By Kirk Deeter

Take a close look at this photo, and you can probably guess the challenge at hand. This is from the White River in Colorado. There are rainbow trout eating mayflies on the surface of the slack water directly beneath the bridge.

Unfortunately, the water between me and the rising fish is too deep to wade in, and it's moving faster than my target water, which makes a drift presentation tricky. One other complicating factor: There's a stiff breeze blowing from downstream-up (that's right to left in the photo). How do we tackle this one? Here are three tips that will help..

1. I use a spotter fly to help me pick up the subtle takes in choppy water. In this case, I tie on a size #10 Stimulator, and then trail a size #18 Parachute Adams (the fly I expect the fish to eat) about 18 inches off the hook shank of the top fly, with 5X tippet. The Stimulator is for me, the Adams is for the fish; if I see any splash or rise near the fly I can see well, I set the hook.

2. I use a reach cast. Sure, I could sidearm cast under the bridge, but the wind and current make that tricky. I don't want my flies trailing the line downstream, because the current will quickly grab the line and drag the flies. A reach cast is a simple overhead cast, but at the last instant, I reach my casting arm across my body (upstream). In effect, I'm mending the line while it is still in the air. I cast to the side of the bridge, then drop the line under the bridge with a sideways motion.

3. I drive my flies to the surface, which might cause them to land with a splash, but in this choppy water, that's okay. I want to pinpoint my flies directly in the run, and I don't want that wind blowing them off target.

In the end, you might get yourself a mere two-second drift. But a drift that shows those flies floating helplessly, naturally, for two seconds is far better than a sloppy drift that lasts five seconds or more.

In this case, I caught seven small rainbows. Whenever you come upon a bridge, take your time to look for rising trout. Bridges can be a dry fly fisher's best friend... provided you know how to work the right cast and drift.

Comments (8)

from Koldkut wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Would the reach cast be better in this situation over a S cast or wiggle cast? I can't remember the exact name of the cast from the little red book, but it sounds like two different techniques here, but would one be better than the other?

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from Rhythm Rider wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

I'm enjoying these posts so far. Thanks for the spotter fly tip, and reminder about 2 second good vs 5 second poor. I'll be working on my 2 vs 5 ratio now.

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from rdorman wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

never knew it was called the reach cast...i do it all the time in situations like this...i'm young enough to be able to spot the small fly still though...however i do use a spotter fly

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from Sayfu wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Reach cast is one I use a lot because I fish out of a boat, and casts in along the bank put the fly in slow water, or slower water than the current out farther causing the line to speed ahead of the fly, and put drag on the floating fly....send the fly on its way, then make the reach which mends the line in the air getting a good, drag free drift right off the getgo...basic stuff for guys that fish out of a boat on moving water. Always good to look for those rising fish BEFORE you get to the bridge so you can make down, and out casts with the fish not seeing the leader, or flyline, and reaching line out behind, and above the fly is easy with these casts.

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from Sage Sam wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Haha. This is the exact piece of water I had in mind when I mentioned a scenario with multiple currents and your advice is exactly what I eventually figured out after a bit of head and heart aches.

It's still a bit exasperating to try and do everything possible to get a good drift and still struggle to get anything beyond a few seconds while wading.

I really think it is beneficial when y'all discuss the different types of casts and mending techniques to employ. As someone who taught themselves after years of trial and error, you can add a serious amount of fishing enjoyment just knowing how to properly mend your line.

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from Sayfu wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Sage Sam..Anything you can do in the air to help yourself before the fly hits the water is a big plus. When you reach mend, (when it is called for) you place the flyline upstream from the fly when the fly hits, making subsequent mends much easier, and are likely to get a good, drag free start for your fly. It has been frustrating for me as a guide to have the client cast the fly into a good zone along the bank, but have the flyline somewhat down river of the fly at the start. Now the client throws a big mend trying to get the flyline upriver above the fly to get a good float, and he jerks the fly out of the good drift, or sinks it attempting to do so....cast after cast this way.

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from Paul Gozzo wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Great info, thank you. On float trips I have noticed some of these backwater type of pockets before that I know are holding fish because I see them rise but cannot get to them or I just "hope" they are there because it looks like a place they may be. I often go back and if they are not rising, I will swing a wooly bugger through there. I will try a few colors, a few styles (bead or cone head) until I get teh first tap, then I work the entire area. It can be a lot of fun and a good method for catching some big fish! Good luck to you all.

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from buckhunter wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

If you stop your sidearm cast short in mid-air the leader will swing around creating an "L" shape landing the fly down stream from the fly line. You can also create more drag fee drift with the classic wiggle as the line falls to the water. Doing both at the same time takes practice. The key to each cast is to cast 5-6 feet above the water allowing mending time while in mid-air.

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from Sayfu wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Reach cast is one I use a lot because I fish out of a boat, and casts in along the bank put the fly in slow water, or slower water than the current out farther causing the line to speed ahead of the fly, and put drag on the floating fly....send the fly on its way, then make the reach which mends the line in the air getting a good, drag free drift right off the getgo...basic stuff for guys that fish out of a boat on moving water. Always good to look for those rising fish BEFORE you get to the bridge so you can make down, and out casts with the fish not seeing the leader, or flyline, and reaching line out behind, and above the fly is easy with these casts.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sage Sam wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Haha. This is the exact piece of water I had in mind when I mentioned a scenario with multiple currents and your advice is exactly what I eventually figured out after a bit of head and heart aches.

It's still a bit exasperating to try and do everything possible to get a good drift and still struggle to get anything beyond a few seconds while wading.

I really think it is beneficial when y'all discuss the different types of casts and mending techniques to employ. As someone who taught themselves after years of trial and error, you can add a serious amount of fishing enjoyment just knowing how to properly mend your line.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Would the reach cast be better in this situation over a S cast or wiggle cast? I can't remember the exact name of the cast from the little red book, but it sounds like two different techniques here, but would one be better than the other?

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Rhythm Rider wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

I'm enjoying these posts so far. Thanks for the spotter fly tip, and reminder about 2 second good vs 5 second poor. I'll be working on my 2 vs 5 ratio now.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rdorman wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

never knew it was called the reach cast...i do it all the time in situations like this...i'm young enough to be able to spot the small fly still though...however i do use a spotter fly

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sayfu wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Sage Sam..Anything you can do in the air to help yourself before the fly hits the water is a big plus. When you reach mend, (when it is called for) you place the flyline upstream from the fly when the fly hits, making subsequent mends much easier, and are likely to get a good, drag free start for your fly. It has been frustrating for me as a guide to have the client cast the fly into a good zone along the bank, but have the flyline somewhat down river of the fly at the start. Now the client throws a big mend trying to get the flyline upriver above the fly to get a good float, and he jerks the fly out of the good drift, or sinks it attempting to do so....cast after cast this way.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Paul Gozzo wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

Great info, thank you. On float trips I have noticed some of these backwater type of pockets before that I know are holding fish because I see them rise but cannot get to them or I just "hope" they are there because it looks like a place they may be. I often go back and if they are not rising, I will swing a wooly bugger through there. I will try a few colors, a few styles (bead or cone head) until I get teh first tap, then I work the entire area. It can be a lot of fun and a good method for catching some big fish! Good luck to you all.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 1 year 37 weeks ago

If you stop your sidearm cast short in mid-air the leader will swing around creating an "L" shape landing the fly down stream from the fly line. You can also create more drag fee drift with the classic wiggle as the line falls to the water. Doing both at the same time takes practice. The key to each cast is to cast 5-6 feet above the water allowing mending time while in mid-air.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.