DEMYSTIFLY

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

I've never been very fond of trolling with conventional gear. Sitting there while dragging a lure around makes my brain go numb pretty quickly. Of course, the excitement begins when a fish is hooked, but for me, part of the fun in fishing involves the casting and probing of different areas while actively searching for a bite. That's not to say trolling isn't effective—it for sure is—and in a situation where the fish are spread out over a huge open water area, it can be the be

The act of stripping your line/fly is most often done with just one hand doing the pulling. This is often very effective because you'll always have one hand firmly on the rod handle and the other firmly on the line, so when a strike comes you'll be in a good position. In addition, the pause between strips can give your fly increased action and may help trigger a bite. But, what if you want a more consistent retrieve or just purely more speed? You can single-hand strip as fast

It was probably 19 or 20 years ago when I first learned the importance of using a bite tippet. I was on vacation with my family on Florida's east coast doing some barracuda fishing from an inlet jetty. Armed with a spinning rod and a bunch of medium-sized plugs, I walked out to the end of the rocks, found a nice flat one to stand on, and began casting a big Rapala tied directly to 15-pound test (big mistake). While violently ripping the lure back on about my third retrieve a

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

One of the most common bad habits I see new fly anglers have when stripping a fly is keeping the rod tip too high off the water. When fishing still waters such as lakes, it's important to maintain close contact with your fly so you can strip efficiently while detecting and reacting to strikes quickly. It will help you manipulate the fly better and catch more fish! A high rod tip means there can be excess loose line between the tip and water's surface. If a fish bites, you may

Sinking fly lines are must-haves for reaching fish that lurk in the depths. As touched upon in our Fly Fishing Basics - Fly lines & Backing section, there's different types of sinking fly lines out there. With such a wide variety of configurations on the market these days, anglers can really get dialed-in for the specific types of fishing they do. When shopping for sinking lines, you may notice some are labeled with the term "density compensated" or in Scientific Anglers' cas

The first time you cast an extra-fast action fly rod you may be a bit surprised. Having started like most folks throwing medium-fast and fast rods, it certainly was eye-opening to me! These rods are made to be powerful casting tools designed to conquer wind, bulky flies, and reach extreme distances. While these can be very good things, such attributes may come with one downfall: performance at shorter distances. Let's say you have a very fast action 8-weight rod coupled with

Fighting fish with proper technique is obviously essential to landing more fish. When hooked up to something like a small trout or bluegill it can be a pretty simple task, but put a big, strong, ticked-off specimen on the end of the line and it's a different story! It is then really important to be on top of your game and play the angles to keep the fish "off balance." One great way to achieve this is by applying side pressure during the fight to both turn and tire a fish mor

I recently blogged regarding the importance of how accuracy is often more important than distance. In a closely-related subject, many anglers instantly set their sites on fishing further out than they need to. You may literally be standing over the fish and not even know it until it's too late! Often, the best thing to do when approaching the bank is to just stand back for a moment and observe. Many anglers have the tendency to just rush down to the shore and either wade in o

What is sight-fishing, you ask? It's one of the most EXCITING ways to catch fish, that's what! Okay but seriously, it does have a true meaning. Sight-fishing means that you see the fish first and try to coax it to eat your fly, bait, or lure. Despite it sounding relatively easy, often times it's not—and that's what makes it so fun. Stalking a stubborn fish and getting it to eat is one of the most rewarding prizes in all of fishing. I've been addicted to it for years and will