Functional roll casts

[Morsie]

We had a situation just yesterday where the only cast possible was a roll cast. Determining factors were wind direction, fish direction, fish position, boat position, and the need for delicacy with a heavy fly. Off shoulder roll cast was the only option and bingo. Its a great fishing cast on the flats with heavy flies on windy days. I find I use it more and more often. With heavy flies it is the most delicate and accurate cast.

[John Waters]

Teaching both the roll casts Saturday at an Academy day, but will also add my turnover haul for heavy flies.

John

[Paul Arden]

I often have a huge problem roll casting heavy flies, especially with a longer leader. Quite often it's an impossible cast. Spey casting/dynamic rolls is one of the four cornerstones of fly casting, but the static roll as required in the casting exams is of similar use as is, say, false casting 5 times with the same length of line; it is a teaching (and learning) exercise and rarely a useful cast. Of course learning the static roll cast leads into Spey casting.

Cheers, Paul

[Morsie]

I played around with this a fair bit today Paul, slow fishing day....... In the THCI the trick for getting those heavy sink tips and sunken flies to the surface is to use a very wide arc - you follow right through down to the water with enough translation to project the fly "outwards". No use at all using a "normal" roll cast - AND a tapered leader makes it a hell of a lot easier. I'm currently using some of RIO's saltwater tapered butt sections - fucking brilliant. 80lbs down to 40lbs at the point and then I tie my 20lb fc tippet directly to that using a slim beauty.

[gordonjudd]

AND a tapered leader makes it a hell of a lot easier. I'm currently using some of RIO's saltwater tapered butt sections

Morsie,

Do you have the means to measure the diameter profile RIO uses in those tapered saltwater leaders? I am always interested to see what professional designers come up with in profiles to help turn over heavy flies.

Thanks,
Gordy

[Paul Arden]

I’m sure that the leader helps, Morsie. Mostly I would have thought it’s about the line weight compared to the fly weight. With overhead casting it’s possible to cast much heavier flies. With the dynamic roll I can cast heavier flies than with the static roll. But there comes a point where the fly acts as an anchor and the loop doesn’t go anywhere!

It reminds me of a time when I set Hairy up with a 30ft leader and three flies. He told me that his loops were going backwards and forwards ok but the flies hadn’t gotten airborne

Cheers, Paul

[Lou Bruno]

I use the static roll cast,as well as the dynamic roll cast, but mostly the static roll cast in my presentation. Mostly a mending technique, bucket mend, when fishing nymphs and wet flies.

Lou

[Morsie]

Do you have the means to measure the diameter profile RIO uses in those tapered saltwater leaders?

Not at the moment Gordon, i'm away from home but I will measure one up next week.

Paul I also think that standing in a boat helps a lot. With a heavy fly I'll do a couple of slip lifts working more line into the air back and forth while the fly and leader remains anchored. While this is going on the fly is being lifted higher in the water column. Its almost like an aerialised perry poke. I'll have another play with it today while I'm out fishing.

[Paul Arden]

Yep that’s a funky move, but arguably not static! Just heading down the lake. Back Thursday

Cheers, Paul

[jarmo]

Any tips for long static roll cast on stillwater with two handed rods?

I am currently doing quite a bit of two handed casting on stillwater. Having no current is no problem in general, but I find long roll casts difficult.

I am talking about static roll casts, so the line really has to be at full stop before the forward stroke. Currently one of the following happens.

• If I leave point P in front of me, the D-loop is ridiculously small.
• If I try to make the D-loop any larger, point P slides behind me, causing the oh-so-enjoyable huge slurp on forward stroke. If there were a current, it would maintain tension and would keep point P in front of me.

Any hints?

In this context “long” means 80’ from reel to fly, rod is 15’. I think I am aware of these: long translation, late rotation.