Casting in the currents

Mending in fly fishing is an essential technique used to control the movement of the fly line on the water, allowing for a more natural presentation of the fly and improving the drift. It’s a cool technique that can seriously up your game out there on the water. After you cast you need to watch the flow of the currents and the path of your fly.

Mending is all about manipulating the line to control the direction and speed of the drift. Sometimes the current can mess with your presentation and mending helps fix that. By making strategic movements with the rod or by using your hands, you can adjust the line’s position, creating a more natural path for your fly on the water.

Let’s say you’re dealing with conflicting currents causing your line to drag unnaturally. I think it looks like a little wake on either side of the fly depending on where the currents are fastest. Mending allows you to make subtle adjustments, like flipping or lifting sections of the line, so your fly drifts naturally and doesn’t spook those finicky fish.

Knowing when to mend your line in fly fishing involves reading the signs nature throws at you while you’re out there on the water, doing your thing. Picture this: you’re casting your line, and suddenly you notice something’s off. Maybe your fly is zooming past at lightning speed or dragging in a way that doesn’t look natural. That’s your cue right there! It’s time to mend that line.

Keep an eye on the current—those sneaky, varying speeds can mess with your presentation. If you see conflicting currents or notice your line belly sagging in odd places, that’s your indicator. Give that line a little tweak to get it back on track.

Also, pay attention to how your fly behaves. If it’s not dancing along with the flow of the water or doesn’t look like a tasty snack to the fish, it’s probably time for a mend. And trust me, those fish are pretty good at giving you a hint. If they’re not biting despite your awesome fly, it might be telling you to fix up that presentation.

Oh, and the distance and angle of your cast? Yeah, those play a part too. Longer casts or throwing across different currents might need an immediate fix-up with some mending action. The goal is achieving that perfect drift, making it look like your fly isn’t attached to anything at all. It takes practice to master the art of mending, but once you get the hang of mending, it’s a game-changer. You’ll see more strikes and land more fish because your presentation is spot on.