Staying low, not letting our shadow touch the water, careful not to rattle the stones underfoot, we slink into position for the cast, let it go…and our fly falls two feet short of where we meant to put it. Bummer.
So what do we do, especially if the trout are edgy, likely hook-stung and hyper-wary, their lateral lines functioning as bare-wire bullshit meters so sensitive they can detect even the most innocuous ghost of a presence, and that sure to put them down?
Guiding for river trout, the most common mistake I see anglers make after missing their target is that without thinking, they immediately pull the line off the water and replace the cast. Maybe even replace it several times until it seems right to the caster.
The first time the line hit the water, however, fish in the vicinity were alerted. They may not have been spooked enough to quit feeding, but a potential danger was noted.
The line being pulled (or ripped) from the water registers a second alert, this time possibly causing a fish to pause in seeking food and maybe move away. The replaced cast, a third disturbance, may blow the deal altogether. Too much funny stuff going on and the trout hunker down with mouths closed, or bolt.
Let’s go back to the initial cast that fell two feet short of the desired target. Now, even though short of where we want it, that fly may have dropped into a trout’s feeding lane. Just because it didn’t fall where we chose, doesn’t mean there’s not a fish there. Best thing I’ve found to do is this: Inhale. Resist the urge to pick up the line and replace it. Exhale. We fish out the cast until line, leader and fly have drifted well out of the sweet zone.
And here’s something that’s likely to happen: We hook a fish on what we thought was a muffed cast. Happens all the time.
Fish live in constant danger and are ever attuned to it. If an irritating disturbance isn’t too intrusive or repetitive, they quickly get over it, and fishing the cast out gives them time to do that. There’s no second disturbance caused by the line being pulled from the water. Line and fly have been allowed to drift well away from the fish’s window before lifted.
Here, we might pause. Ours is a natural-paced (slower than the operating speed of the average Californian) and thoughtful game. Even though we muffed the first cast, that deep slot looks good and odds are there’s a nice fish holding in it. Have a drink of water, maybe eat an apple. Now is a good time to observe for a moment, in no hurry to replace the cast. Resting the spot between casts increases the chance of getting a grab.
The above should be regarded as a rule-of-thumb. In most circumstances it’s a good idea to fish out the muffed cast. Of course, the level of stealth a given piece of water requires will vary according to environmental factors including water clarity, depth, surface turbulence and light conditions, among other factors that might mask the presentation. Consider these and fish accordingly. But remember, in any case: fish like a patient heron, not an over-caffeinated flamingo.
