Make Friends with the Wind

Make Friends with the Wind

The windiest place I’ve ever fished was the redfish flats of Aransas Bay, Texas. It was there, as I was struggling with a flapping fly line, that guide Chuck Naiser called a halt to the action, gently placed his hand on my shoulder, and said, “Son, you’re gonna have to make friends with that wind, or else come back here in July when it calms down–but all the locals are busy then, chasing down the chickens that blew out of the barnyard.”

The point was well taken, and using the wind to your casting advantage is especially important for the trout angler who has learned the hard way that breezes whipping through the canyon can mess with the best intentions.

For a right-handed fly caster, the perfect wind is a gentle one coming over the left shoulder, because it keeps your line and flies pushed away from your head at a safe distance. When the wind howls from the right side, tip the top of your rod at a raised angle over your left shoulder, still powering the stroke from your right side. When the wind is directly behind you, shorten and power that backcast high, allowing the fly line to kite up with the wind’s force.

If you go too far back, or break your wrist, and let that rod tip dip below the kite plane, the wind will pile-drive the fly line into the water behind you. But do it correctly, and you’ll reap the same rewards as the golfer who finds added driving distance with a tailwind.

And the most intimidating wind of all–the one that blows right in your face–might actually be your ally. After all, your backcast is where you load the power in the rod, and a stiff breeze will help straighten the line behind you. To transfer that energy through the teeth of the wind, make a slight adjustment to finish your forward stroke lower.

In other words, if you normally stop the rod at 10 and 2 on the imaginary clock face, shift to 9 and 1, stopping higher on the backcast, and driving lower on the front. Remember, punching the rod won’t get you anywhere but tangled.

This isn’t a power game; it’s about timing.

When you can form a tight casting loop, and make small adjustments to counter the effects of wind on the river, you’ll never be blown away.

Andy Mill on casting in strong wind while saltwater fishing.