casting problem

[Thomas L]

I was able to get out fishing yesterday and I had trouble casting a weighted streamer. I was using a six weight rod with a 5x 9 ft leader. The water level was much higher than expected so I opted to use a size 6 weighted streamer which I had never used before. On my back cast I could feel the weight of the streamer and it seemed manageble but the forward cast seemed to be lagging way behind the leader and would not cast smoothly without feeling like it was dragging. Is this a normal feeling or were my mechanics just off fornever havinbg fished weighted streamer before? Thanks Tom

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[OkieBass133]

Kind of depends on how heavy the streamer was. The motions for casting a heavy fly are a little different. Some folks call it "chuck and duck". Just play with it a while until you're comfortable.

On another note, 5x for a heavy #6 streamer on a 6 wt rod seems awfully light. Bumping that up a couple sizes, and shortening the leader if possible will help a little bit on the business end.

[Gardenfish]

Try a 7 1/2 foot leader. That has helped me sometimes. Also, agree about using a heavier tippet.

[fcch]

Thomas, ...

I presume your 9ft leader is a knotless taper leader.

imho, ... many of the "store bought" tapered leaders don't have a stiff enough "butt". Line/leader don't turn over well, especially with those big flies.

I used to cheat, add 2-3 feet of heavy leader material (oh say Maxima 30 lb test), chop off 3-4 feet on the tippet end and tie directly on. Once the tippet end get cut back a bit, add on 1 - 1.5 ft of leader material in 6 lb test. Not pretty, but the fly leader/fly turn over more readily without slammin' the cast.


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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:3b9cb]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:3b9cb]

[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:3b9cb]Fishing the Ste-Marguerite[/url:3b9cb]

[Ray]

Your leader is way too light. To get you leader size divide the size of your fly by 3. With that formule you should be using a 2X tippet leader. That being said a weighted size 6 fly is very heavy for a 6wt rod, no matter what you do you will feel the fly lagging behind the line and leader.

[This message has been edited by Ray (edited 29 January 2006).]

[ducksterman]

And try opening up your loops some..