V-shape loops are more aerodynamic than U-shape. The way to create a V-shaped loop is to relax the hand immediately after the stop. Without relaxing the hand the rod tip continues to travel forwards creating the U-shape.

Incidentally, relaxing the hand is also important for removing bounce from the rod tip. All rods bounce to a certain extent after the stop. The better the rod the less the bounce. However by relaxing the hand after the stop, the bounce is minimalized as there is nothing to for the rod to bounce against! Orvis have a series of rods, called the Trident series, which boasts a patented dampening system beneath the handle. This is an interesting marketing concept as you already have your own dampening system outside the handle.

It is possible to vary the position of the point in the loop. Some casters try to position the point at the bottom of the loop. Others put it in the middle, yet others position the point at the top.

It may not be the whole story, but I haven't met anyone else who's gotten into this stuff, although I have read a short article on it somewhere - sorry, can't remember where... think it was a Kiwi fishing magazine - but the article did nothing more than refer to the shape of the loops and describe the point at the bottom as a rat's snout cast, and it was a long time ago, and I never met the fellow, but the way I achieve the different loop formations is by varying the angle I use to cast the rod. Up to now I haven't used the clock face - too restrictive - but by casting between 12 o'clock and 10 o'clock I get to put the point at the bottom of the loop and by casting between 2 o' clock and 12 I get to put the point at the top and I can still get a horizontal line at the top of the loop so long as I drop my elbow in the forward stroke in order to maintain that horizontal path of the rod tip that I require. However this might not be the whole story, perhaps the angle of the backcast plays a part, and perhaps the angle the rod tip travels as is unbends plays a part, don't know, but when I do, you'll be the next to find out...

One way to effectively practice these loops is to cast with very short lengths of line (8yrds and less).

Although opinion varies, I prefer to position the point at the top for most of my distance casting. This is because the shape of this loop acts as a wedge, keeping the line in the air for slightly longer.

For into-the-wind casting it is advisable to put the point as near the bottom of the loop as possible, for two reasons: the first is that the wind will be less able to get under the loop, the second is that you need that high back cast for casting into the wind.