Favorite cast

[pnc]

Thought old or new would be able to contribute. And all would be on the positive side. Should any care to contribute. In describing a cast that brings on a grin. Not by name or mend. But the result of a cast made as your line travels through the air.
Being on the west coast of Florida. Wind is a constant to some degree. Learning tk use wind to your benefit can be satisfying. Throwing line into the wind is easier and more fun to me than a tail wind. Not hard just keeping line low.
Maybe because I have to think a bit. But keeping casts low to the water, loop tight, watching line travel, then unroll, fly turn over, and all lay on the water at the same time. Makes me grin.

........ pc

 

[Rip Tide]

I have his one rod that's pretty obviously a 1950s vintage
It has LLBean label but I think it actually a H-I. No other text or labels
It doesn’t look like much and you wouldn't likely give it a second glance.

But oh man that rod can lay out a line.
You're down to backing without even thinking about it, and it's so much fun to do.

You would think that an old glass rod like that would be ready for retirement but you'd be so wrong.
It's real sleeper

The one on the bottom

 

[mikechell]

Any cast that puts a fly right on target.
When I am fishing with someone, I hear them comment, "That's a pretty cast!"
I answer with, "Thank you but that's a "nice" cast. A "pretty cast" looks just like it, but a fish eats it!"

 

[bumble54]

Not sure exactly what your asking but will give examples of what I think you mean. I was standing thigh deep closed in by willow trees on three sides with the branches rubbing my back, it was the only place I could find to cover a rising fish, the cast I made isn't in any book but the reward was a 4lb Brownie.
On another occasion I climbed a tree to cover a rainbow trout, the bank was completely overgrown with dogwood and the tree was the only clear(ish) place around, netting it would have qualified for a part in a Laurel & Hardy movie.
On a Yorkshire stream a good fish had taken up station above two willow stumps, the new growth formed an arch about 4 foot wide and high, a low side cast send the fly through the arch and the fish took as soon as the fly landed, 2 1/2lb brown, the most satisfying fish I ever caught up to that point.
I do like a challenge and the more overgrown the better as far as a sense of achievement is concerned.

 

[dillon]

When a tight loop unfolds and tugs a click off the reel, it makes me grin...

 

[karstopo]

I remember specific casts to sighted fish and those are my favorites. Some particular encounters just stick in my mind. The latest one was from last December and it was an across the body awkward and touchy 25’ shot at a right to left fairly rapidly moving toward deeper water semi spooked 10 pound redfish. It was like a lob pass where the runner runs under the pass for the reception. It just seemed so improbable to be successful at the moment of the cast...the improbable cast, against the odds efforts are my favorites.

 

[pnc]

When a tight loop unfolds and tugs a click off the reel, it makes me grin...

Oh yes, the tug that says more.

....... pc

 

[pnc]

I remember specific casts to sighted fish and those are my favorites. Some particular encounters just stick in my mind. The latest one was from last December and it was an across the body awkward and touchy 25’ shot at a right to left fairly rapidly moving toward deeper water semi spooked 10 pound redfish. It was like a lob pass where the runner runs under the pass for the reception. It just seemed so improbable to be successful at the moment of the cast...the improbable cast, against the odds efforts are my favorites.

Reds may be the only fish with degrees of spook. Some may move 20' and start feeding again. Some swim off in no hurry without heading for deep water. They can often be followed for another shot. Some will move deeper without running, turn wait & come back. Any of them not moving at breakneck speed could well take a fly. Casting well ahead of such fish works at times. Spooked to instant high speed, probably won't see again.

........ pc

 

[boisker]

Like most people I am self taught and had been fishing for about 5yrs, my casting was OK and sort of very average. After a few sessions when the air turned blue when I had put fish down, including a couple of experiences of putting down big rising fish and struggling in the wind I decided either it either had to stop annoying me and ruining my day or I had to seriously improve my casting.
So the following close season I met up with a guide and instructor and started to put in some ‘proper’ casting practice.
The following summer on a chalkstream I turned up and the wind was howling, with heavy rain squalls pushing through, the complete opposite of a week before when I had a perfect day, large Danica flooding off and fish rising everywhere.
I’d been on the river about 2 hrs and hadn’t seen a single fish rise and was pretty wet.
I spotted a fish rising really tight against the opposite bank, tucked up inches from the reed... obviously the wind was still howling and coming diagonally straight across my casting arm and into my face.
I made the cast first time and caught a 2 lb brownie.... about 20 yards further up the same run I repeated the same cast 2nd attempt and caught a fish just over a pound.
I packed up after the second, chuffed to nuts, I drove home with a big smile and knowing the casting practice was really worth it.
The season before I wouldn’t have been able to make the cast , well not without multiple attempts and putting the fish down... at the time it was still quite lucky I reckon it was 50:50 whether I made the cast... so two out of two was pushing my luck. Three years later and a whole load more practice I reckon I could make the cast 9 times out of 10...
Those two fish on a real crappy day meant so much more than the shed load I’d caught a week earlier when the fish were rising everywhere.....
it’s the tricky fish that come from great casts I remember most from each season now, size doesn’t really matter... a 9” fish from an impossibly lie stays with you so much longer than a 2lb fish that practically hooks itself

 

[flav]

My favorite cast is the one where I'm working my way, swinging and stepping, down a steelhead run. I read the water as I move downstream, anticipation growing as I near the "bucket". When I get close enough to cover the lie I concentrate and lay my line out perfectly, make a mend, and say to myself "that's the cast". Seconds later everthing goes tight and 8 pounds of angry chrome steelhead is cartwheeling down the river, headed for the Pacific.

 

[Bigfly]

Lately, it's been a Snap-T with a big dry, on my switch rod.........

Jim

 

[huronfly]

Snake rolls on the spey and super accurate casts with the 3 weight in a tiny creek that would leave you snagged if your were inches off in either direction.

 

[silver creek]

One of my "best" casts was figuring out this puzzle and making a difficult cast on the first try. Give a try at solving it before looking at the answer.

Solve the puzzle

 

[jawz]

My best or at least most accurate cast was when I was hiking with my buddy on the Norwegian mountains.

I was trying to figure out what fly to put on and getting ready to start the days fishing when I noticed my friend kneeling by our tent entrance his butt crack shining. I didn't have a fly on my leader so I decided to teach him a lesson.

After that he wore a belt on his pants.

 

[fishing hobo]

Any cast that I feel happy with. Doesn't matter if I don't catch a fish. I am more depressed when I cast badly and catch fish than the other way around.

 

[rangerrich99]

I've been fooling around with various single-hand spey casts for a few years now, so my 'favorite' cast is kind of work in progress. Right now I'm finding a lot of uses for either a 'snap-T' cast or a 'snake roll' cast. If I had to pick just one, I guess right now I'd pick the Snake roll, just because it's a lot of fun once you figure it out, allows you to change direction easily, doesn't need any room for a backcast, and finally you can cast either small dries or heavy double-nymph weighted rigs without worrying about getting whacked in the back of the head.

And it's a lot of fun. Had to mention that twice.

 

[pleasantvalley]

I read about the snake roll a while ago and that sure is a fun move to do, even if it is meant for two handed rods.

My favorite overall is fishing a river with a downed tree that I KNOW has bass around behind, with only a tight window to hit to get there. Threading a streamer through a window in the branches to the perfect spot always makes me smile, even if the fish weren’t interested. Nothing sweeter than watching that loop unroll with only inches to spare.

 

[fredaevans]

With little exception I'm using a 2hander: "Perry Poke"

 

[kevind62]

My favorite cast is the one that ends up with my leader, tippet, and flies all tied in a knot that knot even the most seasoned, talented, and highly intelligent knot tier could not possibly tie if he practiced for a thousand years. It never ceases to amaze me how my line can loop through itself so many times in one single stroke.

 

[mikechell]

Nothing sweeter than watching that loop unroll with only inches to spare.

That's a "nice cast!"
If it ends with a fish on the hook, it was a "Pretty cast!"