DEMYSTIFLY

Faster isn't always better. Fly rods that have a "standard" fast action are undoubtedly my favorites. As someone who mainly fishes streamers and is regularly on saltwater, this should come as no surprise. I really like these rods because they're great for casting bulky/heavy flies and cutting through a breeze, but they still make good all-around sticks for a variety of scenarios. In comparison, extra-fast fly rods can offer even higher levels of performance, but I view them a

For the angler that has thrown nothing but floating lines, moving to a sinking line can present new challenges. Due to the different design and heavy, dense configuration, these lines can be quite a bit more clunky and tougher to cast overall. You can't just show up and start casting a sinking line as you would a floater; some technique changes must be made. Casting these lines often isn't pretty or graceful, but in addition to keeping the fly down in the strike zone, they ca

Our friend Simon Gawesworth over at RIO recently made a video about something I know nothing about—improving your double spey. Check out the informative video below! Support Demystifly by Shopping at Trident Fly Fishing #TechnicalStrategies #RIO #FlyCasting

One thing I've noticed over the years of reading fly rod reviews and forum posts is how much they can vary for a particular model. I've seen it countless times. I'll test or even personally own a rod that I really enjoy fishing, only to read that someone else has gripes about it. Or, there might be a rod that I think was mediocre, yet others might say it's outstanding. How can this be? Granted, some "reviews" online seem like their sole purpose is to please manufacturers and

While casting and presenting your fly, accuracy and efficiency are often super important. Unfortunately, for some anglers these two key components of the presentation can suffer. Regardless of the distance that's trying to be reached, when many anglers shoot line at the end of a cast they let go of the line completely. Leaving the line totally free to zing out of the guides seems like it makes perfect sense — especially when trying to cast a longer distance — but there's an o

What's one of the first things many people do when they cast a new fly rod? While the casts may start off short to moderate in length, often times they ultimately grow longer and longer until it's an all-out distance challenge. Ever been to IFTD or a similar fly fishing show where they have those casting ponds set up? Chances are you'll see a lot of those folks trying to max out their casts time and time again. There's nothing wrong with that...I've often been one of them! Be

Biting your nails. Swearing too much. Smacking while you eat. What do all of these things have in common? They are all undesirable habits that people have! Let's face it, pretty much everyone has at least one bad habit they could stand to lose. Sure, some are totally harmless, but others can be super annoying or even harmful. Other than the ones that occur during everyday life, we fly anglers are also notorious for certain bad habits while out on the water. I'm nowhere near p

How do you hold your fly rod? Do you always use the same grip? Sometimes in fly fishing, a short, soft, accurate presentation is essential if you want to have success. Those who chase trout a great deal likely know all about this, as they often ply smaller waters that are shallow, gin clear, and full of nervous fish. Make just one harsh or sloppy cast and, congratulations, you've just messed up that spot for a while. I wish I could say I've never caused a bunch of trout to ra

As the saying goes "practice makes perfect." That rings true for many aspects of life from learning to ride a bike to computer coding, and it's certainly true when refining your fly casting technique. Fly casting does require a fair amount of open space for any decent practice session with a typical rod, but some folks simply don't have that immediately accessible. Another is the weather—if it's blowing 40 outside or dumping snow, chances are taking a nap or maybe tying some

It's not always like the picture above. Flat water makes casting easy, but wind is often a good thing. People often hate fly fishing in the wind, but to be a well-rounded fly angler you need to learn to effectively cast and fish through it. Despite the challenges a stiff breeze presents, it can make the fishing downright dynamite, too. The ability to cast properly will likely be at the forefront of most peoples' minds on blustery days, but there are some techniques you can us

A few weeks back, I posted a review of the new Winston Alpha+ 7 weight which can be found right here. While seemingly pretty minor, one feature I really appreciated was that rather than just displaying the rod's line weight, Winston takes it a step further and lists the ideal line grain weight for each rod. Why does this matter so much? Let me explain.... Fast and extra-fast action fly rods are extremely popular these days. I'm a fan of both, so I totally get it. Thing is, of

Fly casting isn't as difficult as it may seem. Solid instruction and a lot of practice certainly goes a long way in forming good technique and habits, but the other key component is the gear you use to learn with. The fly rod is at the pinnacle of importance here, as a good rod with the right action can really speed up the learning process and help the novice feel the cast much better. But what fly rod action is best when just starting out? Image Credit: Redington Fly rod act

The action of a fly rod basically refers to how it flexes. This flex should always be taken into account because it has a big impact on the rod's overall casting performance. An excerpt from a prior piece I wrote briefly touches on the various rod actions: "Actions are often classified as slow, medium, medium-fast, fast, and extra-fast. A slow-action rod is quite soft while casting, flexing deeply down towards the handle and offers finesse but not much raw casting power. On t

The back of the boat can be a whole other world. Sure, you're likely out with a good friend or two on a beautiful body of water, but fishing back there can often be a frustrating experience. Whether you're in a drift boat, a bass boat, or a skiff of some sort, the angler in the front usually has first crack at most of the good water and may often enjoy the most success. Like many anglers, I've been there and it can really be a blow to the fishing ego! You may not always be at

Saltwater fly fishing is often a very different game. As Captain Scott Hamilton of FlyFishingExtremes.com says, "this is not about trout." If you've never fly fished in saltwater and are interested in booking a guided trip, take those words to heart. Not only are both the gear and fish often bigger and stronger, but just the simple task of delivering the fly effectively can prove frustrating if you're not prepared. Out on the salt, you're often faced with many different varia

When fly casting, being smoooooooth is the name of the game. Moving the fly rod back and forth fluidly along with good application of power and the right timing is what it takes to produce a pretty cast. Unfortunately, some folks—especially beginners—can have a tendency to rip the line off the water at the start of a cast. Even someone that has decent mechanics at shorter ranges may suffer from this problem when working with longer lengths of line. Mentally, it may seem like

Everyone wants to be able to fly cast efficiently. When I say efficiently, I don't mean just merely casting with tight loops and superb accuracy. Part of being a good fly caster means that your fly spends more time in the water actually being fished rather than sailing back and forth through the air. In many instances, shooting/feeding out line while false casting is a big component of this because it allows you to extend your reach to quickly hit those more distant fish. How

When most folks hear the word "drift" they probably first think about dead-drifting a fly for trout in a river somewhere. While this thought isn't incorrect, drift also has a second lesser-known meaning related to casting. Using drift while casting is quite simple and offers noteworthy benefits that can really improve your efficiency and distance. Heck, you may be doing it already and not even fully realize it! I first started "drifting" a long time ago and knew it was often

In some circumstances, fly casting can be relatively effortless or even downright therapeutic. For instance, imagine being out on a western river, casting little dry flies into small pockets and glossy pools. Ahhhh....sounds like both a great time and a great way to relieve stress. The combination of light tackle along with diminutive fly patterns makes for a very easygoing experience. Now, let's look at the other side—BIG flies. Depending on who you talk to, a "big" fly migh

False casting is a major piece of the overall fly cast. False casting is the back-and-forth motion of the line/rod that's done before the line touches down upon the water as the presentation is completed. The main purposes of these repeated motions are to simply aim the fly and/or work the line out of the guides while building line speed so you can achieve the desired distance. False casts are also useful when making a drastic change in the direction of your cast and presenta