Steeple cast
Also called High backcast, Vertical backcast
A steeple cast is a high, near-vertical backcast that sends the line up and over an obstacle behind you before the forward cast.
- Group
- Presentation casts
- Category
- Casting
- Level
- Advanced
- Water
- Freshwater
Last updated
What Steeple cast means
Picture a normal overhead cast, then raise the backcast into a steep, almost vertical plane. That high backcast is the point of the steeple cast, it clears brush, rocks, a high bank, or a drop-off behind the angler.
A common method drives the rod tip up to the 12 o’clock position so the backcast climbs nearly straight up. The forward cast can return to a more normal plane, or stay high if you are trying to keep line off the water during the delivery.
It is still an overhead cast in terms of timing and loop control. The difference is where you send the backcast, and how disciplined the stop needs to be to keep the loop narrow and climbing instead of collapsing.
Why it matters on the water
A steeple cast opens up spots that are otherwise “roll-cast only” water.
Pushing the backcast higher gives the line room to unroll, and it keeps the fly and leader away from grass, willows, and rocks that love to grab them.
Read next
- BackcastThe backcast is the backward part of an overhead cast, where the rod loads and the fly line unrolls behind you before the forward cast.
- Overhead castThe standard fly cast where the rod moves back and forward over your shoulder to form a loop and carry line through the air.
- Tailing loopA tailing loop is a casting fault where the top leg of the loop crosses under the bottom leg, often leading to a wind knot.
- Tight loopA tight loop is a narrow, compact casting loop that unrolls with less side-to-side wobble than an open loop.