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These
pictures were taken from the
perspective of an angler looking upstream. An area of deeper
water beneath the bank on the left holds good-sized trout. The
area of shallower and relatively slower moving water on the right
holds few fish.
The next two pictures show - from the angler's perspective -
the position of the fly line in the parking area and after it has
been cast into the fish-holding area.
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The fly line has been extended into the line
parking area
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then the fly is cast into the fish holding area |
The line
parking area can be used to
'park' the fly line as the angler slowly works upstream.
This avoids the problem of the fly line being swept downstream
which inevitably leads to a waterlogged dry fly. |
It turns
out that the 'line parking area' can be used to
overcome the other problems
associated with using Spey-type casts to deliver a dry fly
upstream. |
The line parking area can be used for several
purposes,
to:
- increase the amount of line outside
rod tip
- straighten the fly line in order to restore
line tension
prior to making a cast
- make an overpowered roll cast with a 'hard
stop' to
dry a waterlogged fly
- false cast to guage the amount of power
required to make an
effective cast with an under-loaded rod
Perform these preparations prior to delivering the fly into a
fish holding area.
Try to avoid making unnecessary casts into the 'fish holding
area'. Often the first drift through the 'fish holding
area' is the most successful at eliciting a rise from trout.
Excessive casting into the holding area can spook fish.
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When making
a roll or Spey-type cast
to send the fly from the line parking area into the fish holding
area avoid waterlogging the fly by dragging it through the
water. I find that lifting as much line off the water prior to
sweeping the rod downstream to position the 'anchor
point' keeps the fly dry.
This downstream sweeping movement is similar to the
'Pirouette' in Spey casting. Think of the fly as a ballet
dancer on tip-toes lightly moving lightly across the surface of
the water.
- Keep your eye on the position of the fly as it
swings round
in front of you
- Stop the fly as soon as it is on the line
between you and the
target
- Make the forward cast upstream
of the
position of the fly. This avoids crossing the fly line which
creates a tangle.
Try to avoid pausing too long after you have formed the
'D' loop and before making your forward cast. The current
will move the fly line towards you. This removes tension from the
line and creates curves in your line which reduce the efficiency
of your forward cast. To overcome these problems slide the line
towards you faster
than
the speed of the current. |
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Of course
the fish holding area may
be on your right as you move upstream. These two pictures show
the relative position of the two areas when the fish holding area
is located on the angler's right hand side. Make sure to
carefully position the anchor point so that it points at the
target before making the forward cast. Do not make your forward
cast over and across the fly line. Failure to observe this simple
point will result in a crossed line which tangles the fly and
leader. |
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At the end of
the drift the fly
line ends here ... |
...and must
be positioned in the
line parking area before being cast again into the fish holding
area. The Snake Roll is a good cast to use for this
purpose. |
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As the fly
drifts downstream through
the fish-holding area, gently pull line through the rings to
maintain contact with the fly. Avoid jerky or long pulls that
could create unnatural drag on the fly. Then when you have
returned the fly line to the line parking area, shoot this
retrieved line into a roll cast before making your next cast into
the fish-holding area.
In the restricted environment of a small river you may not be
able to execute 'classic' Spey casts. Just remember the
principles of Spey casting. Remember that the line will follow
the path of the rod tip.
- You can manipulate the rod tip using techniques
developed by
Spey and Skagit casters (single and double Spey, snake roll,
circle Spey, Perry Poke etc.) to position the anchor point and
'D' loop so that they are in line with the target -
this is the 180 degree rule.
- You can pause to check the position of the
anchor point and
'D' loop before making the forward cast because you are
employing the Skagit concept of a 'waterborne anchor' to
load the rod for the forward cast.
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"Get
out of jail"
cast
Try to avoid letting the line and fly drifting
too far
downstream of your position.
If you find that your line has drifted too far downstream, you
can get it back to the line parking area by using Günter Feuerstein's
up-stream pick
up
cast.
You may find that your fly is now waterlogged and tends to sink.
Dry your fly by making repeated roll casts into the line parking
area. Overpower and use a 'hard stop' on the forward cast
to drive water from your fly.
This may cause your line to fall in curves. Simply make a roll
cast to straighten the fly line before casting into the fish
holding area. |
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"Coping
with a tricky
situation"
The next photographs illustrate a potentially tricky situation.
The right-handed angler is casting upstream to fish that are
lying to the left under a canopy of overhanging trees. The line
is carried downstream on the angler's left hand side. The
angler could make a roll cast over their left shoulder but there
is a risk of getting caught in overhanging branches.
One solution is to raise the rod as the line is carried
downstream and then make a Snap-C or Snap-T cast to position
the anchor point to the right of the angler. |
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"Proceed
upstream
carefully"
The next two pictures illustrate a situation
where
good trout may be found (in area B) towards the head of a pool
just upstream of a prime line parking area. You can often pick up
a good fish by paying careful attention to your fly when you
place it into a parking area for the first time. |
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"The
Downstream Line
Parking Area"
As you reach the head of a pool you may find
that the
line parking area is now downstream of your position. You can
still utilise the functionality of the parking area. At the end
of the drift this right-handed angler can use a snake roll to
place the line in the parking area, followed by a cast over their
left shoulder to send the fly back to the fish holding area which
runs along the opposite bank. |
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Of course
the idea of a
'downstream line parking area' is not new. Wet fly
anglers are advised to step downstream after the line
reaches the
dangle.
Teaching change
of direction using a 'flop-and-stop' Skagit-style
cast
Sometimes it is easier to have
anglers facing
downstream when introducing them to the concept of the 'line
parking area' and principles derived from Skagit and
Spey casting. In this example the angler has been shown how to
make a 'flop-and-stop' Skagit manoeuvre to reposition the
flyline.
The photographs below show a common problem faced by
beginners fishing a wet fly 'down-and-across'. The angler
wants to present her fly to fish lying under the
trees on her right hand side. She cannot use an overhead or side
cast because of vegetation behind her. A roll cast is the
answer in this situation. However, once her line has swung around
in the current and is hanging straight downstream, she will need
to reposition the line so that she can make another cast beneath
the trees. If she simply roll casts in the direction of the trees
on her right the line will cross itself and tangle. The video
clip shows how we have taught her to change the direction of her
roll cast to deal with this dilemma. |
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In order to
change the direction of her roll cast the angler:
- lifts her rod tip
to break surface tension on the line
- sweeps the line
and fly horizontally
to her right
- which aligns the
'anchor' with the target
- lifts the rod
vertically to form a 'D' loop & faces the
target
- makes a forward
cast
Notice
how these
moves are made slowly and smoothly to maintain line tension and
ensure that fly, line and 'D' loop are all in line
with the target. |
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