Posts by Fly Fishing the Sierra

Reach Casts are used on streams where current differences affect the standard overhead cast. Depending upon the direction of the current, the caster will “reach” either to the left or the right so that the line falls to the tip of the rod which is away from the caster. The reach is most often done…

Puddle Casts, also known as Pile Casts, create small S-curves in the fly line and leader that will alleviate drag problems in downstream presentations. Until the current straightens out the line, the s-curves allow the fly to proceed downstream in a drag-free manner. This is a great cast for swirling back eddies, or complex currents…

Parachute casts is usually a slackline presentation downstream. The rod is kept high after the cast so that the fly line and fly descend upon the water, like a parachute. There will be a belly of line between the rod tip and the fly. The rod tip is gradually lowered and kept in line with…

The Tuck cast is primarily used for nymphing presentations. It was developed by Frank Sawyer of England and George Harvey of the US to fish small nymphs such as the Pheasant Tail. The overhead cast is overpowered with a stop. This causes the fly to flick down and back once the fly line is straight.…

The Pendulum Cast is also known as the Underhand cast. It is a soft cast primarily used for placing the fly under low overhanging bushes. The cast creates an inverted loop that lies under the rod tip and makes the fly travel like a pendulum. This cast can be very useful on small streams. When…

The steeple cast is used when there are objects behind you that do not allow a back cast. Constraints such as a cliff, trees, or brush might be behind you. Another constraint could be fast water in front of you which negates the roll cast. With the steeple cast, you turn your wrist upside down…

The roll cast allows you to cast forward when there is no possibility for a back cast or an overhead cast. This can be a very common situation around small streams that are tree-lined or have tunnel-like brush stretches. A properly executed roll cast can easily reach 30 feet or more. It is important that…

A Curve cast is one that creates a curve in the leader by whipping the rod tip to the right or left during the end of the power stroke. Curve casts give you an opportunity to present the fly to the fish before the line becomes visible. It can be used to reach a fish…