There is no denying we have our fare share of windy days here in Livingston. Some days the wind is just too strong and a day could be better spent tying flies rather than digging wind-blown flies out of your backside. Aside from this, what about the days that are borderline regarding the wind? Or, days that start out calm but become windy? There are casting techniques that prevail over windy conditions and with a little practice will allow anglers to tackle blustery days.
The first thing to focus on is casting tight loops as opposed wide loops when dealing with wind. The most common fault anglers have when casting in the wind is their casting loop is too wide. Wide loops are not efficient because casting energy is lost when it travels around a larger loop area. Adding wind to the equation really makes casting complicated when large loops are involved often leading to collapsed casts.
When we cast tight loops the energy of the cast has a shorter distance to travel making the cast more efficient. Tight loops are very capable in windy conditions because of their smaller surface area that encounters less wind resistance. Tight loops are good not only for windy days but also for accuracy, and when line speed is increased we get greater distance.
To tighten up a casting loop make the rod tip travel in a straight line path between the stop on your back cast, and the stop of the forward cast. The loop will always take the shape of the path or the rod tip during the casting stroke. Loop size can also be determined by where the rod tip stops in relation to the path of the fly line. By stopping the rod tip just below the path of the fly line will yield a tighter loop while stopping the rod tip far below the path of the fly line will yield a wide loop.
Wide loops occur when the rod tip travels in a circular, or domed shaped path much like how the tip of a windshield wiper moves. Also, as stated above, wide loops can occur when the rod tip stops too far below the path of the line, or because the rod does not load or bend enough during the casting stroke. Often when a wide loop is cast the line will not straighten out and deliver a cast accurately to an intended target.
There a few things you can do on windy days to help your casting. A good place to start is to shorten your leaders and shorten your cast. Windy days will often ruffle the surface of the water making it harder for fish to see you so you won’t have to cast as far to begin with. Shorter leaders are easier to cast and straighten out in the wind. A cast of 25-40 feet is usually adequate for windy days. Use a weight forward (WF) line that matches the weight designation on your fly rod as well for best results.
There are casting techniques that can be used to deal with windy conditions. When the wind is in your face alter your casting trajectory by stopping your rod tip higher (around one o’clock for a right hander) on your back cast. This will make you back cast travel slightly upward. On the forward cast stop your rod tip a little lower than normal. By doing this the loop will unroll closer to the water leaving less opportunity for the wind to bully your cast.
If the wind is blowing across your casting side pushing the line and fly dangerously close to your head, you can tilt the rod tip so it stops over your downwind shoulder. This will keep the line and fly on your downwind side.
Another method is to lower your rod tip and cast more horizontally to the waters surface, or what some folks will call "side arm." There is slightly less wind resistance near the waters surface making this cast useful at times.
When the wind is at your back it is the back cast that should be considered. A smooth application of power (a little more rod speed may be needed) followed by a crisp stop is essential to propel the line backward. The pause must also be a little bit shorter. If the pause is too long the wind can push your line forward creating slack.
As with any type of fly casting practice makes perfect. Practice casting tight loops and wide loops noticing what your hand and arm are doing to create these loops. Perform these wind casting lessons on a short lawn with a yarn fly instead of on water with a real fly.
Start with a 25-foot cast to a target and incrementally lengthen your cast as you master shorter distances. A little practice and practicing these techniques will a long way for helping you to go out fishing in adverse conditions.
—Matt Wilhelm