes a huge difference. Factory-produced fly rods come with different grip shapes, and I think the shape of the grip can have as much to do with the casting action of a fly rod as its length, taper and even the materials that give it a “fast,” “medium” or “slow” action.
The most common production grip for trout rods these days is the “half wells,” flared at the butt, with a bump in the middle, tapered down up front. A “full wells” is flared at both ends, so you can rest that thumb on an incline, inviting a tad more power in the stroke. A cigar grip has no flares or lumps—just a smooth taper, thicker in back, tapered at the front.
What works best is entirely up to the individual. I know bonefish aficionados who crave cigar grips, and bamboo crafters who swear by a full wells grip (albeit slimmer in diameter).
For me, I’ve found that the half wells is right for throwing a 9-foot 5-weight. I like to put a little juice in the thumb when I’m bombing longer casts and banging hoppers on the bank. The full wells is a saltwater grip for me, though to be honest, I fish full wells on bamboo. I also like a fighting butt section below the reel seat for my saltwater rods. The cigar grip is generally intended for delicate presentations, when I have to ease off the throttle a bit. In fact, sometimes, with a cigar grip (especially 4-weights and lighter), I’ll put my index finger on top of the cork (as Lee Wulff did) and point casts for the sake of accuracy.
Spey casting is a completely different discussion, but I will say that, as a right-handed caster who realizes my left hand is the engine and my right hand is the steering wheel as I cast with two hands, I prefer an elongated lower grip and larger bulb on the spey rods.
The point is that I encourage you to be you and find your comfort zone, and instead of accepting off-the-shelf rod grips for what they are—do not be afraid to customize or modify (even add weatherproof golfer’s grip tape if it helps), and for sure scrutinize and work with the grip before you buy or build any rod.
Great casting begins and ends, right in your own hand. If you’re not shaking hands comfortably, like you would with an old friend, that grip, and that rod, isn’t right for you.