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In this interview, Casey Stubbs—full-time trader and educator behind TradingStrategyGuides—breaks down how he actually trades and why simplicity wins. He explains his “baseline” approach on weekly charts, why higher timeframes buy you accuracy and time freedom, and how he structures a routine that takes about 15 minutes each Friday to find and place trades. You’ll also hear how Casey thinks about building indicators with collaborators, staying mechanical with a written checklist, and avoiding the common trap of strategy-hopping when emotions run hot.
Read on to learn Casey’s weekly “consolidation → breakout → volume → pattern + moving averages” sequence, how he implements it with options (straight calls or lower-cost bull call spreads), and the exact risk discipline he uses—like cutting size after three consecutive losses and scaling back up only after wins return. You’ll see how he complements the weekly core with a clean 15-minute level-and-pin-bar tactic, uses scanners to surface only the best bases each week, and sets realistic expectations (measured over months, not days) so beginners can stick to a plan long enough to let edge compound.
Casey Stubbs Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Weekly Baseline Framework
Most traders get chopped up on the lower timeframes. Casey solves that by anchoring his decisions to the weekly chart so he only acts on clean, high-quality structure. This slows things down, removes noise, and makes the plan easier to execute consistently.
- Trade selection is made on weekly charts first; execution can happen on daily/15-minute charts only after the weekly setup is valid.
- Only trade symbols showing a clear weekly trend or a tight multi-week base near key moving averages.
- If the weekly chart is messy (wide swings, overlapping candles), skip it—no exceptions.
- Use a simple baseline: price vs. 20/50/200 moving averages and a quick read of weekly volume; no exotic indicators.
- Set alerts at weekly levels instead of staring at screens; if it doesn’t trigger, there is no trade.
Chart Setup & Tools
You don’t need a dozen indicators to trade well. Casey keeps a lean layout that highlights trend, momentum, and levels so decisions are fast and repeatable.
- Keep only: 20/50/200 MAs, volume, ATR(14) on the daily for position sizing, and horizontal S/R lines drawn from weekly swings.
- Color code levels: green for breakouts, red for invalidation, gray for mid-range reference.
- Remove oscillators unless you can state the rule they drive; “interesting” is not a rule.
- Template the workspace so every chart looks identical; reduce cognitive load.
- Save a scanner preset that filters liquid names with rising weekly 20/50 MAs and multi-week consolidations.
Friday Routine & Watchlist Build
Casey’s routine takes minutes because most of the work is rule-based. He does the heavy lifting once a week, then spends the week waiting for the price to come to him.
- Every Friday after the close: run the scanner, tag 10–20 tickers forming clean weekly bases or pullbacks to the 20/50 MA.
- Grade each candidate A/B/C; only A-setups go on the active watchlist for the coming week.
- Pre-plan trigger prices, stop locations, and first targets; save them as alerts.
- If the next week opens with a large gap through your planned entry, stand down and let it settle; don’t chase.
- Archive last week’s watchlist and note what worked/failed for quick feedback loops.
Entry Triggers: Consolidation → Breakout
Entries are not guesses; they’re mechanical. Casey waits for the price to prove itself by leaving a base with confirmation, then he executes without hesitation.
- Primary trigger: break and close above the weekly base high (or daily if executing there) with above-average volume.
- Acceptable substitute: a break of a well-defined daily flag that formed after the weekly signal.
- Entry is placed slightly above the trigger to avoid false ticks; if the price doesn’t trade through, no fill.
- Invalidate the setup on a daily close back into the base or loss of the 20-day MA, whichever comes first.
- Avoid “third-screen” conflicts: if the 15-minute is trending down hard into your daily trigger, let it realign first.
Options Implementation (Stock Alternative)
When Casey wants defined risk and capital efficiency, he uses options—especially on strong weekly names. The key is keeping the options structure as simple as the chart.
- For directional trades, prefer long calls 45–60 DTE, ~0.35–0.45 delta, entered on the breakout day.
- If IV is elevated, use a bull call spread: buy ~0.45 delta, sell ~0.25–0.30 delta in the same expiry.
- Risk per trade equals the premium paid (or net debit for spreads); never “average down” options.
- Exit the long call near the target or on a daily close invalidation; for spreads, take profits at ~60–75% of max value.
- Roll only if the weekly trend is intact and time decay is the only issue; otherwise, close and wait for a new setup.
Risk, Sizing, and Loss Limits
Edge lives or dies in the risk rules. Casey treats position size and loss limits as non-negotiable guardrails that keep him in the game through cold streaks.
- Risk a fixed fraction of equity per trade (e.g., 0.5%–1.0%); calculate size with ATR-based stops daily.
- After three consecutive losing trades in a week, cut the size by half until two wins occur; then step back to normal.
- Daily loss stop: if you hit −1.5R on the day, stop trading; weekly loss stop: −4R, reduce size next week.
- Never move stops wider after entry; only tighten or trail with new structure.
- Correlation cap: max two positions in the same sector/theme at once; treat highly correlated names as one bet.
Stops, Targets, and Trade Management
Casey plans exits before entering, so there’s no guesswork mid-trade. That plan covers protective stops, first profits, and an objective trail.
- Initial stop: just below the base low or the most recent higher low on the daily (not the 15-minute).
- First target (T1): 1.5R–2R; take partials (25–50%) and move stop to breakeven after T1 prints.
- Continue with a swing stop under the 20-day MA or last swing low; whichever comes first triggers the exit.
- Time stop: if price hasn’t progressed one ATR after 10 trading days, close and recycle capital.
- For strong weekly trends, allow a final runner until the weekly candle closes below the 20-week MA.
Secondary 15-Minute Play (In-Trend Add-On)
He occasionally uses a simple intraday pattern to add to a confirmed trend. It keeps adding tight and controlled without turning the system into day trading.
- Only take the 15-minute add if the daily trend is up and the price is above the 20-day MA.
- Trigger: break of a 15-minute micro-base or a pin-bar rejection off a prior daily level.
- Place a tight stop under the 15-minute base; risk ≤ 0.3R of your normal size for adds.
- Scrap the add-on if the 15-minute closes below the micro-base; don’t “give it room.”
- Merge management with the core trade; do not track P&L separately to avoid over-trading.
Clean Setup Criteria (The “A-List” Filter)
Most bad trades start as “almost good.” Casey avoids them by passing setups through a short checklist that kills marginal ideas fast.
- Weekly: trend or tight multi-week base near rising 20/50 MAs.
- Daily: orderly pullback/flag with shrinking range and clean higher-low structure.
- Liquidity: average daily dollar volume ≥ $20M; spreads tight.
- Catalyst optional; if present, it must align with the trend (no fade plays).
- If any one item fails, the setup is a pass—no “but this time” exceptions.
Journaling and Feedback
Improvement is built into the routine. Casey tracks just enough data to refine entries and risk without drowning in spreadsheets.
- Log each trade with ticker, setup type (base, flag, pullback), R risked, outcome in R, and any rule breaks.
- Tag reasons for exits (target, stop, time, trail) to spot which exits deliver the best expectancy.
- Review weekly: one page of notes—what to do more of, less of, and one rule to tighten next week.
- Screenshot the weekly chart at entry and exit to see if the higher-timeframe story stayed intact.
- Delete metrics you don’t use; keep only columns that drive a rule change.
Mindset and Execution Discipline
The edge is the behavior, not the indicator. Casey’s mindset is simple: fewer, better trades executed the same way every time.
- Treat waiting as work; if the setup doesn’t appear, flat is a position.
- Never expand rules mid-trade; improvements happen only in the weekend review.
- Use alerts to avoid screens; if you find yourself hunting, you’re forcing it.
- Celebrate rule-following, not P&L; the money shows up when the process is tight.
- Protect focus: same routine, same checklist, same risk—every week.
Weekly Baseline First: Trade Structure, Not Noise or Predictions
Casey Stubbs starts on the weekly chart, so every trade begins with a clean story, not a hunch. He reads trends, bases, and key moving averages on the higher timeframe to filter out chop. When the weekly picture is aligned, only then does he drop to daily or intraday for execution details. This keeps him from reacting to random wiggles and forces patience until the structure says go.
By treating the weekly as the boss, Casey Stubbs turns decision-making into a checklist instead of a debate. The rule is simple: if the weekly is messy or trendless, skip it even if the lower timeframes look tempting. When the weekly shows a tight base or steady higher lows, he marks levels and sets alerts rather than staring at screens. The result is fewer trades, better timing, and a process that doesn’t rely on prediction to make money.
Risk Size by ATR and Cut After Three Consecutive Losses
Casey Stubbs sizes positions using ATR so every trade risks the same percentage of equity regardless of a ticker’s volatility. He measures the stop distance in ATR units, converts that to dollars at risk, then backs into share or contract size so one loss equals his preset R. This kills the common mistake of oversizing fast movers and undersizing sleepy names, letting the math—not emotion—decide how big to go.
When a cold streak hits, Casey Stubbs doesn’t argue with the market; he shrinks. After three consecutive losing trades, he automatically halves his size until two clean wins reset his footing. The rule protects the equity curve and his headspace, slowing damage while still keeping him engaged. Combined with ATR sizing, it means every outcome is contained and recoverable, which is exactly how consistency survives turbulence.
Allocate by Volatility; Use Options Spreads for Defined Risk
Casey Stubbs allocates risk based on volatility, so each position carries a similar impact regardless of the ticker’s temperament. He prefers to size entries using ATR or implied volatility as the yardstick, then adjusts exposure so a wild mover doesn’t dominate his book. When direction is clear but IV is elevated, Casey chooses defined-risk structures—typically bull call spreads—to cap downside while still participating in upside.
For execution, Casey Stubbs targets liquid expirations 45–60 days out and builds spreads with a bought call around 0.40–0.50 delta and a short call near 0.25–0.30 delta. He treats the net debit as max risk, aims to take profits at roughly 60–75% of the spread’s maximum value, and exits early if the daily close invalidates the weekly setup. If IV collapses after entry and price stalls, he takes the gift and moves on; if the trend persists, he lets the spread work while time decay helps. Defined risk keeps losses knowable, volatility-based allocation keeps bets balanced, and together they produce steadier equity curves without guesswork.
Diversify Across Symbols, Setups, and Timeframes to Smooth Equity Curve
Casey Stubbs spreads risk so no single idea can wreck a week. He diversifies across symbols first, avoiding heavy concentration in one sector or theme even when a narrative feels strong. Then he diversifies by setting up—mixing weekly breakouts, daily pullbacks, and occasional intraday adds—so he isn’t dependent on one market condition to make money. This blend reduces correlation shocks and turns a string of small wins into steadier progress.
He also staggers duration so trades don’t all resolve at once, pairing swing positions held off the weekly with quicker daily or 15-minute executions. If volatility spikes, Casey Stubbs lets the longer timeframe positions breathe while dialing back short-duration risk until conditions settle. When the market narrows, he trims correlated names and keeps only the cleanest representative to avoid doubling the same bet. The goal isn’t more trades; it’s a portfolio of different edges that can carry each other through changing weather.
Process Discipline: Preplanned Triggers, Time Stops, and Weekly Reviews
Casey Stubbs treats execution like a checklist, not a negotiation. Before the week starts, he writes the exact trigger level, invalidation point, initial stop, and first target for each candidate—then loads alerts so emotion can’t hijack the plan. When price tags his trigger, he enters; if it doesn’t, he passes. No “close enough,” no mid-trade edits. A simple time stop adds urgency: if a position hasn’t advanced meaningfully within a set number of days, he closes it and redeploys capital.
Every Friday, Casey Stubbs runs a short postmortem to keep the edge sharp. He logs whether entries matched plan, why exits occurred (target, stop, time), and which setups delivered the best expectancy so he can double down on the right patterns. Any rule break gets noted and converted into a constraint for next week—fewer exceptions, tighter habits. This loop turns process discipline into compounding skill, so the system gets better even when the market doesn’t.
Casey Stubbs leaves you with a playbook that’s deliberately boring in the best possible way: anchor decisions to the weekly, size by ATR, allocate by volatility, and favor defined risk when options make sense. The higher timeframe sets the story—trend, base, and levels—so you’re not guessing on the 5-minute chart. ATR turns “how big?” into math instead of mood, while volatility-aware allocation keeps any one position from hijacking your equity curve. When IV runs hot, Casey uses simple bull call spreads to cap downside, target reasonable upside, and keep capital working efficiently.
What really separates Casey Stubbs is the operational discipline around those ideas. He diversifies across symbols, setups, and durations so results don’t hinge on one condition. He preplans triggers, invalidations, and targets, then enforces time stops so capital doesn’t get stuck in dead money. Cold streak? He automatically cuts size after three losses and earns it back only after wins return. Weekly reviews close the loop—log outcomes in R, tag exit reasons, and tighten one rule at a time. Put together, the lesson is clear: consistency isn’t a prediction skill; it’s a process you follow when markets are loud and your rules are quiet.
