Technique & presentation
How a fly is fished once it is on the water: drifts, mends, retrieves and the small adjustments that decide whether a fish eats. The words guides use when they tell you what to change.
15 terms in 6 groups
Drift & line control (6)
- Dead driftalso Drag-free driftA dead drift is a drift where the fly moves at the same speed and direction as the current, with no pull from the fly line.
- Dragalso line drag, micro dragDrag is unwanted pull from current on your fly line or leader that makes the fly move unnaturally during a drift.
- Drag-free driftalso Natural drift, Dead driftA drift where the current carries the fly at the same speed and direction as the water around it, with no pull from line or leader.
- High-stickingalso Short-line nymphingA short-line nymphing technique where you hold the rod high and keep most of the fly line off the water to reduce drag and stay in direct contact.
- Mendingalso Line mend, Upstream mend, Downstream mendMending is repositioning fly line on the water during a drift to reduce drag and keep the fly moving naturally.
- Presentationalso fly presentationPresentation is how the fly lands, drifts, and moves in the water, including how the line and leader behave around it.
Finding & approaching fish (1)
Nymphing (3)
- Czech nymphingalso Czech-style nymphingA tight-line nymphing style built around short drifts, heavy nymphs, and a high rod angle to keep most of the line off the current.
- Dry-dropperalso Dry dropper, Dry/dropper, Hopper-dropperA two-fly rig where a dry fly is tied on top and a nymph hangs below it on a dropper. The dry fly serves as the visible fly and often as the strike indicator.
- Euro nymphingalso European nymphing, Tight-line nymphing, Euro style nymphingA tight-line nymphing method that uses a long rod, a thin leader with a sighter, and weighted nymphs to keep direct contact through the drift.
Retrieves & hook sets (3)
- Hand-twist retrievealso hand twist retrieve, twist retrieveA retrieve where the line hand rolls the line between finger and thumb to pull it in as a steady series of short, controlled increments.
- Strip setalso strip strikeA strip set is a hook set made by pulling the fly line hard with the line hand while keeping the rod low, instead of lifting the rod tip.
- Strippingalso line retrieve, strip retrieveStripping is retrieving fly line by pulling it in with your line hand. It’s used to move the fly, manage slack, and stay ready to set the hook.