Fly fishing on your favourite water in strong winds is one of the most challenging fishing techniques to master. A well-rounded angler must learn to cast in strong winds and work through adversity. With some tips, casting in strong winds may be difficult but doable. As with many things fly fishing: practice makes perfect.
Technique and positioning
Casting in windy conditions is all about technique and experience. Most beginners become frustrated the more wind picks up and gusts. It is worth the time and effort to learn casting in all types of weather because it can be a very productive time on the water.
Fly fishing in windy weather is all about technique and positioning. Water’s chop blows in food for the fish. The wind also stirs up invertebrates and drives them to the shore, meaning there is a lot of food in confined areas. Any splashes from the casts go almost unnoticeable in windy conditions, and fish are harder to spook.
In windy conditions, fish tend to feed closer to the shoreline and obstructions where food can be bunched up. Fish could easily be within a rod’s length or close to the bank. In many still-water situations, fish could arguably be caught with little to no casting at all. A flick or simple roll cast is all that may be required.
There are a few things to consider when positioning for a cast. Make sure you are casting with the wind rather than against it. On long casts, you will pull the fly through more water and past more fish. If you are right handed, cast onto your left shoulder, meaning the wind will blow the fly away from your body, making it less likely you will be hooked. For left handed fly fishers, the opposite applies.
Cast where the fish are feeding, which is usually where the waves are being blown; this is the location of the food. It is hard work fishing into the teeth of the wind if at all possible, cast across the wind and let your flies drift into shore.
Line tangles can be one of the most frustrating aspects of fly fishing in the wind. This problem is easy to fix by using a shorter, heavier leader and tippet than you normally would use. Leaders can be also be cut down to four or five feet if necessary; however, this might limit the depth of your fly, depending on what fly line you're using.
Bill Gammell, a casting expert, considers three things when casting in strong winds:
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You want your fly line loop to be pointy and tight rather than open and big. This technique cuts through the wind better
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Line speed needs to be faster than normal
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Line path needs to be on a straighter trajectory from rod tip to water
Tips for casting into the wind
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Anglers should always be aware of the rod angle and improve with each cast. Try casting to the side, keep the line and fly lower throughout the cast. The benefit is your line is closer to the ground where there is less wind, and the line can touch down faster on the water’s surface.
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Use less false casting, and work the line back and forth in increments. Make the back cast as usual; as soon as the line hits the water, repeat the process by going into another back cast. Work the line out and pick the line up quickly each time.
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Use a backhand motion if the wind is blowing into your casting shoulder. This puts the line on the downwind side of your body. This option gives the angler better aim over obstructions and is highly useful when fishing off a boat.
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One of the most straightforward tactics is changing your casting position. If the wind is blowing directly in, quarter your casts to the left or right so you are not casting directly into the wind. The more angle you put on the cast, the easier casting becomes. Keep the wind position blowing onto your non-casting shoulder.
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Learn the necessary skill of casting a double-haul cast. Casting a high line speed with a tight loop keeps the line trajectory fast and compact, which cuts through the wind more effectively.
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If strong winds come at you head-on, you must be comfortable feeding the line on the front and backstroke.
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Shortening the leader line can help control heavy wind casting. Shorter leaders do not pose any issues for catching fish because, most times, silt is stirred up from the wind and small flies go unnoticeable.
Experience is the key to learning how to cast on blustery days. When the skill is learned, be prepared for some of the best fishing you can experience. With tweaks, casting into the wind might not be the prettiest action, but it is often an accomplishment that can yield significant results.
