# Fly line management by Flip



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Cool video, will have to give it a try. 

Still doesn't address where the line is landing when you have a 15mph wind blowing the line you are stripping right off the deck.


----------



## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

I've always had most of the head out and piled in front of me with the fly in my hand. When I see a fish my backcast takes the fly out of my hand and I'm ready to go.

Capt Chris Myers has a good video on YouTube about the quick cast.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Thanks for sharing Steve! It's a good point that Flip addresses.

No one has ever shown me that way to roll the rod and let line slip out like Flip does, but over the years I just figured it out on my own and find myself doing it subconsciously from time to time, especially on short casting.

But I will normally hold the fly in my hand and let about half the head and drag in the water with rod tip straight out to one side of the boat or the other, with the fly line dragging a bit, on that side of the boat. Then when ready to cast, I'll toss the fly in the water, do a roll cast to get the line out there, while shooting a bit more of the head out. Then either let it land and do a "pick up and lay down cast" or just false cast it once or twice while still in the air from the roll cast and then shoot it out there to my target. It's almost the same principle, but a little different.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Good method Ted. We were writing at the same time.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

There are many ways to be ready for the shot. The key is twofold.
1. Use a method that works for YOUR fishery. 
2. Use a method you can execute comfortably under pressure.

When I have friends come visit the first thing they do is to use the typical Keys ready position. That's not optimal for my area. Shots are often closer than that. So they have to learn quickly to adjust their approach.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

sjrobin said:


> Good method Ted. We were writing at the same time.


Steve (both Steves! LOL) and of course other people who are reading this thread.... one of the problems we have here in Florida during the summer months when there is a lot of freshwater run-offs from all the summer rains we get, there can be a lot of dead grass floating, which tends to seek out, find your fly that is dragging in the water and foul it up.. Sometimes it get's flicked off when casting it out there, but not every time. So it's important that the fly is clean and free of debris for that one shot that you may not have a second chance on doing. So I tell most guys to hold their fly while up in the mangroves or the grass flats. Big clear water is a different story.

The other thing that Flip touched on is a your angler on the bow is not normally paying attention on where the fly is and inadvertently get's it hung up all over the place, when it comes down to the wire and need to make that important shot.

So fly AND fly line manage is a very important subject when it comes to good fly angling. Most only look at their stripping basket to maintain fly line. But when you look inside their boat, it's a maze of fly line snags.

*"Murphy's Law... - If fly line can hang up around it, it will!"*
_Ted Haas - circa 1997_

I've had several novice guides tell me that they were considering taking fly fishingmen out on charters as well and asked me what I thought. With one look inside their skiff.... .... my comment was "Good Luck!"  Then I continued to point out everything in their boat that fly line will hang up, especially on windy days. I mean... side console rod holders, permanent cleats, knobs....etc??
BHAH HA Ha ha.... 


Ted Haas


----------



## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)




----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Maybe it's just me, but the guy doing quick cast video above is rocking the boat all over the place. That usually results in the opportunity being over if I'm sending out big pressure waves from the boat. I personally don't find the need to implement my whole upper body with that much force. 

It can be done effectively with a lot more finesse, which I think a lot of newer fly fisherman don't realize.


----------



## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

@el9surf you are right, he does add a lot of wasted energy and rocks the boat. I put that up as the way that I do a quick/start a cast. you can do this much more efficiently without sending off waves like a tsunami. then again in a small dolphin, you can rock the boat pretty easy....


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Backwater said:


> But I will normally hold the fly in my hand and let about half the head and drag in the water with rod tip straight out to one side of the boat or the other, with the fly line dragging a bit, on that side of the boat. Then when ready to cast, I'll toss the fly in the water, do a roll cast to get the line out there, while shooting a bit more of the head out. Then either let it land and do a "pick up and lay down cast" or just false cast it once or twice while still in the air from the roll cast and then shoot it out there to my target. It's almost the same principle, but a little different.


That's exactly what I do Ted. But its not ideal in messy situations with grass or etc on the top of the water. I find myself catching "salad" while looking for fish. Flip's approach may be preferable in that sort of situation.


----------



## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

el9surf said:


> Maybe it's just me, but the guy doing quick cast video above is rocking the boat all over the place. That usually results in the opportunity being over if I'm sending out big pressure waves from the boat. I personally don't find the need to implement my whole upper body with that much force.
> 
> It can be done effectively with a lot more finesse, which I think a lot of newer fly fisherman don't realize.


"Like a monkey hauling cabbage." -Lefty 

I think about this every time I'm getting frustrated. Slow down and treat it like a lady and it will make everything easier.


----------



## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

I generally stand on my line or get it caught on everything from my belt buckle to the outboard on the back of the boat. 

You know .....to give the fish a chance.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

sjrobin said:


> I have said this before so pardon me If you have seen it but here in shallow water Texas on the bow of the skiff the best cast is at three seconds after you, the caster, see the fish. (the majority of the time) If you are lucky you may get to reset once but fast. So, most of the guys I fish with do not hold the fly in their hand but let out ten feet of fly line(or more) plus eight to ten feet of leader and let the fly stay in the water as the skiff moves, flipping the line from one side of the skiff to the other to clear the fly(not a heavy fly) and keep it off the bottom. Keep a few coils of line in your non-casting hand. Less if windy, more if calmer. Similar to Flip's method but a different habitat, this is an evolution of fly casting to fish in ten inches of sometimes very clear water. I am constantly learning new methods and techniques to improve.


Other than being a little quicker, this method also reduces movement, especially when combined with keeping your casting elbow close to your side. Reduction of movement (for this Texas red fish habitat) is just as important as being fairly quick. Also the motion of moving the fly from one side of the skiff to other with a low rod tip keeps your casting muscles ready. Flip's method would be good for lots of floating grass.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

What's the line they use in Special Forces training? "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" - they apply it to forcing yourself to slow down in your aiming of a firearm and pulling the trigger. Same concept can apply here IMHO.


----------



## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I have found that big over head motions, like Flips approach, spook fish here in Tampa.
I prefer to have 8' of fly line out and hold the line, leader and fly in my left hand. I try to keep the rod low on a plane closer to the water and limit myself to two false casts.
For once I agree with Finn, slow and smooth wins the race!


----------



## Featherweight (Jan 7, 2020)

Everyone is different. The physics of the cast is the physics. How you load the rod and shoot the line does not matter. What matters is not spooking the fish with boat rocking, line slap, fly slap, high rod/ line and lining the fish. 

Accuracy, natural presentation and feeding the fish is the other part of the deal.


----------



## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

I’m getting there slowly.


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> I’m getting there slowly.
> View attachment 186195


what's that vessel?


----------



## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

Skitto


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> Skitto


cool....


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> I’m getting there slowly.
> View attachment 186195


How can you trust a man who wears both a belt and suspenders? The man can’t even trust his own pants.


----------



## Donovanbest (Aug 10, 2021)

Good video


----------

