Keep Your Flies Below Your Eyes

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Photo by Louis Cahill

Photo by Louis Cahill

By Justin Pickett

The dense canopies of the southeastern streams that I grew up on have groomed my casting stroke over the years.

Favoring function over style, I adopted a low, sidearm casting stroke that has served me well over the years. For my clients that haven’t spent much, if any, time on these Rhodo-infested streams, I recommend they take a peek at their surroundings before casting. There are always vines, limbs, and leaves lurking over the water, waiting like Venus fly traps to snatch their fly from flight. The best piece of advice I give these anglers though, is that they will keep themselves out of the most trouble by simply keeping their flies below their eyes.

Whether that be with a water haul, a roll cast, or a sidearm presentation, this gives my client a reference point of where they need to keep their cast. It also provides the angler the ability to keep their eyes on their cast through the entire stroke, which can help keep things in check as well. This may be awkward for some anglers at first, but they quickly get it the first time their flies end up tangled in a tree limb.

With a little practice, maintaining a lower, more sidearm presentation is easy to achieve, and will help keep you out of the trees which will keeps your flies on the water longer.

Here’s a short video on making a water haul cast.

Justin Pickett
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
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2 thoughts on “Keep Your Flies Below Your Eyes

  1. J.P. Im not sure my tip ($) covered the cost of your flies I deposited in the trees/bushes when we fished. Tight quaters make this cast a must. I’ll do better next time OR tip more.

    • Hey Rich! I hope you are well! Nah man that was a good day! I still remember that huge brown that we worked with that streamer! Maybe he’ll eat next time! Hopefully we can hit the water again soon!!

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