One thing that is NOT mentioned in the bucket mend is that any aerial mend that places line between the rod tip and the target must account for shortening of the cast in placing the mend. If you place the mend without shooting line to account for the extra slack, the cast will fall short.

See the video on the simple reach mend below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14njsZy47qg

The caster correctly states that you SHOOT LINE into the cast but he never says why you shoot line, It is to make up for the fact that placing the cast on an angle to the target places the rod tip further from the target. Said another way, when you reach to the side, you shorten the effective fly rod length. The rod cannot reach as far forward to the target when it is reached to the side.

Now look at the bucket mend video below. The caster never says to shoot line or to account for the extra line that is placed into the aerial mend. However, the same principle remains. This extra line must be accounted for by either lengthening the cast before the mend or shooting line into the cast during the mend.

Watch very carefully and you will see that the fly falls short of where it would have fallen if there had not been a mend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d26S-v3eB4s