Bring tackle that makes the test easier rather than tackle that fishes well. The exam rewards clean loops and an abrupt stop.

What the instructor says

• A fairly fast 6 or 7 weight, with a long orange line. Soft rods throw tailing loops much easier; the head needs at least 42 to 45 ft, maybe longer, and his pick is the Ballistic. Stiff saltwater line is out.
• An 8 ft leader and an inch of yarn. The minimum is 7.5 ft; his is exactly 8 ft so torn yarn can be re-tied. The fly is polypropylene, tied in the middle with three overhand knots.
• The smallest, lightest reel you can find. Mass keeps travelling after the stop and torques the rod down; a 7 weight line on a 4, 5 or 6 weight reel, with no backing, is plenty at $45 to $50.
• A roll cast tool. The test says specifically you can use one, and nobody will hold it against you; the object is to pass.

Putting it to work

1. Spit on the yarn when it is windy: it gets a little heavier, then dries during the next tasks.
2. Keep the yarn skinny but fairly long so you can see it against the cone at 45 and 50 ft.
3. Check the leader after every tangle, not just before the test.

Source

From the FFI CI walkthrough series by Dayle Mazzarella (Chapter 3 — FFI Casting Instructor Certification Tasks, Fly Fishing Coach International), lesson 1 part 1, 00:01:46–00:06:12. See the video library for the series and the CI exam section for the tasks; terms follow the FFI Fly Casting Definitions.