 Casting
I am going to provide you with a basic outline of the cast and also helpful tips to keep in mind. To completely learn how to cast, you are much better off learning from an instructor or from a good book. I would highly recommend Joan Wulff's Fly Casting Techniques. Joan Wulff is a master at the art of flycasting and her teaching methods are very easy to understand. I have provided illustrations of both the forward and back cast. These illustrations have large numbers around their edges that represent the numbers on the face of a clock. When you are practicing, you can think of the clock positions to help determine the proper rod positions. There are two main parts to a cast, the back cast and the forward cast.  The backcast can be broken down into three sections. The first step is to begin moving the rod slowly upward in order to apply tension to the line. The second step is to accelerate the line and then abruptly stop. The third step is to allow the rod to drift back slowly a little bit to prepare for the forward cast. It is very important that you abruptly stop the rod at the 12 o'clock position. When you watch an experienced caster, you may not actually see the stop, but it's definitely there.
 The forward cast can be broken down into two sections. The first step is to accelerate the rod to an abrupt stop. The second step is to follow through to a finish. Again, the abrupt stop at around 11 o'clock is very important. The forward cast power stroke is very similar to a 'karate chop' or the cracking of a whip. The follow through just helps absorb some of the power to allow the line to land quietly.
The Java applet below(56K) should help you picture what everything is supposed to look like. If your browser is unable to view the applet, I have also provide an animated gif version(42k).
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