Top 10 Habits for Success on Stillwaters

Phil Rowley is a strong proponent of being prepared when fishing stillwaters. This means having consistent and good habits. This also means having your equipment in order, knowing the entomology and locomotion of the bugs you will find in stillwaters and maintaining good and positive energy.

Here is a summary of Phil’s Top 10 Habits for Success on Stillwaters. I was introduced to his top 10 Habits at a “Stillwater School” he put together in Idaho. If you every get a chance to attend one of Phil’s Stillwater Schools or Seminars you won’t be sorry. You can check out Phil’s website at www.FlyCraftAngling.com for lots of tips on fishing stillwaters or check out his schedule of events for schools and seminars.

(1) Equipment

Sage_DXL_BagEveryone should purchase a good kit bag and stock it with all the essentials for stillwaters. Dedicate this bag to stillwaters and don’t try to have one bag cover both streams and stillwaters. Use two rods and carry multiple lines. Here’s some of the equipment you will need to add to your stash.

Kit Bag – Maintain a well equipped Stillwater bag and restock as soon as possible. Sage makes a good one. You can also check out Fishpond and Cabelas. Just make sure its big enough and if possible water proof or at least water resistant.

Rods – Always rigg two Rods. I’d recommend a 9’6″ or 10’ six weight and a 9’0 or 9’6″ 5 weight. The longer the better. Of coarse, the size of the fish you are searching for may dictate other choices.

Lines – A well prepared stillwater angler should carry a Floating, Intermediate, Clear Camo, Outbound Hover, Sinking Type III through Type VII. If in a pinch for sinking lines, you can get by with two full sink lines. Carry a Type III and a Type V or Type VII.

Sunglasses – Always wear polarized glasses. You can see through the water and they add a level of safety. Who wants to get a fly stuck in their eye?

Watercraft – You can set up a Pram, Pontoon Boat or Belly Boat for fishing stillwaters. Make your choice, portability, budget and comfort all are factors, they all work.

Notepad – Keep a notepad in your kit bag. You can get waterproof ones from a surveyor’s supply store. They use them for doing their outdoor surveying work.

Extra Nippers and Forceps – Always carry extra nippers and forceps. You never know what can get loose when you’re fishing in a body of water.

Indicators – Carry Slip Indicators, Corkie Indicators, and yarn indicators in different sizes. You may need them all in different conditions.

Split Shot and Swivels – Carry an assortment of split shot and swivels for rigging your slip indicators.

Floatant and Desiccant – Carry your favorite floatant and Desiccant to keep your dries and emergers where you want them. Learn how to apply them properly.

Sunscreen and Insect Repellent – Can’t do without it!

Tylenol, Advil and Benedryl – Carry a bag with these items. You never know when you or a friend my need them.

(2) Electronics

Fishing_Buddy_120Fish Finder – The most common fish finder is the Hummingbird Fishin Buddy. The model 120 has side finding ability and with a black and white display runs about $160. Make sure you know all the features of your fish finder and which are applicable to your fishing methods.

GPS – More and more people are using GPS systems to mark shoals and productive areas of the stillwaters that they fish. Mark it. Find it Later.

(3) Observation

Fishing_JournalKeep your eyes and ears open and watch what mother nature is telling you.

Research and Obtain Local Knowledge – Use the web or call local fly shops to get as much recent information so you are prepared. Talk to fellow anglers.

Make Notes of Weather Conditions – Water Temperature and Clarity – The water temperature can tell you how active bugs may be or where they may be located. The clarity can dictate the way and length that you rigg your leader.

Examine Shoreline Vegetation – There are almost always bugs hanging out along the shoreline. You can get a good idea of the bug life and what stages are present by being a shoreline detective.

Check out Spider Webs – Spiders catch and eat stillwater bugs. You can see what they’ve been eating and can then get a good idea of what has been hatching.

Turn over Rocks and Logs – You can often find bugs hiding amongst the weeds, rocks and under submerged logs. Leeches are often found hiding in shoreline vegetation. You can get an idea of their size and coloration.

Take notice of Bird Activity – As we know when fishing rivers and streams, birds buzzing the water signify that something is hatching. This can also happen on stillwaters and can give you a clue as to where to fish in a larger lake. Bugs sometimes emerge and hatch in certain areas of lakes and the birds are a good indicator of where a hatch may be happening.

Check out Surrounding Topography – The surrounding topography can give clues to the depth and topography of the lake’s structure. For instance a steep slope entering a lake will typically mean the water in that area continues to gain depth quickly with little shoal area. A flat shoreline will typically indicate shallower depths and shoal areas nearby.

Study the Water’s Surface – Look for bugs on the water. Use an aquarium net to catch them. Look for rise rings and rise forms. Do you see callibaetis struggling to hatch? Are there blue damselflies buzzing around. Are the rise forms showing a bubble, which means they are taking duns or is there a bulge with a dorsal fin and then a tail, which is an emerger rise. Determine if the fish are feeding on top or just below the surface.

Look Into The Water – Look for weed beds, shoals and drop- offs. How clear is the water? Are there any bugs swimming around? Damselflies swimming to shore or structure? Do you see fish? What Depth?

Pay Attention for Shucks – For instance, look for the shucks of callibaetis mayflies and chironomids that may have recently hatched.

Observe Other Anglers – You should pay attention to who’s catching fish and where they are fishing. You may be able to determine what method they are using or what type of retrieve.

Make Notes and Maintain a Diary – One of the best things you can do if you want to become a better fisherman is to take notes or maintain a diary every time you get out fishing. Record the weather conditions, water temperatures, flies and methods used. What worked as well as what didn’t. Record anything that may help you at a later date.

(4) Water Conditions – The wind, weather and water conditions (Temperature and Clarity) affect decisions when on stillwaters.

ThermometerWater Conditions affect the choice of:
(a) Retrieve method
(b) Line Choice
(c) Pattern Selection
(d) Presentation depth

Water Temperatures Affect the:
(a) Fish and Invertebrate Activity
(b) Location of Fish
(c) Retrieve Speed

(5) Approach

jwcast1Stealth is Always the Key – Always maintain as much stealth as possible when fishing. Be methodical and don’t hurry.

Lower Anchors Gently – Don’t make a big splash when you drop the anchor and they enter the water. Fish don’t like grenades.

Keep Noise to a Minimum – Especially when fishing out of a boat or a pram. When using a kick boat or pontoon boat, kick silently and don’t splash when kicking.

Use Carpeting – If fishing from a boat or pram cover the bottoms with carpet or other noise dampening materials.

Approach – Approach from the deep water when setting up to fish an area.

Move About Silently – Drift, row, kick or use an electric motor. Don’t use an outboard motor to survey the lakes topography or to move into your fishing position. Shut off the motor and glide into position.

Stretch your Line and Leaders to Remove Memory – Fly lines with coils in them will not fish properly or allow you to keep a more direct contact to your flies. Take the time to stretch out your fly lines and leaders.

Use a Correct Rod Position – Keep your tip in the water. For the most part your rod tip should always be in the water up to 2 or 3 guides. This keeps you in direct contact and enables you to make consistent retrieves.

Strip out slack once your cast has landed – Keep contact with your flies as soon as they land. Strip in excess line instead of re-casting. When using intermediate and sinking lines fish will often take your fly as it sinks. If you don’t keep tight to your flies you will not detect the take.

Make straight line presentations – A straight line cast shot above the water and then allowed to straighten out and fall to the water is the best way to keep in contact with your flies as soon as they hit the water. It is also the most stealthy presentation.

Don’t water load your casts – When wanting to maintain stealth, using water load casts is like throwing rocks into the area you want to fish. Learn to keep your line in the air and minimize the false casts.

Use your watch to countdown retrieves – Know your sinking lines sink rates and what depth you want to fish. Calculate the rate of sink, times the desired depth to get the time the line needs to sink. Use your watch to time the sink. Be patient and wait. You can jig the line as it sinks to get the fly moving and stay in contact. A fish may take it on the way down.

Slow down your retrieves – Fish your flies slower than you might think. When you think you’re going slow, go slower. This is when you are using imitative retrieves that match the locomotion of the natural.

Watch Your Line – If using a floating line watch the tip where it enters the water. Keep an eye for subtle movement, set when it moves. If you don’t set, you’ll never know if it was a fish.

Fish the hang when retrieving – How many times does a fish take right as you lift the rod to re-cast. Fish your flies right to the end. Pay attention when you pick up to recast. Let the flies hang for a bit, lift and hopefully a fish will have been following and will take right at the end.

(6) Droppers and Loop Knots

non_slip_loopFly Selection – Vary the sizes and colors of your flies when using droppers, especially when you are searching.

Use Dry Dropper – Suggest different stages of the bug you are imitating by using a dry dropper. Use a dry, emerger or cripple on the surface or in the film and use an imitative nymph as a trailer.

Use Droppers When its Windy – Using droppers add weight in windy conditions.

Cover Different Depths – Droppers cover different depths, You can rigg two or more nymphs when fishing a slip indicator to cover different depths.

Use an Attractor on the Point – Using a flashy or larger attractor pattern can draw the fish’s attention to your more imitative flies trailing.

Non Slip Mono Loop – Use a non-slip knot to attach all your flies. It is a strong knot and simple to tie. It allows your flies to be presented in a lifelike manner with the open loop.

(7) Entomology and Throat Pump

Throat_PumpDo your Homework – Study to have a basic understanding of all key stillwater food sources.

Locomotion – Study the locomotion of all key stillwater food sources so you can develop retrieve techniques to match them.

Emergence – Study and learn emergence behavior. What time of year do they emerge? What time of day? How does the weather affect their emergence?

Seasonal Availability – Learn the seasonal availability of all the key stillwater food sources. In the spring what bugs are available to the trout? What about summer and fall?

Throat Pump – Learn to use a throat pump properly and remember that the welfare of the trout is paramount. When you purchase a “Throat Pump” they are usually called “Stomach Pumps”. Do we want to pump the contents of the trout’s stomach? No! When properly using a throat pump, only sample what is in the trout’s throat. That’s what they are currently eating anyway.

(a) Using a throat pump will identify the food sources the trout is currently feeding on.

(b) Using a throat pump will help determine if the fish was actively feeding or just happened upon your fly.

(c) Using a throat pump can help determine the feeding location within the water column by the type of invertebrates in its throat.

(8) Versatility

Slip_IndicatorDon’t get Static – Avoid one dimensional line or presentation techniques. If one thing isn’t working change. Change depths, change retrieves, change lines, change flies, change locations. Get it?

Lines – Learn how to use every line in your arsenal. Learn each lines sink rates and how they relate to getting to the desired depth to be fished. Count the lines down. Use your watch.

Double Anchors – Always use double anchors when fishing out of a boat, pram or pontoon boat. This will allow you to present your flies in a controlled manner.

Drogues – Learn how to use drogues (water socks) when drifting in the wind and presenting flies. This will help control the speed you are drifting.

Retrieves – Know all the different retrieves as they relate to your prey. Vary your retrieves and pattern of the retrieves.

Imitative and Attractive Retrieves – Learn and use both imitative and attractive retrieve techniques. Learn how the various retrieves relate to the locomotion of the invertebrate you are imitating.

Move – Move often to cover water

(9) Patience

Patience – Patience is a virtue that all fisherman must develop.

Patience – Allow your lines and flies to sink to the correct depth. Count them down.

Patience – Use your watch for accurate sink times

Patience – Know the sink rates of all your lines and present then correctly

(10) Attitude & Belief

Fish with “Quiet Confidence”

“PFA” – Always show up to fish with “PFA”, Positive Fishing Attitude

Remember to be patient

Channel frustration positively

Belief comes from experience

Summary

If you integrate even a portion of Phil’s Top 10 habits you will be on your way to becoming a better and accomplished stillwater fisher person.

Techniques: Fishing the PMD Hatch

pmd_spinner_300Last year Blake Larsen and I had dropped my drift boat into the Lower Yuba River and I was rowing upstream to a large eddy pool where we typically start our fishing.

As I rowed upstream we noticed lots of swallows buzzing the river. They were gobbling up PMD’s as they took off from the surface film and headed into the air.

The PMD’s were running the gauntlet. I anchored and we watched this happen for about five minutes.

If 5 out of a hundred PMD’s made it to safety without becoming a meal that may be exaggerating. It was a feast for the swallows that’s for sure. I bet you can guess how we rigged up.

The Hatch

Pre- Emergence
The nymphs of these species, like all Ephemerellidae, are known as crawlers due to their habit of crawling over the substrate and generally poor swimming ability. While crawling along the stream bottom the nymphs feed on algae and decaying vegetation such as leaves and wood debris. Nymphs frequently get washed into the currents, and because of their abundance this “drift” provides important food for trout. It also means that nymph imitations are important, especially in the weeks and days prior to emergence. The wide distribution and abundance of these species also means nymph imitations can be successful searching patterns most of the year.

For nymphs a dark gold ribbed Hares Ear, pheasant tail, Skip’s Nymph or HBI tied in the appropriate size (18-14) will usually do the trick. There are of course many match the hatch patterns as well. I find the above patterns work very well. It’s pretty simple. Do some sampling, catch some bugs, put them in a white tray or lid, drop your nymph patterns into the lid and see what matches. Nothing to it. Go fishin’.

Some people say that using bead head patterns will help get them to the bottom. I like to fish with non-bead head flies and just use split shot to get them down. Fish them dead-drift along the edges of and below riffles, through pocket water or along undercut banks. Nymph patterns are most effective just prior to emergence when the naturals are migrating to slower water or beginning their restless ascent to the surface for emergence. On the Lower Yuba weighted flies and split shot are necessary to get the flies near the bottom during the early stages of the hatch when most nymphs are still on the bottom. Later nymphs can be effectively fished in mid depths without weight. A strike indicator located six or seven feet above the fly, is a great help for detecting strikes when fishing these small nymphs.

Stage One – Nymphing

During the hatch’s early stages fish are focused on PMD nymphs and emergers, so most of the action is subsurface.

Indicator Nymphing
Rigg up with a nine foot 3x leader. Add 16″ of 4x fluorocarbon to attach your 1st nymph, (maybe an HBI), place shot at the knot at the end of the 3x leader. Tie another 14″ section of 5x tippet to the hook bend of your 1st fly and the add your second fly (maybe an Pheasant tail). If your brave enough add a third fly. Attach a “Boles Indicator” and set it at about 7 to 8 feet to the shot. Adjust the depth as necessary. Note: Try using the “Davy Knot” for attaching your flies to the tippet.

Use standard upstream indicator tactics to present the nymphs when wading.

Tight Line Nymphing
Use a nine-foot 5X leader and tie on the your favorite PMD imitation. Put enough split shot on the leader about eight inches above the nymph. Cast downstream and across, allowing the nymph to sink to the bottom, then swing across in the current. Trout will take the fly as it rises from the bottom during the downstream swing.

Stage Two – Emergers and Duns

Changing from nymph to dun is often a trying task for these mayflies. When everything goes right the nymphs hang in or just under the surface as the wings of the dun escape the nymphal shuck and break through the surface. This is a good time for a floating nymph pattern. Often, however, not everything goes right. Duns with wings partially unfurled get caught in the surface and never get off the water. Soft hackles or flymphs make excellent emerger patterns when this occurs.

Fish floating nymphs or flymphs upstream and across with a dead-drift float. I prefer casting to fish I’ve spotted feeding just under the surface on emerging duns. However, even fish clearly taking duns will often take a well presented emerger after refusing numerous dun patterns.

Surface activity can be fast during the often heavy hatches of these mayflies. For this reason a good durable dry fly can save a lot of time from changing flies between fish. Compara-duns have proven themselves very durable and imitative. In recent years, however, I have found “Harrop” duns (originated by Rene Harrop) to be equally durable and more effective at fooling selective fish. Fish during these hatches can become ultra selective. Patterns from 14’s to 20’s may be needed depending on the local species and conditions. The color of the naturals varies on the Lower Yuba River and sometimes we have noticed two differents PMD’s hatching at the same time. It’s always best to collect a hatching dun and select a pattern according to its size and color. You should rigg up with an 11-foot, 6x leader and replace the nymph with a Sparkle Dun or PMD Cripple. Sparkle duns and Cripples are nice representations of emerging duns or duns trapped in the shuck which are states that trout particularly focus on. Delicate presentations and drag-free floats are a must when fishing dries during these hatches. If you are getting refusals with an upstream cast, try a downstream slack-line presentation. To achieve a downstream drag free float, try a pile cast, where the line and leader to fall down in a heap about five feet above a rise. Make two quick strips to separate the fly line from the fly. The current will gradually straighten the tippet, but not before the fly floats naturally over a trout. If that fails and naturals are seen fluttering on the surface struggling to get airborne, try giving your fly slight twitches.

Spinners

Finally, watch carefully for spinners in the evening. They can be surprisingly difficult to see in the fading evening light. Rises to spinners are also subtle. A simple hackled fly clipped top and bottom makes a good spinner pattern. A downstream slack-line cast, carefully positioned over the feeding lane of a rising fish, is usually the best approach.

Research for this article from:
Rick Hafele’s website at www.LaughingRivers. com
Westfly at www.Westfly.com

Fishing the Skwala Stonefly Hatch

skwala_nymph_300In early Spring we all look anxiously forward to the Skwala Stones. The water is usually off color and you’d thing why even bother. We know better. It’s Skwala Time. When matching the Lower Yuba River Skwalas remember that the bugs here locally are different in color than their cousins in Washington and Montana.

A lot of the patterns for sale in the flyshops or on-line are different in color. Our local Skwalas have an abdomen that is a dirty yellow with a slight olive tinge. Also, the wings are dark gray. This is where it really pays to collect some specimens from the river and take them home to match the color.

Look for the shucks around the bushes and rocks to give you an idea on recent hatch activity. Catch an adult, turn over some rocks and catch a nymph. Match the color and size and go fishin’.

Fishing Techniques

When are the times to imitate Skwalas to be successful:

a. As active nymphs they are often found in the water/food column for the trout, being knocked loose and free drifting. This is especially true during pre-hatch periods when their movement activity increases dramatically.

They are also available to the trout as the female adult returns to the water to lay eggs.

c. On a windy day as the adult is blown on to the water, and;

d. As a spent adult that falls on the water to die.

How to Present Imitations

1. Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch

2. Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly

3. Skwala stoneflies are available to trout during the early season (January – April) on the Lower Yuba River

4.Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours

5. Strikes on skwala stoneflies are often far from subtle because trout must often be prepared to rip these strong clingers from their rocky homes

6. When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly imitation, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout

How to Rigg for Nymphing

Set up for nymph fishing with a two or three rigg under indicator.

1. Rigg with a tapered 9 ft 2x or 3x leader to a tippet knot.

2. Add 12 “ of 3x fluorocarbon to your favorite Skwala stone nymph imitation (Mercers Skwal Stone, hint)

3. Put split shot at the tippet knot above the stonefly nymph. The knot will stop the split shot from sliding down to the fly.

4. Tie 4x Fluorocarbon tippet to the hook bend of the Stonefly nymph and extend 12” to 16” to a caddis pupa dropper.

5. Tie 5x Fluorocarbon tippet to the hook bend of the caddis pupa nymph and extend 12” to 16” to a mayfly BWO or PMD nymph.

How to Rigg For Dries

skwala_adult_3001. Rigg for a standard dry fly presentation

2. Use a tapered 10 ft. 4x tapered leader

3. Extend tippet using 4x flurocarbon 24″ +/-

4. Attach your favorite Skwala Dry pattern

Summary

When the Skwalas are out you can experience some of the biggest takes you’ll every get on the Yuba. Try it, you’ll like it!

Fly Casting Tip: Stop for a Good Cast

bent_rodStop!… For Good Cast

When I was reading through The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing, this tip seemed like it is shouting out to me.

Often a little voice in my head says “What’s so important about stopping the rod anyway?” This is what’s up.

Always remember that the stop is the key component, the one that makes all casting motion work.

A good cast is built by gradually accelerating the rod forward, and stopping it precisely, then changing directions and gradually accelerating the rod backwards, and stopping it again to change course.

If you don’t stop the rod crisply on the forward and backward strokes – if you just slush your way forward and back (wait a minute. Have you been watching me?) with no precise rhyme or reason – you can not load the rod.

Your cast will droop, sag, flutter and die.

The stop is as important a concern as any motion or power in your cast.

Moral of this story. Stop with authority, forward and back, and you will cast farther straighter and more accurately.

Amen!

Casting Tune Up – “Stop That Rod!”

loading_the_rodThe trees are leafing out, the flowers are popping and spring time is around the corner. It’s about time to put away the shot and indicators and start thinking about throwing dries and soft hackles.

It’s funny, but I’m sort of a “stick to it” type of guy. This fall and winter I’ve been throwing nymphs and a few streamers with my switch rod and haven’t taken my dry rod out of its case but a couple of times. It’s been mainly nymphs under indicator or just with a tight line. Anyway you look at it, I’ve been “chucking lead”. I’m usually running three nymphs, and anyone that does much of this knows that if you don’t throw an open loop it’s going to be a real pain in the neck, literally.

So, I’ve got to make the transition to throwing dries and tighten up my loops and get the rust out of my presentation casting.

Anyone that fishes with me, knows that I’m like that guy that gets pulled over by the patrolman for not coming to a complete stop at the stop sign. My forward cast sort of just drifts though the stop. It always takes me a little time out on the lawn or on the river “Not Fishing” to get my loops tighter and my presentation casting in sink. It’s just not an automatic thing with me. I can get there, but I’ve got to put some work into it to get where it looks and feels like I know what I’m doing.

With this in mind, I recently read an article by Kirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers. They have just published a book titled “The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing”. It’s on my list for sure. The article was called “20 tips to help you cast Straighter, Longer and with more Accuracy”. I’ll give you a condensed version of some of their pointers. Maybe 10 instead of 20.

1. Dare To Be Different – Just because your casting style doesn’t look like your buddies, it’s not a problem. It just has to work for you, not anyone else. There are certain physical laws pertaining to loading and unloading the fly rod that must be adhered to, and the timing is critical, no matter what your stroke looks like. It’s the end result that counts.

2. It Starts With The Grip – If you have ever received lessons in golf, most swing flaws can be traced to your hands and how you hold the club. This holds true with your fly cast. You need a firm grip. The line goes where the rod tip goes. Burn this into your brain. Because of this, hold your thumb on top of the grip, and snap your casts, Visualize looking “through” your casting thumbnail, odds are that the line will unfurl right through that window.

3. Point Your Shots – As stated in (#2), the fly line and thus the fly follows the rod tip. Taking this one step further, the Rod Tip Follows the Thumb. So long as you keep your thumb (or index finger if you cast with it on top) pointed at the target your cast will go where you want it to go.

4. 10 and 2 is too little too late – As we have heard from the beginning of our fly casting learning curve, our cast is to be imagined as if your rod moves along an imaginary clock face, with the forward cast stopping at 10 o’clock, and the backcast stopping at 2 o’clock. In reality, when we start casting, we are pretty much oblivious to this imaginary clock. It is advised to instead change the time zones to one o’clock on the backcast. If you try changing your way of thinking to “10 to 1” you may have better luck.

5. Don’t get Cocky ( Your Wrist is what we’re talking about) – If you’re casting and you hear the noise of your line slapping the water behind you, it is often because your wrist is cocking too far back. As it relates to fly casting, the wrist versus arm equation is a difficult balance to master, let alone explain. Remember the arm is the engine, the wrist is the steering wheel. This pertains to aiming the cast, not powering the cast. Continuing the comparison to driving, if you let your wrist power your cast you will crash. A few simple fixes to help capture the right feel are; (a) Get a large rubber band, wrap it around your casting wrist, and then insert the rod butt inside that rubber band when you practice on the lawn. If you find that the rubber band is flexing too much, odds are you are breaking your wrist too far. (b) If you are wearing a long sleeve shirt, tuck the reel butt inside your cuff. This can really sharpen up and help you regain your stoke.

6. Stop!… For Good Cast – Like I mentioned, this tip seems like it is shouting out to me. Often a little voice in my head says “What’s so important about stopping the rod anyway?” This is what’s up. Always remember that the stop is the key component, the one that makes all casting motion work. A good cast is built by gradually accelerating the rod forward, and stopping it precisely, then changing directions and gradually accelerating the rod backwards, and stopping it again to change course. If you don’t stop the rod crisply on the forward and backward strokes – if you just slush your way forward and back (wait a minute. Have you been watching me?) with no precise rhyme or reason – you can not load the rod. Your cast will droop, sag, flutter and die. The stop is as important a concern as any motion or power in your cast. Moral of this story. Stop with authority, forward and back, and you will cast farther straighter and more accurately. Amen!

7. Hitting the Wall – This one’s for me, being a carpenter for most of my life. Think about a hammer and a nail when loading and unloading your rod. Imagine yourself between two walls, with nails on both. Using a two headed hammer, pretend to smack the nails, first on the back cast, and again when the hand comes forward. Each time you hit the wall the hammer stops cold. This is the stop motion that in fly casting causes the rod to unload briskly. In you stop cold, the line will shoot forward powerfully, with a tight loop. If you don’t stop hard and slush your rod through the stop, the line loses speed and distance and the loop will open up, making it susceptible to wind. To get full power from your rod, hit the nail on the head. So, I’ve got a new mantra. “Nail on head, nail on head…..”

8. Watch that thumb – Another trick to help you stop the rod in the correct position, is to keep your casting thumb in your peripheral vision at all times. Lose sight of your thumb, and your going back too far. Simple as that!

9. Throw a drink in my face – A good description of the gradual, controlled acceleration motion, that is the foundation of any good fly cast was offered by casting legend Steve Rajeff. Imagine throwing a glass of water toward another person. You don’t just chuck it. You lift it off the table, accelerate as you aim and then stop suddenly to let the liquid fly. Imagine that when you make you cast.

10. Say Hello to good casting – Here is another tip to get used to starting and stopping the rod at the correct angles. Imagine you’re using an old wall telephone, standing a couple of feet away. Say hello when you bring your rod hand smartly back beside your ear, keeping your arm perpendicular, and then whisper goodbye as the phone returns to the cradle. Again, perform this with crisp stops and starts.

I know what I’ll be whispering to myself when I go to sleep tonight “Stop that rod… Stop that Rod…”

Casting Practice: 40 feet in 4 seconds

I’ve always been a fan of Dave Hughes and have a ton of his books in my library. I’ve got one of them that I highlighted as I read it and he talks about the benefits of carefully and stealthily moving in position to make a shorter more accurate cast. This has stuck with me throughout my fishing career. I’ve never been a long distance caster and probably never will. So long to bone fishing.

If you can deliver a 40 foot cast when Mr. Trout raises his head to have a snack and put it on his nose you will be successful. Here is a drill to make you more accurate with you’re presentation delivery.

Set Up

I set up a place on my lawn to do this drill and made 8 hoops that are 4 foot diameter, out of 1″ diameter poly water pipe. I bought straight PVC connectors to join the hoops. Cut the pipe to lenght, pressed them together and was ready to go in about 30 minutes.

This drill is to hone these skills.

The Drill

(1) Find a nice grass area with a friend and lay out a course with targets. Take turns with this drill

(2) Place ten targets at a distance of 40 feet from a fixed casting position that are numbers 1 through 10. You can make 4 foot diameter hoops pretty easily out of inexpensive poly sprinkler pipe, sort of a homemade hula hoop.

(3) Have your partner call out random numbers.

(4) You have 4 seconds and one cast to put your fly within 2 feet of the target.

(5) Not fast enough, no good. Not close enough, no good.

Remember – Your cast doesn’t have to be long, it has to be on time and accurate.

Work on this and your casting accuracy will definitely improve. Once you think you’ve got it down and a reach cast on your delivery. Then a reach wiggle. You get the picture.

Have some fun with it!

Fly Casting Tip: It Starts with the Grip

casting_basics_2A good fly cast starts with the grip.

If you have ever received lessons in golf, most swing flaws can be traced to your hands and how you hold the club. This holds true with your fly cast.

You need to keep a firm grip. The line goes where the rod tip goes. (Burn this into your brain).

Because of this, hold your thumb on top of the grip, and snap your casts, to a firm stop.

When you stop the rod, visualize looking “through” your casting thumbnail, odds are that the line will unfurl right through that window.

Techniques: Mending Your Fly Line

What does “mend” mean? Well… let’s look at a fishing situation, imagine you’re standing knee deep in your favorite stream. You make an upstream presentation, your fly land softly, starts floating back towards you and then all of a sudden in starts skating the currents. Opps, Forgot to mend the line.

The term “mend” or “mending” is simply the act of moving the fly line during the drift, to create a specific presentation of the fly to the fish.

With that said, mending the fly line will have an effect on how the fly rides in the water. Learning when, where, how to mend and what the mend does for the presentation of the fly are all keys to becoming a successful fly fisher.

Standing alongside an experienced angler (maybe, hiring an educational oriented guide?) who talks you through when and how to mend is one of the best ways to learn. Mending expertise doesn’t come overnight, but a little time on the water with someone knowledgeable is a great start.

Fly Line ‘Belly’ and Mending

Let’s talk about ‘belly’.

Belly can be explained as a downstream arc in the fly line as it floats in the current. Belly can be good or bad, depending on the situation. Think of the fly line as a sail, and the water as the wind. Wind fills the sail and pushes the boat; water fills the belly and pulls the fly.

Belly is Bad when…

When is belly is bad. You might have noticed when there is belly, in fast water, the current fills the belly until it becomes tight and then begins to pull the upstream portion of the fly line – often dragging the fly out of the zone or streaking it across the surface. If you are nymphing, the fly will not be able to sink enough to give a good presentation. If you are dry fly fishing, the fly will have minimal time to present itself.

In this situation the belly is bad. The fly line must be mended upstream to remove the belly, allowing more time for natural fly presentation. Sometimes the current is so fast that continuous mending is required to allow the fly to drift properly.

Belly is Good When…

When is belly good? When you need to move your fly, to speed it up, swim it faster or skitter it cross the surface. This is often the case when the current is slow, or at the end of the swing or drift.

Here’s one example. You’re swinging a streamer. It’s halfway through the swing and the current starts to slow. The line stops swinging so the fly stops swimming and begins to sink to the bottom. There is still a lot of water left to fish but not enough current to move the fly. This is where you want to have belly to pull the fly through the last half of the swing.

During your swing, as the fly line begins to slow, mend a downstream belly into the fly line, allowing more water to fill the belly, thus pulling the fly and continuing the swing. This will also work to skitter a dry fly across the surface.

Lets Start Fishin’

Let’s say, for the sake of example, we are mending upstream. You have made your cast across the current and a down stream belly is starting to form. Do not simply flip the rod tip upstream. This is a classic mistake that will only tighten the line, increase the bellydrag and pull the fly towards you and out of the zone. You must first lift the line off the water and then lay the line over.

Mending Your Fly Line

Every mending situation is different. There are times when you can slowly lift the line and simply lay it back on the water. Other times you need to mend quickly. Imagine your rod is a paint brush. Now using only the rod tip, lift the line and quickly flick paint in the direction you want to mend.

With practice, you will see that when you flick a mend, it will roll down the line. The harder you flick, the farther down the line it rolls. The farther you need to mend, the higher you need to lift the line off the water.

It’s hard to explain on paper so go out and practice. Paint circles and flick paint. Observe the result of the rod tip action and the effect it has on the fly line. The fly line will always follow the rod tip. The wider the circle you paint with the rod tip, the wider the circle the fly line will make.

Concentrate on mending techniques, your flies with drift more naturally and you’ll be in contact with a fish more often.

Thanks to www.Deneki.com for help with this tip.