A trout seasons end is upon us and our attentions steer more now towards grayling. Although given the right conditions dry fly is still very much plausible, it is to the subsurface invertebrate we focus. Nymphing more so than any other draws upon a whole host of varying techniques, casts and fishing methods in order to beguile this so called 'Lady of the stream'...
Using weighted nymphs, one such cast amongst others keen nymphers may choose to apply in deep, fast pockets and glides is the Lob Cast. What follows are just a few pointers and considerations as to how I would deploy it.
Without going into specific Czech or Polish style setups, let's assume that the distance between the rod tip and a single point fly is approx. 10ft, regardless of weather you have any fly line or just leader material, and whether it's tapered or level, it matters not.The Dangle
From an upstream approach, allowing the line, leader and fly to continue downstream until pressure all be it minimal is put on the rod tip, makes for the smoothest and most accurate of Lob Casts assuming its direction is opposite to that of the flies final position on the dangle.
Whatever tension can be applied between the rod tip and fly prior to the forward stroke will make the cast much easier to deploy.
The Lob
If the Dangle is as above, there is very little effort required to deliver the fly towards your target.
Accelerating smoothly, pull the rod tip into the forward stroke and conclude with a rotation of the wrist. You'll obviously need to adjust the stroke and rotation accordingly depending on the angle of delivery required.
'Smooth and Stop' not 'Power and Thump'
The Stop Height
The higher you stop to conclude the forward stroke, the more likely the leader and fly will react to the counter flex of the rod and ping back at you. This in turn can present you with varying amounts of unintentional slack that you must therefore gain control of to get in touch with your flies.
The lower you stop the rod the more you're able to reduce this counter flex element and lessen the ping back. The elasticity properties that exist in your line, leader and the weight of flies will also create a certain amount of ping back regardless of how well you minimise it at the rod tip.
Minimising Ping Back
- At the conclusion of the forward stroke avoid directing your cast at height as though allowing a fly line to unroll. Pitch your fly at the water slightly shorter than the length of your line or leader would otherwise allow, thus upon entry it gives some resistance to the ping back, the weight of the fly obviously reflecting on how much resistance is offered.
- At the conclusion of the forward stroke immediately relax your grip and follow through with the rod tip as low as you see fit to present your fly. This is my preferred method and an effective one. When course fishing as a youngster and having clipped up at the reel, a method similar to this was used so as not to break your line when trying to hit the same distance time and again.
- Stiffer rod tips could help alleviate the counter flex and reduce ping back somewhat, but no matter what the rod (even a broomstick), by powering it into a hard stop you will still get ping back if you don't either react to it, or adjust the cast in some way to affect it.
- When Ping Back is useful - A tuck cast when nymphing is a purposeful application to give a similar result all be it with intention, the fly tucks back under the fly line providing slack in the leader, from an upstream approach the fly therefore leads the drift first and has chance to descend before any current otherwise takes up the slack and impacts on it.
The Reach Pitch
Holding the rod in this manner with an out stretched arm is for me uncomfortable and something I can only do for a short period of time.
It does offer an extended reach of just over 2ft which is my arm length but I'd rather swap for a 12ft nymphing rod or wade 2 feet closer to my target if it was at all possible... your choice!
The Relaxed Pitch
For prolonged nymphing the aim would be to maintain the same rod tip height as with the above reach but with a more relaxed arm position (Elbow bent)... this I find I can do comfortably all day long and although perhaps compromising on slight reach for the same rod, I feel it has no detriment to the success of the technique.The Arm Drift
Let's look again at the drift with the extended arm and my body position facing upstream.
As I drift the flies downstream there is minimal body rotation, the swing is therefore coming from the shoulder and arm which again can be uncomfortable and quite fatiguing if this is your chosen reach as mentioned earlier.
The Body Drift
Standing slightly squarer to the opposite bank allows me to relax at the shoulder and apply the drift through body rotation. This works for both the Reach & Relax Pitch arm positions and is so much more comfortable and less fatiguing for me.
This position also lends itself to your own stability, in deeper and faster locations it exposes less of you to the current.The Weight in the Hand
Let's take a look at my reel weight on this 10ft #3 nymphing rod. As a general foundation we describe a balanced outfit as one where the rod and reel would be horizontal if held in the same position as in the picture below - highlighted in yellow.
However, look again at the drifts and rod tip path in the Lob Cast animations within this article. I have a desire more than not for the tip to be above the horizontal at all times. If you own a 10ft rod or longer you'll know that the tip has but one inclination, and that's for it's to drop to the floor.
If I were to use a lighter reel then I'm conscious of the prolonged effort to keep the tip raised through any drift otherwise applied after a cast... again this could add to any fatigue.
With the heavier reel (In this case a #6/7) it makes my rod slightly butt heavy and this style of high stick type fishing somewhat more comfortable. The payoff however is instead of then trying to keep the rod tip aloft, you have additional weight at the hand due to the heavier reel.
If you don't want to go and spend your hard earned cash on new heavier reels, you could place the reel seat under the forearm as this picture (right) demonstrates taking away the need for you to keep it balanced.
Alternatively get a cheap mill end heavy sinking fly line and apply it to your reel as backing thus adding weight.
Finally
The above Lob Cast is but one method of presenting a nymph, factors that would impact on it are obviously the rod, line and leader length, the placement of a favoured indicator perhaps and the number of and types of flies your using. It's meant to be no more than a guide, perhaps it provokes thought or irons out a problem... either way why not give it a go. Have a great winter season ~ Jim
Another very useful nymphing cast is the Bow & Arrow, here's the How To from an earlier issue.
Jim is our ESF in house fly casting contributor and AAPGAI Master level instructor teaching full time in the Cotswold, Wiltshire & Hampshire area... visit his website.