Practicing casting in the wind

[ducksterman]

Since I'm where fly fishing has been described as "a large region of otherwise fishing bleakness" I've decided to consciously practice my casting and was pleased to note that I'm much closer to double hauling then the last time I paid any attention....sorry I feel pretty good about that....now to the question...

I was practicing in the wind and noted that when the back cast was going downwind the rod loading was very apparent and it was easy to haul for the forward cast...when I changed directions and the back cast line was going against the wind it was very difficult to feel the loading and therefore time it.

I noted other things but.....

Is it good practice to practice in windy conditions?
Can it teach us things faster? [if used properly]
If so how would we use it to our advantage?

We could be talking about just a gentle breeze or much more...

[Jed]

Becaukse my back-cast is stronger than my fore-cast I have been known to cast on my back-cast in windy conditions. Works better in open water where accuracy is not the issue.
jed

[Hans Weilenmann]

ducksterman,

Unless you live in a world far removed from mine, wind will be part of your fishing experience on all but very rare no-wind days. As such, yes practicing your casting under a variety of wind conditions is very sensible.

When ?which part of flyfishing do you HATE?? the number one candidate aversion cited is wind.

I find this interesting, because if I have to peg ?wind? anywhere it is more likely to end up in my ?like?, not ?hate? group.

No, I am not talking 40 mph gale. I am talking light to medium strength wind, you know, the kind we are most likely to encounter wherever we go to fish.

I have to add another qualification here: I am for the most part a freshwater angler, with rather limited exposure to salt fishing and will steer clear of commenting on windy conditions encountered in the salt. Please keep this in mind when you consider the following.

Regardless whether you are predominately a stream angler or a stillwater angler, the vast majority of your days you will encounter a variety of wind conditions, be they light or more severe, be they steady or fickle, an a range of directions.

Accept the wind?s presence, use the advantages it gives you and do not waste energy battling it.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

(Stream/Stillwater) Wind will ripple the surface, allowing you to move closer to the fish without alerting it to your presence. Closer means improved accuracy and control.

(Stillwater) Use the wind and how it moves the top layer of the water to cover more water without stripping in the line and having to recast.

(Stream/Stillwater) Wind, by moving the top layer of the water, will push insects into more cense feeding lanes, almost like a conveyer belt, or funnel food into certain spots like up to a dam face or other construction.

(Stream) Adjust your casting take advantage of the wind, be it to allow you to reach further, curve casts. Be inventive in how to use the airflow to access feeding locations. Experiment with your casting.

(Stream/Stillwater) Make it fun, almost a game, to beat your wind ?opponent? by outsmarting it and feel good when it comes together.

But perhaps above all, do not allow wind to become a distracting component to your enjoyment of fishing. It is a constant. Accept its presence, make it your friend! In fishing, but also in your casting practice.

Cheers,
Hans W


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=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier

Ducksterman - A couple tips on casting into a wind. Don't try to push the line into the wind by increasing power. Instead, relax and form the tightest loops you can.
Wind is less intense near the surface of the land or water. Throw a high backast, and a low front cast to take advantage of that.
If fishing a large body of water and incoming waves are being generated, they will cause baitfish and other critters to be stacked up against the shore. The predators will likely be there too. You often don't need to cast as far as you would on a calm day, and should not beat yourself up trying.

[Bowcrow]

well said

I think it's almost rare to find a calm day, there is always a slight breeze to deal with. I find it neat to have to correct for the wind when firing dries upstream at fish. Kind of like artillery firing targeting rounds.

Nope 2 feet left. - whoooaaa! 2 feet right, dangit. Oh there it is, that's the one! (sip) - *set* oh yeah!!

Brian

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[url=http://bowcrow.tripod.com:305ed]Bowcrow Fishing Adventures[/url:305ed]

[lee s]

We get the two feet left...oops....two feet right, OK. It's the "oh yeah....sip....set" that eludes us.

[flysoup]

Howdy Duck man
I would say that if you are yard casting try casting in all direction every time,
Learn to keep the fly on the down wind side of you. Makeing cross body,overhead,canted wrist, offside casts. Even learn to cast with the other hand.
IF the wind is on your rod side make oval loop back cast and bring the rod tip over your off shoulder.
Tight loop into the wind. Change your Tracjectory on your cast to unroll at the surface or target.
Just for the fun of it see how many ways you can make a cast with the wind from different directions. Work on the hard ones.

ol Al

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Ol' Flysoup
Flycasting is as easy as flysoup

[Migs]

Ducksterman:

Advice to remember: Always try to make your cast stroke downwind of your body. Otherwise you're going to get hit by your own fly. Example: I'm right handed and the wind is coming from my right to my left. I put my back to the wind and wave the rod across my body. This way the wind will always hold the line (and the fly) out of my way.
Also, sometimes you can still cast during wind if you use a smaller fly. (It offers less resistance to the wind)
If you can get Joan Wulff's Casting DVD, she teaches how to cast when the wind comes from every direction.

Comments from the more experienced?

Migs