Casting with a nasty upstream wind ?

[robbie]

Spent a whole day today with a persistent upstream wind casting off my left shoulder. The glide, tight on the opposite bank was where I needed to fish. The cast while not pretty went out firmly, until just short of the far bank, where it looked like it had hit a wall, and just dropped like a stone. Any suggestions ?

[williegunn]

I take it you were single spey casting off your left hand, being right handed?

Push yor right hand accross eveyone forgets.

[sealicer]

If your fly is landing upstream of your line, shorten up your leader, it will fish at least some of the cast even in a gale upstream.

[robbie]

Hi Guys
Springer- I was not shooting line and the cast was not far. The fly, as supposed by Sealicer, was landing upstream of the leader- will try as you suggest next time. WG Thanks,, I am R/handed however was fishing left handed but I think I know what you mean.
Robbie

[williegunn]

robbie said:

Hi Guys
WG Thanks,, I am R/handed however was fishing left handed but I think I know what you mean.
Robbie

Watch yourself casting right handed, the left (bottom) hand will be well across your body, now look at yourself casting left handed and your right (bottom) hand will be no where near as far across.

[sagecaster]

I had similar problems fishing with the Monteith earlier in the season(the line not the gillie), my left hand spey cast technique/timing was just too poor and inconsistent to cope with quite a really viscous upstream wind.

The problem I had was I just could not get enough line speed and create a tight enough loop to cut into the wind using a left handed spey cast.

I finally cracked it by copying a technique I saw on the Grainhead right hand bank last year. Fishing right handed, cast a single spey over your left shoulder. It takes a little practice to build up your confidence and can be dangerous as on the forward stroke there is a tendency to pull the fly towards one's self, by straightening the rod up over your right shoulder. It is essential the rod stays over your left shoulder throughout the cast.

The advantage of this technique is that you regain the control and power of fishing right handed. Not to be attempted by beginners and certainly not without the protection of sunglasses.

I look at it as a "windy day work around", its not as elegant as the lefthanded spey, but it gets the fly out there perfectly and has accounted for a few Salars which I would have otherwise missed out on!

[windcutter]

Just back from upper redgorton,wish i had read this before i cast a line,did manage a hook up with a decent fish but it got of after 5mins.no change there then!