How To Fish Stillwaters
February 14th, 2005


Casting From A Tube

By Mike (Doc) Monteith

Is casting from a tube any different than casting from a regular boat or while fishing a stream? Actually it is, but not that different. The problem with a tube is how much closer you are to the surface water. A lot of people think you need the longest rod you can find to keep your line off the water during your back cast and who can blame them. I don't know how many times I've read that malarkey on somebodies web site, in an article or on a message board. Well let's put it to rest. It's not true. The real trick is to keep your back-cast up.

The way most of us are taught, is to stop you back cast when you're rod tip reaches one o'clock and stop your forward cast when it reaches 11 o'clock. Of course when you're casting dry flies, that formula is pretty much bang on but not always so great when you're casting larger flies like Woolly Buggers, casting into a strong wind or when you're sitting in a float tube. When I'm guiding clients the one thing I have to keep reminding them the most while going into their back-cast, is to cast up, not back. Stab The Sky! This is something I learned from Barry White, Bow River Guide since 1977 and Alberta's first 'FFF' Master Casting Instructor. A lot of the time when you think your rod tip is stopping at one o'clock, it's really closer to two o'clock. That's way too low in float tube. Try and concentrate on stopping your rod tip at 12 o'clock instead and if you can stop the tip somewhere between 12 o'clock and one o'clock, your cast should be perfect. One other thing to remember (really applies at any time, not just in a tube) is when you are casting bigger flies like Woolly Buggers, it doesn't really work to your benefit to stop your cast shorter than 10 o'clock as the fly won't usually roll over properly for you. You don't need a delicate presentation when casting these big flies; so don't be afraid to slap the fly on the water in front of you, it may just get the attention you're looking for. So the next time you're in your float tube, say to yourself..."Stab the sky" before you go into your back cast and that should keep that fly and line off the water behind you. ~ Doc

About the author:

Mike (Doc) Monteith is the owner/guide of Edmonton Float Tube Adventures, owner of the information web site Fly Fishing Edmonton and editor/publisher of the information web site Float Tube Fly Fishing.

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