There are times when regular casts on small mountain trout streams fail to give use the accuracy and delicacy needed. Even worse, the fly line flashing over the stream on the presentation cast scare the trout. So today, let’s look at some tips on fine tuning casts.
Here are some casts I’ve developed over the years that have helped me master awkward situations. They have helped me catch many trout in demanding conditions.
Three Casts to Remember
I use my Flip Cast on over half of the pools I fish on mountain streams. It is very accurate and amazingly delicate. I allow enough line to hang down from the rod tip top to reach back to the fly in my line hand and to reach the feeding station I plan to fish before me. Holding the fly firmly in my line hand I begin the presentation cast with the fly rod. As the rod tip turns over when aiming at the feeding station, I release the fly from my line hand. The loop in the fly line turns over and presents the fly accurately and delicately to the feeding station. Saucer plate accuracy is easy to achieve consistently with the Flip Cast. The fly rod I use for this fishing has a delicate tip and a firm butt section. It balances with a size 3 fly line. (Murray’s Mountain Trout Rod –6ft 10in 3-weight 3pc.)
The Bow and Arrow Cast sounds like the flip cast but it lacks the accuracy and delicacy of the flip cast. However, it is valuable when I’m fishing in a tight tunnel in the foliage which is less than five feet in diameter.
I use my Pendulum Cast to deliver a dry fly to a feeding station a foot or less in diameter that is surrounded by heavy choppy currents. In order to achieve a natural drift with my dry fly I must hold all but 3 or 4 inches of the tippet off the stream. I’ve found the pendulum cast to be very productive in the choppy water on the Madison River below Quake Lake.