Start Competing

Start Competing

Rickard Gustafsson | Saturday, 21 December 2024

Last time I wrote about my journey with Paul, I stopped just before we began preparing for competitions. At the time, I didn’t know when my first competition would be, so I felt a constant rush to get ready throughout the entire preparation phase. Had I known from the start that it would be about six months until my first competition, I would have been more relaxed.

That feeling of being in a hurry persisted throughout the competition season. My first competition was on May 25, followed by just a few days to prepare for another in Piteå on June 8. Then, only a couple of days after that competition, I received a phone call offering me a spot on the Swedish team for the World Championships in August.

The preparations for my first competition weren’t particularly exciting to write about. It mostly involved casting practice, learning how to execute the trout accuracy start correctly, and training to deliver a solid cast within a few minutes instead of over an entire session. So instead, I’ll share some general advice about competing.

If you’re thinking about competing in fly casting—or any other sport—start as soon as possible. You won’t perform as well as you expect in your first competitions, but competing is a skill that can only be developed by actually competing.

When you do compete, focus primarily on competing with yourself. Strive to be a bit better than you were in your previous competition. Starting early gives you time to improve steadily before reaching the point where progress slows significantly.

Be prepared by keeping your equipment organized. Make checklists for everything: what you need to bring, what you need to prepare, and what to expect. Train in conditions similar to those of the competition. For instance, I didn’t bring sunglasses to my first competition. I hadn’t considered how it would feel to cast trout accuracy while wearing my regular clear glasses over water early in the day. Fortunately, I scored enough to make it to the finals and had another shot later that day. I ended up borrowing a pair of sunglasses, which I balanced in front of my regular glasses. Looking back, I should have worn contact lenses so I could use sunglasses or bought a pair of prescription sunglasses.

Write your checklists well in advance so you have time to notice and address anything that might be missing.

Keep your equipment as organized as possible during the competition. You don’t want to scramble around looking for glasses, extra fluff, or other items right before stepping onto the platform. Also, keep an eye on your coffee pot so it doesn’t mysteriously disappear when you need it most!

Another reason to start competing as soon as possible is the social aspect. Fly casters are incredibly fun to hang out with—a welcoming and helpful community.

In Sweden, I recommend checking out the organization Det Perfekta Kastet. We’re working on improving the organization and arranging some meets during 2025. If you’re in Britain, take a look at the BFCC (British Fly Casting Club). They host fantastic meets where you can compete and get help with your casting. I’ve traveled from Sweden to attend one of their meets, and I’ll gladly do it again.

Cheers,

Rickard

PoD: The actual double glasses from my first competition.