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Fly Fishing Trips: Subtle Casting Styles

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If you're an avid fly fisherman, you know that the experience can be even more important than the fish you might catch. If you're booking a guided fly fishing trip this summer, finding ways to be stealthier can both add to the experience and help you catch even more fish.

Here are some subtle adjustments to consider when enjoying a guided fly fishing trip.

Casting

Making an accurate fly fishing cast, while also mimicking the natural fall of an insect, is a tricky balance.

Crouching Casts:

Many fly fishermen are accustomed to making casts in open areas. Many guided flying trips, however, take anglers into overgrown stretches of creeks and rivers. This might require making casts at odd angles, with little room to spare. One of the ways to practice a more efficient fly casting style is to practice making casts from a crouch. You can start practicing a crouching fly casting style in an open area. Once you become comfortable with the lower height and sightline, consider moving to a more crowded space. For instance. You can try making crouching fly casts between parked cars and/or narrow hallways with high ceilings.  Having the ability to make casts from a lower stance can help stalk more fish on your fly fishing trip, while also reducing your odds of spooking fish with your shadow.

Quiet Casts:

Another problem many fly fishermen have when they book fly fishing trips is making "quiet" casts. A quiet means that your fly and line land softly on the water so that you (and the fish) can't hear either land. If you can't make quiet casts, you can often spook fish and/or reduce the odds of catching highly pressured fish. To make your standard fly casts quieter, consider pulling back on your line slightly when you fully release your casts. By making this adjustment, you'll reduce the slack in your line that often causes splashes. You will also give your fly a more natural drop when hitting the water.

Backhand Casts:

Another fly casting style that can be tough for some anglers to master is the backhand cast. When you backhand, you bring the rod over your opposite shoulder, while also turning your elbow and forearm in the same direction. Like casting from a crouching position, you can practice backhand casts in open areas. Once you are comfortable with the motion and develop a consistent rhythm, consider aiming for targets at different angles and distances.


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