Shawn wrote:
..... Keeping your stroke level seems to be the best way to keep your line from dropping below itself. Dropping your hand below the level point on either the fore stroke or backstroke is what causes a tailing loop no? 
Shawn, the most common cause for a tailing loop
is moving the casting hand back and forth on the same horizontal plane. The rod tip will not follow the corresponding horizontal plane as the hand (unless you're using a broom handle). As the rod is loaded the tip points down, as the rod is unloaded the tip moves upward, travelling in a concave arc. Thus, the line goes in the downward direction and then, following the upward motion, goes in an entirly different direction. This causes the forward traveling line to cross itself, which in turn can catch the rod, line, and/or form a loop which the fly goes through causing a "wind knot". The basic Overhead Cast is properly executed with the casting hand moving upward and back (from about the waist to no higher than the ear) and then moving forward and down; like a Karate chop.
Another common cause for a tailing loop would be a high back cast with a high foreward cast, Pile Cast. In order to keep the cast high, the forward cast is again in an upward direction, causing a tailing loop.
So, the "logic" comes from understanding that the plane the rod moves is entirely different than the plane in which the line moves. The rod plane could be back and forth in the vertical plane, the basic Overhead cast, or on a horizontal plane, a Sidearm cast, or any plane in between. The line plane, on the other hand, is the path in which the line travels back and forth whilst in the air. When the basic Overhead cast is executed perfectly (where the rod tip
does travel straight back and straight forward) the backward and forward line planes are seperated by 180º. When the rod tip is moving through a concave arc the line planes are seperated by less than 180º. Conversely, when the rod tip goes through a convex arc (tailing loop), the line planes are seperated by more than 180º, the so called "beginners cast".
By implementing an elliptical casting stroke, the rod begins on one plane at the start of the back cast, re-orientated at the end of the back cast, and the rod brought through an entirely different plane on the forward cast. If you begin your back cast with the rod angled off of vertical then move it back to vertical to begin your forward cast and complete it thusly, the resultant rod plane is elliptical in shape. Since the rod planes change during the cast, the line planes also change; changing their effect on the cast. In other words, you can perform the above mentioned casting stroke with a high back cast
and a high forward cast and not get a tailing loop.
The elliptical stroke will also help to execute a perfect Steeple Cast, any change of direction casts, and for those who use split shot, it’s a real boon. Since gravity is in play here, any side arm cast where any length is needed it’s pretty common for the fly (at best) to slap the water behind you. To eliminate that from happening, perform the elliptical stroke with one slight variation. At the end of your backstroke rotate the wrist up and around to bring the rod to vertical. This wrist movement will impart an upward climbing curve is put into the line as it’s moving back. It is a very pretty back cast that will keep your line in the air and off the water.
I'm not saying that an elliptical stroke is the total solution to the complex nature of throwing a line, but it sure makes things easier...FWIW.
Dano
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Did I ever tell you about the Orangutan in the zoo that wouldn't breed??? 
