Casting in streams

Murphy's Lore

There are fish visible, but getting the fly to them is not easy.

Spend some time spotting lies and deciding how to get your flies to them.

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Getting your fly exactly where you want is one of the arts of fly fishing.

We practice and strive to develop the skills so we can cast a fly wherever we want.

While casting out in the open is only limited by the maximum distance our skills and technology can provide (subject to any wind), numerous obstacles may need to be overcome for the perfect cast to be achieved in streams.

The perfect cast is important, as we often only have one chance; the wily trout will recognise the danger immediately if the fly doesn’t land and perform exactly like a natural while it’s visible.

The first rule of thumb is that if the trout cannot see the fly land, then the angler is in a much stronger position. The only exception is while fishing some large dry fly patterns, such as cicadas or grasshoppers, when crashing the fly onto the surface becomes an advantage. During the warmer months the trout become used to these disturbances, which announce that the surface has been broken, so they will look for the source and try to take advantage if possible.

On the other hand, if a delicate mayfly crashes through the surface before floating to the top, that’s not natural. Consequently, it pays to have the landing take place well upstream of the trout, so the trout only becomes aware of the fly’s presence as it gently floats into view after bobbing back to the surface and assuming its intended appearance.

A similar rule of thumb applies to wet flies, especially when cast with a sinking line: aim to have the fly land as far away from the trout, or potential lie, as you can, but so it still ends up in a prime position later on. This is often done by casting well to one side of the lie, and then moving the fly-line across the current flow until the rod tip is directly above the lie. The flow will now drag the fly-line and fly across to the desired position while it is sinking. To speed this process up, especially in slow moving pools, you can cast the majority of the fly-line directly towards the lie and allow the last few metres, or even just the leader, to flick across to the side. Casting a curved line is not difficult, it’s just a matter of moving the rod tip sideways during the cast (practice by putting a couple of markers on the lawn and casting a line with a bend in it). This same method also allows the angler to get the fly in under overhanging bush where the fly will not reach with a direct cast.

Nymphs are not as easy to position; usually the drift is relatively short, but again, the further away from the fish they land the better, as long as you can still control their drift through the lie. Casting nymphs so they land gently is a vital factor when fishing in streams – more important than the length of the leader, which can often be shortened considerably to assist with the cast. Trout in streams tend not to be put off too much by a short leader drifting on the surface, but are easily spooked if they see it land, especially if directly above them.

Overhanging bush is a major issue in most streams, especially if it restricts the back cast. Generally a short rod of eight foot or so helps, but some pools can only be accessed by a spinning rod; specialised add-on weights or the heavier tungsten flies make it possible for spinning rods to present a fly in a likely position.

Side-casting is generally the favoured method for beating overhangs; there will always be a gap somewhere between the bush and the surface for a well-aimed side-cast to slip a fly into. However, although side-casting is relatively simple (the principle is the same as overhead casting, except the rod is held sideways), mastering it so the fly drops exactly where you want is the hard part. Another instance where practice will help considerably.

Roll casting is a valuable skill to possess when the bush or terrain behind prevents a back-cast. Over the last few years, developments in roll-casting techniques and fly-line technology have improved roll casts to the point where they are very accurate and smooth. If learning the technique, make sure you learn the latest methods; the old one from the books of a few years back are much less effective.

Finally, keep an open mind when it comes to fishing streams, as unconventional methods can prove useful and effective – as long as they’re legal, of course. For example, floating a fly downstream on a leaf is a strategy used reasonably regularly in the United States; when it is at the right place, the angler tightens the line so the fly slips off in the optimal position while leaf carries on with the current. I’ve tried it, but never effectively. Other anglers set flies up half on and half off a floating leaf or overhanging blade of grass. The fish sees what appears to be an insect clinging on for all it’s worth and takes advantage of the situation.

Fly fishing sure is a great sport for thinking outside the square.

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