Category: Dealing with the Wind

Headwind

To cast into a headwind consider these three Key Points:

  1. High Line Speed on the forward cast.
  2. Alter your trajectories so that the backcast straightens angled above the horizontal and in-line with your forward target.
  3. You need a tight loop on the forward cast.
It’s an exploration. Bring a fly rod. Designed for you by Paul Arden.

Other key points to consider:

  1. In strong winds it is often difficult to shoot line, so you need to carry the line on the backcast. Longer belly lines are the preferred choice in this instance.
  2. Lines that have a greater density will cast easier into a headwind, so if you are fishing a floating line, then you can try an Intermediate line (depending on your fishing tactics of course).
  3. For gale force winds it is often better to tilt the casting plane to the side to present the fly leg of the loop at a shallower angle to the wind.
Some nifty artwork – the fish on the left and the wind is travelling from left to right and the anglers are facing into the wind, even the bloke at the bottom (despite him appearing to be running in the opposite direction). So ok, it’s not quite a Jason Borger or a Charles Jardine but I did once win a prize in an art class at school!

Got a question? Send me an email on paul@sexyloops.com or try here on the Board http://www.sexyloops.co.uk/theboard/viewforum.php?f=54

Cheers, Paul