Casting Tips
Take some time to practice before you actually get out in to the water. A good idea is usually to spot a target somewhere on the ground in front of you. Then practice landing your fly straight on your target using a variety of casting methods. This can be good for when you are out on the water and need to land your fly where you feel the fish are.
Cast your line up river in the location exactly where you think the fish may be. Use a “stop-drop-drop” method of laying your fly on the water. Keep in mind that the concept is to replicate the landing and take-off motion of the fish’s natural food - bugs.
When the fly hits the water, loop the fly line over the second and third finger of your rod hand and hold it loosely subsequent towards the cork handle. Then take hold in the line with your line hand just in front in the reel so you can strip (pull in) line as needed.
If you are fishing on a river, make one or two up-stream "mends" (rolls) in your line to get the line and leader floating behind your fly. Point your rod tip right in the fly and stick to it down the river. Strip in line as necessary to keep a straight line between the fly along with the rod tip.
When the fish hits, tighten your fingers around the line as well as the rod manage and raise the rod sharply to set the hook. Keeping your rod tip high let the fish run as the line slides out over your fingers. Palm your reel to slow the fish down and gain control over it, but don’t attempt to entirely cease it. Remember to keep your palm flat to avoid getting hit by the wind knob.
When the fish rests, reel in quickly. When the fish runs once again, palm the reel. Continue this palm/reel cycle until the fish tires and is prepared to come in. If the fish runs toward you, stand on your tip-toes, raise your rod as high more than your head as possible, and put the line back more than the second and third fingers of your rod hand.
Then strip in line as fast as possible to take up slack. If the fish then turns and runs away from you, keep your rod tip high, let the line gradually slide through your fingers, and prepare to palm the reel when all of the slack is gone. When landing your fish, keep it within the water and practice correct catch and release techniques.
Of course, the flies you use are a crucial part of fly fishing as a sport and as recreation. Do you want to know how to tie your personal flies? We’ll cover that within the next section.
Related: Fly Casting Basic
When the fly hits the water, loop the fly line over the second and third finger of your rod hand and hold it loosely subsequent towards the cork handle. Then take hold in the line with your line hand just in front in the reel so you can strip (pull in) line as needed.
If you are fishing on a river, make one or two up-stream "mends" (rolls) in your line to get the line and leader floating behind your fly. Point your rod tip right in the fly and stick to it down the river. Strip in line as necessary to keep a straight line between the fly along with the rod tip.
When the fish hits, tighten your fingers around the line as well as the rod manage and raise the rod sharply to set the hook. Keeping your rod tip high let the fish run as the line slides out over your fingers. Palm your reel to slow the fish down and gain control over it, but don’t attempt to entirely cease it. Remember to keep your palm flat to avoid getting hit by the wind knob.
When the fish rests, reel in quickly. When the fish runs once again, palm the reel. Continue this palm/reel cycle until the fish tires and is prepared to come in. If the fish runs toward you, stand on your tip-toes, raise your rod as high more than your head as possible, and put the line back more than the second and third fingers of your rod hand.
Then strip in line as fast as possible to take up slack. If the fish then turns and runs away from you, keep your rod tip high, let the line gradually slide through your fingers, and prepare to palm the reel when all of the slack is gone. When landing your fish, keep it within the water and practice correct catch and release techniques.
Of course, the flies you use are a crucial part of fly fishing as a sport and as recreation. Do you want to know how to tie your personal flies? We’ll cover that within the next section.
Related: Fly Casting Basic
