Education

Heron vs Grizzly

 

Not fishing the edges is one of the biggest mistakes I see people make, especially on smaller water. Starting your drifts in the main current means you likely spooked fish hanging on the inside seam, a place trout love to sit and feed.

 

I’m no different than most. Despite knowing I should stay back and work the closest viable water first, it’s always tempting to jump into the "juicy" looking main current. I have to remind myself how many fish I’ve caught on the inside seam or just feet away when I'm tactical. Fishing close mirrors hunting and demands strategy and stealth to improve your odds of success. Fish that sense your presence feel threatened, they don’t eat – they run and hide. If an 800lb Grizzly suddenly cast its shadow over you, food wouldn’t be first on your mind – a fish is no different. Slow down, identify the closest viable water and fish it. Avoid charging right in.

 

Try to stay unnoticed. In general, keeping a low profile and moving slowly improves your odds of success. If you’ve ever watched a Heron, one of the most successful fishermen on any river, they stand almost motionless as they stalk the edges. Any motion they do make, is slow and deliberate. It pays to mimic the master. Think Heron and avoid being the Grizzly.

Casterbators

 

I’m a Kelly Galloup fan. He’s pragmatic and focuses his advice on real world situations to help you catch more fish. His term for people who focus more on their casting than their fishing, is “Casterbators.” Kelly's argument isn’t that casting is frivolous, it’s not. Casting is an important part of the sport but over-casting, casting just to cast, works against your success.

 

Not casturbating also stresses accuracy over distance. Long distance casts are usually something men aspire to. Somehow, we think distance equates to skill. In fact, it doesn't. For the vast majority of people, the longer the cast, the more control and accuracy decline. Line tends to slap the water, fall or pile up. Any fish in its right mind is scared by the commotion and not the least bit fooled. Instead of working toward a 60’ unguided bomb, strive for casting accuracy at relatively short distances, 20-30’ – think nimble, fast, accurate, a fighter jet. It’s also a fact, this distance is where most fish are caught. Control your cast, work on accuracy, good presentation and then, work on adding different casts to your quiver. Distance, should be the last item on your list to master. Perfecting 4-5 different casts, ones that do different things, will translate to more success than any long distance bomb will ever achieve. 

There is no bad cast, just bad casters

 

One of the more common mistake I see anglers make, is mental. Too often, not understanding that there are many casts in fly fishing hinders people’s ability to adapt to different styles, techniques and methods of fishing. They stick their head in a tiny casting box and refuse to pull it out, regardless of changing perimeters.

 

There’s a long list of casts in fly fishing, not just one. There’s a roll cast, an overhead cast, a water load, a bow and arrow cast, a wiggle cast, a curve cast and still others. Each cast uses the rod differently to best present the flies. This means that not every cast is appropriate for every fishing method. This is what most people fail to understand.

 

I find people have an innate dislike of the water load (water haul), it’s perhaps the most maligned and misunderstood cast in the sport. Maybe because it’s stuck with the common name rainbow or flop cast, it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Despite indisputably being the most effective way to deliver a clunky indicator, split shot and multiple flies, people often favor the same dry fly cast they use with a size 18 Adams. When they do, the results are predictable - it doesn’t work. Don’t take a Ferrari to haul a heavy load and don’t bring a dump truck to the race track. They each do the specific thing they’re designed for well and do most other things poorly.

 

If you commit to fishing an indicator rig, commit to using the most appropriate cast - a water load. Ditch your visions of elegant dry fly casting and embrace the best cast for the job, no matter what it’s called. You’ll spend more time fishing, enjoy more success and spend a lot less time untangling intricate nests of self-inflicted madness.