Fly lines

Here's a little casting trick for all you rodeo cowboys. The circular motion of this cast and the way you manage the line in the air will fit right in with all your roping skills.

The technique is called live-line roll casting. It is actually a variation on the old traditional Scottish Spey casting except this cast is done with a single-handed rod and a dry fly instead of a large two-handed rod and an Atlantic salmon fly.

Live-line roll casting is ideal for many of the tight casting situation you are likely to find yourself in at this time of year. The two hot hatches right now are green drakes on the Metolius and the salmonfly on the Deschutes. Both require the caster to fish in confined areas with brush all around.

As any good bushwhacking fisherman knows this kind of situation can be difficult and at times extremely trying. The problem is trying to find enough room to maneuver the rod and line. The live-line roll works well because it eliminates the need for back cast. Only a small amount of swing room is required.

The cast can be broken down into three simple steps: the spot, the swing and the throw.

You start with the fly dangling straight downstream in the current. Give it a gentle tug with a upward motion of the rod so that the fly and line will lift and skitter to a spot slightly in front and downstream from the place where you are standing.

From this high rod position, make a gentle swing of the rod in a circular motion downstream and around to the back cast position. (Avoid waving the rod with a loose wrist). Leave the fly on the water. A loop of line will swing around low and behind you.

Once everything lines up opposite the target, cast with a good sharp crisp stroke. It should feel exactly like any conventional overhead cast except there is no back stroke.

These steps are so easy to follow most beginners can master the cast in one or two tries.

Unlike conventional roll casts, which lay out on the water, live-line casts go out above the water much like a conventional overhead cast. Distance and accuracy are greatly improved.

As your skills grow, you can adapt what you are doing to fit the space available to you. You can adjust the placement of the fly and the movement of your swing so that one time you may be fishing off the downstream side of your body the next time you will fishing from the upstream side.

Once you learn to fish with the live-line roll cast, a multitude of opportunities will open up to you. I can think of dozens of spots that I fish now that would have previously been completely unreachable.

We all know the big fish are always in those impossible lies that no one else can fish. So loosen up your rodeo skills, learn to circle the line in the air and rope you up one of those big old hogs that's out there waiting for you.