Technique

Casting in strong wind

Published: 14th of November 2022 Last updated: 14th of November 2022

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:

  1. You want your fly line loop to be pointy and tight rather than open and big. This technique cuts through the wind better
  2. Line speed needs to be faster than normal
  3. Line path needs to be on a straighter trajectory from rod tip to water

Tips for casting into the wind

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. 

Tight lines!

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