Both Aerielised as well as Water Mends are covered in this module. Mends are transverse waves in the rod leg of the loop formed by sweeping the rod tip after loop formation. They can be taught in several ways, such as drawing a question mark with the rod tip after loop formation, however perhaps the easiest method (and certainly the one that can produce the tightest mends) is to simply sweep the rod tip to one side and back again using the wrist.
The main purpose of the Mend is to overcome drag on the fly. Drag is where the fly is pulled unnaturally by the fly line, which in turn is being pulled by a water current travelling at a different speed to the current seam in which the fly is laying.
It can of course also be used to place the flyline around an object and has a further use in that a downstream mend can be used to speed up or curve the path of a fly (nymph/streamer).
Here is some more information from the Manual http://www.sexyloops.com/flycasting/tmendingline.shtml
It is probably appropriate, while we are on the subject of mending line, to consider the how to mend line effectively while it is on the water. It is really quite simple: we draw a circle with the rod tip, clockwise to mend to the right, anticlockwise for the left. The intention is to pick some line up and flick it back up into the current (although downstream mends do have a use too – mainly to speed up the fly, but sometimes if our fly is in really fast water and we want to give it some more slack).
There are a few other important points:
- If we are trying to mend the line without moving the fly we will need some slack line to play with. You can either use existing slack line – from say, a wiggle cast, or create some, either by shaking the tip while feeding some line, or shooting some line into the mend (which I really only find effective for short distances).
- It is possible to mend using other techniques, for example you can roll cast or flick-lift some slack down the line.
- It is best to be anticipate the need for a mend and perform it in advance.
- When casting down and across a river with a sinking line and the intention of getting the fly deep, you may have to make a reach cast followed rapidly by a couple of slack-line roll casts in order to get that deep drag-free drift. Don’t limit your options to just one type of mend.
- Sometimes we can mend the line with the intention of moving the fly, – say, for example, to induce a take to a sedge – to do this simply make your mend without slack line!
And that’s it! Got a question? Try here on the Board: http://www.sexyloops.co.uk/theboard/viewforum.php?f=71
Or fire me an email: paul@sexyloops.com
Cheers, Paul