6 Tips for Casting Big Heavy Streamers
Large articulated streamers present a lot of casting troubles for us fly anglers. Too much weight on the line makes for less accurate casts. Honestly, it is hard to make casting these meaty flies look pretty.
1. Heavier & Stiffer Leader
Heavier and stiffer leaders help prevent large streamers from twisting your line. While swinging or casting streamers, fly lines can twist and spin, thus creating weaknesses. You don’t want those when your trying to catch mammoth sized trout.
2. Doesn’t Have To Look Pretty
Trout don’t care how well your cast looks, it is simply a matter of getting the streamer where you want it. In other words, just get it in the water.
3. Slow Down Your Cast
Rushing your cast is only going to create problems. On the back cast, give your streamer time before shooting the fly. Slow down your motion and give yourself more control. Control is the name of the game.
4. Avoid Changing Directions Fast
Changing directions abruptly is only going to whip the heavily weighted streamer right into your head. Have a fluid motion to your back cast and forward cast. Watch your streamer as you cast. If you shoot your fly too soon, you will lose momentum, decrease your accuracy, and probably tangle your rod up in the line. If you shoot it too late, your fly is on the ground.
5. Widen Your Loop
We are always taught a tight loop is the ideal. Take that idea — and roundhouse kick it out the window. In this case, with so much weight on the end of the line you’re going to want to widen your loops. Widening your loops keeps your fly from running into your line and from hitting your rod (possible damages). The trick is to drop your rod tip a little bit on your forward cast.
You can watch a quick demonstration by an Orvis Instructor here.
6. Belgian Casting
The Belgian cast is a great way to keep your streamer from away from your head and makes for more accurate casting.
- Make a low angle back cast.
- Bring your rod up while your line is rolling out.
- Make a higher angle forward cast.
You can watch a quick demonstration by an Orvis Instructor here.
