| Fly Fishing -- Casting Basics and Reading the Stream |
From "The Outdoor Zone"
episode TOZ-101 |
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In this segment, Outdoor Zone host Jeff Wilson gets a lesson in fly-casting from Joe Shedlock, instructor with the Orvis School of Fly-Fishing. Shedlock also provides tips on "reading the stream" for successfully locating and catching fish. Fly-Casting Practice
- Before casting and fishing in the stream, it's a good idea to learn and practice the basic moves of fly-casting on dry land. Practice in an open area of lawn away from trees and overhanging limbs. Whether practicing or actually fishing, be certain to wear eye protection (e.g., sunglasses) and a hat with a brim for protection from flying hooks or line.
- The basic cast consists of a smooth lift with the forearm and rod (figure A), accelerating smoothly into a back-cast that tosses the line back behind you.
- Once the line is behind you, pause slightly to let the line straighten, then let your forearm drift back forward and close your wrist to bring the line forward (figure B).
- Stop the rod at eye-level and let the line drift down slowly.
- The proper way to hold the rod is with a relaxed grip, in a manner similar to gripping a screwdriver or a key, with the thumb on top (figure C).
- To review the basic cast, begin by holding the rod with a relaxed grip, with the rod angled downward toward the ground. Begin with the cast smooth lift with the arm extended, bringing the rod-tip above head level.
- With the rod-tip above the head, smoothly elevate the forearm then flip your wrist back to a dead stop (figure D).
- Pause slightly to let the line straighten, then begin reversing the action. Begin moving the forearm forward, then flip the wrist forward (figure E), straightening the arm to bring the line forward.
- A key element of a good cast is a crisp snap of the wrist to bring the line back (figure F), and then a reverse of that action to bring it back forward.
Stream Basics Once you've begun to feel competent with the technique of fly-casting, it's time to try out your new skills on the stream. Part of the fly-fisherman's craft is learning to "read the stream" (figure G) and identify locations where fish are likely to concentrate.
- Trout tend to congregate in parts of the stream where there is:
- Deep water;
- A good supply of aquatic invertebrates for food;
- Rippled surface in the water nearby.
- A rippled surface indicates areas where oxygen in being absorbed into the water. Trout tend to be in areas of the stream where the water is heavily oxygenated.
- Areas that incorporate all the necessary elements that fish need are termed a "prime lie" by fly-fishermen. Deep, still pools that are physically sheltered by natural barriers (figure H), but are in close proximity to a waterfall, are one example of a prime lie.
- In our initial fishing outing, patience and newly acquired expertise (figure I) paid off for Jeff, and he eventually hooked a brown trout.
- Once the trout was landed, the hook was carefully removed from its mouth using a hook-removing tool (figure J) -- a scissor-like clamp modeled after a surgical instrument called hemostats. This tool makes it easier to remove a hook while causing minimal injury to the fish.
- This trout -- like all the ones caught on this trip -- was carefully released back into the stream once the hook was removed (figure K). Practicing catch-and-release is an ecologically responsible form of fishing practiced by many fly-fishermen. The fish are caught for sport, but are then returned to the stream -- generally unharmed -- to help maintain the natural fish population. Leaving the stream population relatively undisturbed benefits the fish and the local ecosystem. It also benefits the sport of fishing since released fish live to produce offspring, and may even be caught again by other anglers.
RESOURCES :
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fly Fishing
ISBN: 0028629531
Author: Michael D. Shook
The Complete Book of Fly Fishing
Author: Tom McNally and Tom Beecham
Catch and Release Association
The Catch & Release Association is an organization dedicated to promote the practice of Catch & Release fishing as a Sport, helping insure the future of the sport fishing industry.
Catch and Release Association
Website: www.thecatchandrelease.com/
Catch and Release Foundation
The Catch & Release Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of sport fishing throughout North America. The Foundation serves to advise, educate and develop support for the research and management of programs designed to conserve and improve our aquatic resources.
Web site: www.catchandreleasefound.org
Catch and Release Foundation
Website: www.catchandreleasefound.org/
Smithgall Woods Conservation Area
Smithgall Woods Conservation Area
Web site:
www.smithgallwoods.com
-or-
ngeorgia.com/parks/smithgall.html
GUESTS :
Joe Shedlock
Orvis Company
1711 Blue Hills Drive
Roanoke, VA 24012-8613
Tollfree Phone: 888-235-9763
Website: www.orvis.com
Joe Shedlock is an instructor with the Orvis School of Fly-Fishing.
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