This is a more precise cast than the wiggle cast achieving exactly the same objectives. The only advantage a wiggle cast has over the reach cast is in it can be used to cast downstream.

There are two ways of making a reach cast: the aerial mend and the non-aerial mend. Here's how we do the non-aerial mend:

• Perform your overhead cast stopping the tip of the rod in the direction you want to cast, then start the shoot

• Reach the tip of the rod right over to 90 degrees in the direction we want to throw the slack line (generally upstream)

• Lower the rod tip to the water as the line lands

• Grip the line and bring the rod back in line with the fly

• You should end up with a nice curve of the line

Of course once you have practised this you can then start to anticipate the line landing, and instead of lowering the rod in our 'reach' position we can bring it back in front as the line lands - this, of course, is our aerial mend. For some casters drawing a question mark with the rod tip works well.

Aerial mending creates less disturbance on the water.

As with the wiggle cast you can choose where to place the curve: the earlier the reach the further down the line it travels.

With a weight-forward line the aerial mend is not so effective if you try it with an overhang.