Fly Casting Techniques

Fly Casting Techniques>/b> There are many fly fishing techniques/fly casting techniques that not only help to catch more fish, these techniques can be fun to use and can save lives (well not really but certainly save injuries on windy days).

Also, there are techniques that we dabble in from time to time such as the parachute cast, rats nest cast, and steeple cast to name but a few. We always love it when clients teach us something new which inevitably happens quite often as the range of casts, techniques. The tricks out there are pretty much never ending and is what truly makes fly fishing so challenging and rewarding as one can never get bored on this never ending quest for casting perfection. See the "sexy loops" or "Spey Caster's Glossary" websites for more fantastic tips and techniques.

This cast means different things to different people, to some people the parachute cast is the same as the pile cast. However I give this title to a completely different cast. Either way it doesn't matter, this is the technique to which I subscribe the name:
A fish rises, say, some two yards in front of us (yes this does happen!) We want to cover this fish (obviously) but a traditional overhead cast is not going to work, since our rod is three yards long
The answer is to perform an overhead cast with a short line. Instead of following through after the forward stop, keep the rod in the stopped position and the line straightens and gently 'parachutes' to the water, leaving some 5 yards of line in the air between the rod tip and the water.
This way one can take more line out of the cast by extending our rod arm after the stop and whether or not the fish takes our next movement is a roll cast.
The example described above is at first sight primarily a boat fishing encounter. I frequently use this cast while fishing the lake margins in the early hours, or when stalking lake trout in New Zealand and also on rivers. It is a really useful cast for casting over shrubbery, or downstream where it leaves you some slack line with which you can play around.
My philosophy to get as close to the fish as possible: if I can creep up to the fish and dangle my fly in front of their noses without casting any line, then that's what I'll do, because you can't get any better presentation than that.
And here's another little rule I've picked up: never cast across a current when you can solve the problem by wading across it.
The Rats Nest Cast
This cast is also known as bucket cast or hump cast. You throw line under the lower leg of the loop and its weight collapses a segment of line, making it fall in a heap (intentional rat's nest.)
When to use The Rats Nest Cast: place slack line a specific distance from the rod tip and have it fall in a heap in very little space. One of the best slack line casts for fishing the water upstream.
How to Use it>/b> After the stop, an upwards flick of the wrist (tip of the thumb pointing up) and back down puts a vertical curve into the line that travels below the line until it falls.
Pr
oblems you may have If it doesn't come out right, it's because either The flick isn't absolutely vertical and you open your wrist to one side (the heap won't fall into a bucket) Or else, the rod tip doesn't end up pointing downwards after the flick of the wrist.
Double Haul
Arial casting including the Double Haul. There are many different over-head casts and many different theories and ideas as to which is the best and most correct way of doing things. The following is my current opinion on what is technically best practice. As I fish the Tongariro a lot, distance is a factor. I believe that the best cast is pretty much achieved by standing with your feet close together pointed in the direction that you want the flies to go (a lot of people will disagree with this but never mind).
Your casting hand should move in a straight line past your shoulder with you your elbow bending in, brushing your side almost and then extending (basically). What works for me is a stiff-ish wrist with the thumb on the top of the rod butt pointing down the line of the rod to the tip (I do have a bit of wrist movement - particularly with shorter casts).
To get the correct arm motion, imagine throwing a ball. The problem with turning your feet around and placing your left foot further forward if you are a right hander is that casting general requires false casting i.e. firing the rod tip both forward and backwards and I believe that the best way to achieve equality in both directions is to line up straight forward. A trick to get used to the ideal motion is to stand with your casting shoulder against a wall staring down the line of the wall. Imagine a line running parallel to the floor that is at shoulder height.
Move your hand back and forwards along this line fully extending your arm in both directions with your thump acting as pointer. For shorter casts the same applies accept use shorter arm movements i.e. don't fully extend. Many people will disagree with this, and you may find a better way yourself, but keeping everything moving in a straight line definitely results in better tracking, tighter loops and hence better casting.
Tongariro Roll Cast
The Tongariro Roll Cast is a spey cast that achieves incredible distance - on my best days 90 - 95 feet of fly line from the reel to the indicator plus a rod and half of leader, 4mm tungsten bomb and glow bug. Consistently over 80 feet from reel using a 9 foot 8 weight rod and fly line. Single Handed Snake Roll
The Single Handed Snake Roll Cast
This is a spey casting technique developed by casting expert Simon Gosworth (I saw it on a spey casting video). It is a pretty handy technique requiring less movements than the Tongariro Roll Cast an is hence disturbs the water very little and looks pretty cool.
Single Handed Double Spey
The Single handed Double Spey Cast is in my opinion one of the most useful casting techniques for a single handed fisherman. There is really only one other way when nymphing to get the line back up and out that requires less movements or effort but the single handed double spey goes further and more accurately so I use this a lot.