Casting and Leader Tips

If you want to improve your catch. (and who doesn’t) There are many things you can work on. But you’ve got to start somewhere, right? So let’s look at your casting technique. This is one of the most common reasons for a poor catch.

Does your cast end up with the leader collapsing into a tangled heap, If this is the case, then first check your back cast. Does it unroll in a neat, tight loop and then fully straighten out, before you start on the forward cast? Also, what length of leader are  you using?

 If space isn't a problem, a twelve foot leader is great for keeping your line well away from the fish, but only if you have the skills necessary to get it to turn over and straighten out. A 9 foot leader will be easier to cast and easier to present the fly to the fish, while still keeping the fly line a good distance away, and you can always extend it further with a long tippet, although again you may  have similar problems with turning and straightening out.

The longer and finer the tippet, the more bites you’ll get. But only if you are able to present the fly correctly. If space is too restricted for long casts, go down to a 7 ½ foot leader. This will help you keep more fly line in the air when you cast.

Try experimenting with different leader and tippet lengths. But..... Above all, practice, practice, practice, and then, your fly fishing will definitely improve.

Many beginner fly fishermen think that the reason they’re not catching anything is because they’re using the wrong fly, so they swap it for another and cast again, and then they do it again. The problem with this is: Each time you change flies, your leader gets shorter and the tippet becomes thicker as you move up the tapered line. As you get higher, threading the tippet through the eye of the fly hook becomes more difficult, and the fish is more likely to notice the tippet.

For much more fly fishing advice, check out  "Flyfishing Unleashed"