Kirk,
I have the same problem on my 9ft 9wt sometimes and have been trying to rid myself
of it, I am just a beginner, but have noticed a couple of things which help me.
1. One of the video's I watched advised the caster to drop the tip a bit on the
forward cast right after the stop is completed, this does help help me maintain
tight loops without a tail when kindof lazily clearing the head of the line.
2. I get more tailing loops and knots when I am tired and trying too hard, these
have been the hardest to avoid, and I think they are caused by overpowering
and taking too big a haul early on in the stroke as well as widening the stroke on
the backcast, but not the foreward cast. I can see the forward cast, so I know I am
not going any farther than usual there, but I am probably lengthening it to the
back as if I was throwing a baseball harder, if you know what I mean.
3. Sidearm casting (say 10 o'clock) seems to help a bit, but I can't cast as far
that way
4. In some article I read extolling the virtues of the zap-a-gap
connection from leader to line, the writer made the point that the leader to
line connection stiffness and leader butt size/stiffness has a lot to do with
tailing loops. Properly matching fly line and leader I'll buy, but not sure
the connection matters. I just recently switched my line from a nail knot connection
to a whipped loop in the line, I did notice a few more tailing loops, but i don't
think it was due to hinging on the loops, but you never know, I just thought I would
mention it.
The Sci Anglers Doug Swisher casting series has some nice visuals on the loop control
theme and it is available throught the Minuteman library network if you live in
metro-west. Most of the stuff was pretty basic, but I found the visuals helpfull
when trying to help myself. I haven't resorted to videotaping myself cast yet, but
it seems like a logical idea.
You may already be aware of all this stuff, so don't take it as an insult coming
from a rookie like me, you just never know what will help other folks...
Good Luck
Dave