The task

Casting 40 ft (12.2 m), demonstrate narrow loop and wide loop roll casts. The D-loop must be formed slowly enough that the line does not leave the surface and stops moving backwards prior to the forward cast. The D-loop must not extend more than one arm plus one rod length behind you. Stepping forward or backward during formation of the D-loop is not permitted.

Required performance standards

General performance standards apply to every task — narrow loops (≤ 4 ft, measured 3–4 ft back from the nose), a straight fly leg, loops similar front and back and approximately in-plane, a line and leader that unroll completely, no ticking, and slow to medium line speed. See the exam overview for the full list.

• The wide loop may have a convex fly leg.
• The fly line and leader are not required to unroll completely or be relatively straight for the wide loop roll cast.
• The differences in size and shape of the narrow and wide loops must be sufficient to be obvious to a student.

How to pass it

• Slow the D-loop right down and let the line stop moving backwards before the forward cast — this is the single most common failure in the roll-cast tasks.
• Keep the D-loop inside one arm plus one rod length behind you; measure it once in practice so you know what that feels like.
• Do not step forward or backward while forming the D-loop.
• The difference between narrow and wide must be obvious to a student — that is the standard, so make it big.
• If you are on water, remember the 180 degree principle and a clean anchor.

Drills

• D-loop timing drill: form, pause, count one second, then deliver.
• Mark an arm-plus-rod length behind you and check the D-loop against it.
• Alternate narrow and wide deliveries, three of each, on grass with a simulated anchor.