There are five different methods I use for clearing the line from the water surface:

the slow lift: slowly lifting the tip of the rod from the surface of the water to about 11 o'clock, as in pickup and lay down casts

the roll cast: covered later, the roll cast is particularly useful as a lift for sunk lines, or simply in circumstances where we want to retrieve the fly to our feet, still leaving sufficient line outside the tip ring to load the rod

the snake lift :(very popular amongst NZ guides): the procedure is that a circle is drawn with the tip of the rod, and then the line is put into the backcast. Small powerful circles tend simply to release just the line from the water, large circles can be used to lift heavy nymphs to the surface. A particularly useful lift in fast water situations where large amounts of slack line are strewn randomly about the river - especially so when the whole lot's drifting towards a logjam. You are not resticted to one circle BTW.

the shake lift: otherwise known as "digging it out"; this lift is useful during sunk-line river situations. Starting from our fishing position, with the line on the dangle, we lift the rod slowly to the vertical whilst side casting backwards and forwards, with ever increasing stroke length, until the line is pulled clear from the water where upon an overhead cast is made. Naturally we initially (at least), end up casting at 90 degrees to the flyline's original direction.

The dynamic or flick-lift: this lift is made by smartly lifting (or flicking) the tip of the rod forwards, from the water surface to the horizontal, with the intention of flicking a small wave all the way down the line, to the leader, lifting the flyline clear of the water in the process, whereupon it can be cast backwards. Even if the line fails to completely clear the water, often sufficient movement is generated such that the line can be lifted off quite cleanly. A particularly useful lift under three circumstances: the first, when speed is required; the second, when large amounts of line need to be lifted off the water and the third for the Belgian cast - note the finishing position of the rod after the lift: horizontal; ideal for chucking around the side.