Mending a line

Hi all,

Straight to the point. How to you mend a line 40-50 ft effectively? Every time I try to mend, to prevent draging, I effectivly only mend about 10-12 ft of line and the rest drags. I have a lot of learning to do.

Cheers

This is tough to back up, but the only way do a mend in that much line is to mend the line before it hits the water. That or work with the cast itself to make sure the fly lands in a position where a line mend is not needed.

Not easy, but it can be done. I have seen it documented before, but I can't find it now.

Ken

Gig,

A very valid question.

Ken has a good point, ... 45 feet is starting to get out there ...especially if you need to mend ... Try scouting out the lie to see if you can possibly cast from another position. Curve your line in the cast to lay a mend down. If not, Practice Practice ... Practice http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif.

Don't get discouraged, ... imho, over 50% of ff's don't mend or don't know how to ...

Start from the beginning ...

To be able to manipulate the line effectively, ...throw you mend AFTER the line hits the water and with your rod horizontal. If you start the movement with the rod up in the air,you'll be "mending" the slack J from your rod tip to the water, instead of the line which is out there.

To "throw" the belly into the line you need a bit of autority. The first few times on a relatively short line, you'll probably end up flicking the fly upstream. I use 9 and 10 ft rods, so that helps too.

A gentle easy mend is done with a smooth looping motion. To "shoot" the belly "out there" you need a bit more "flick" in the wrist to throw the line around.

Sounds more difficult than it really is.

Hope this helps.

Also try ...
What the Hell is Mending? - J. Castwell's Article - Fly Angler's OnLine [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst031405.html:96b8d]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst031405.html[/url:96b8d]

Controlled Slack - Line Mending - Ladyfisher's Article - 033103" [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ldy/ldy033103.html:96b8d]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ldy/ldy033103.html[/url:96b8d]

Drift 'n Drag - Work with it not against it - FAOL's Our Man In Canada #303 [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/canada/index.html:96b8d]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/canada/index.html[/url:96b8d]

and specificially for dries:
Fly Fishing Techniques: A Mending Primer - MidCurrent [url=http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/techniques/monahan_mending.aspx:96b8d]http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/techniques/monahan_mending.aspx[/url:96b8d]

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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:96b8d]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:96b8d]


[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 10 June 2005).]

[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 10 June 2005).]

A "Reach Cast" AKA "Mend Cast"would be a good idea,it allows three to four times the amount of drag free drift compared to other slack line casts.!!The Reach Cast would Mend the Line before it hits the water helping you get a better controll for Mending as the Line comes Downstream.Check it out.http://www.flyanglersonline.com/fea ... rc167.html

Like fcch said, I lift my rod up and make a circular motion with the tip of my rod to try to make a rolling motion just above the water with the line in the direction I need it to go. This is kind of like a roll cast in a way. You do have to put some muscle in to it. A good example would be when you are dragging a water hose across the yard and it gets caught around something like a bush or rock. Instead of walking over to get it around the object, being lazy, I always try to "twirl" the hose off the ground to make a loop that will go over it. Does this make since?=) Scott

[This message has been edited by salovin (edited 11 June 2005).]

Salovin,

Good example. I'll use that (if I may).

JC, ...

Cool, ... I don't usually use nymphs, but same tech. will work well to get a streammer to dive, let it dead drift towards a lie, ... then JUST as it get to the lie, pull out the mend and the fly will heel over and try to "escape" across the current and UP in the water column. Try it, ... You'll like it http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif


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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:1bd00]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:1bd00]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 11 June 2005).]

JC,

I like playing lots with the line and seeing what it does. Heck, ... when going after Atlantics, sometimes that's what makes the difference. (and while trying for Salmo salar we get LOTS of casting practice http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif)

Most Atlantic salmon river have a story about a bunch of "Vets" who spend all day trying for a particular monster. Some newcomer arrives, takes his or her place in the pool, ... lays out the ugliest presentation you can imagine, all "wrong" (compared to "tradition"), .... and BANG, connects.

It's all in the difference http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif

Gotta love it when some young kid "shows up" a bunch of locals http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif


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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:2b86e]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:2b86e]