The better your casting, the more and fun you'll have and the more relaxed you'll be on the water. Pete Kutzer [46:13] is one of the finest casting instructors in the world, and not only that he's one of the finest anglers you meet, which means he teaches casting as a means to have more enjoyable fishing so he's pragmatic and flexible. He practices casting himself almost every day, and he gives us hints on how to practice at home no matter what kind of fishing you end up doing. You'll be glad you did—and so will your guide if you hire one.

I n the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions and helpful tips from listeners, including:

I need a rod for bass fishing as well as throwing streamers for trout. I only have light trout rods. Which rod should I choose?

What is a competition hook and how does it differ from a regular hook?

A good tip on how to make matte beads from shiny gold ones without painting or markers

I know you should not go more than .002" difference when knotting on a tippet. Can I get away from bigger differences in heavy butt material?

I have been fly fishing for 35 years and am looking for a more advanced course. Where should I go?

Do you know anything about fishing in Switzerland?

How can I target carp in dirty water?

I am going Atlantic salmon fishing in Norway. Can I use a single-handed rod even though most people use two-handers?

A tip from a listener on always mashing down the barbs of hooks when fishing with kids.

My line gets twisted when I fish with a dry/dropper arrangement. Is there any way to lessen this?

My tungsten beads crack when I hit my back cast on rocks behind me. Are there beads that are more durable than tungsten?

How can I fish the tails of pools in small streams without getting drag?

I can't get redfish running a surf line to eat my flies. Any suggestions?

Mark Skousen