Obviously, the goal when casting a fly is to present the fly to the fish in a realistic manner.
You are trying to simulate nature here. If you are going for trout in a stream, for instance, this means
a drag-free float of 36 inches over a precise spot that marks the window of a feeding fish.
Never randomly cast – Fishing is a thinking sport. (First think about the fish, then you will have
time
to think about evertything else in the world!) Pick a specific spot and hit it. Throw tight loops that put
the fly
on target. One important method that can be used is to overcast the target and stop the line short
while
it is in the air. The fly should come back to you and fall on the water with slack in the leader.
The best trout fishermen use only 30 to 35 feet of line, but make up for this with accurate
casting. They read waters well and put the fly in the pay zone time after time. One of the most important
things they do is to recognize that presentation and approach are much more important than pattern.
Bass are a different kettle of fish. Whether you are using a surface bug or a streamer, the
offering must move past a spot
where a bass is apt to hold. As the boat drifts, it is important to pick a precise time to shoot a cast to
the target. Too soon or too late, and the fly won’t be in the right spot. This is where the double
haul form of casting becomes essential. It generates line speed and enables the caster to pick 30 or 40
feet of line off the water and shoot another without false casting.
When bassing, make your
presentation, retrieve 10 to 20 feet, pick up, and cast again without the need to false cast. After
each cast, drop the rod type and keep the butt of the rod near your belt buckle with the tip-top of the
rod pointing at the line. A simple lift will let you execute the next pickup or strike a fish.
Leader Connection
If you are a fly caster, you know that a smooth connection between the leader and fly line is
important in presentation. The best way to do this is to nail-knot a six-inch piece of 25-30 pound leader
material to the end of the fly line. A loop like those found on snelled hooks is then tied into the
opposite end. The connecting leader must also have a loop.
Connecting the leader itself is done
by passing the loop attached to the fly line through the loop on the leader; reaching through the fly line
loop. Next, grab the butt section of the leader and pull the leader up through until the tippet passes the
loop. Last, just pull the loops together by tugging on the fly line and the butt section in opposite
directions.
Strategy
If you are every in a situation where you spot large brown trout in open water and holding, your
best bet is to use a No. 12 Cinnamon Ant and sink it. If this doesn’t work, move to the No. 16 Adams fly.
Still nothing? Switch to the No. 20 Black Ant. Last-ditch effort would be to use a 3X tippet and use a
No. 6 nymph or streamer.
Typically the bigger trout will leave small morsels to the small guys, preferring the bigger
bites that are easy to get. They are very economical feeders.
High Rider Dry Fly’s
If your best dry-fly patterns are failing you, it may be time
to switch to spiders and variants. Many times a spider or variant will bring trout to the surface,
then you can switch back to a conventional dry fly.
These spiders and variants will delicately
drop to the water, usually somersaulting or jumping after touching it. Fish find this very alluring.
High riding is another attribute of these flies. When tied properly, their hackles support
the hook above the water’s surface, thus imitating a natural fly much more closely than the ordinary
fly does.
About the Author, Copyright 2005, EveningSecretFishing.com. Long-Time Fisherman and friend of
EveningSecretFishing.com (Eveningsecretfishing.com)
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