Fly Fishermen: Mending Question

[Pinwheeled]

I'm still fairly new to fly fishing but I'm starting to get the hang of it. My casting has gotten a lot better and I'm finally starting to catch a few using it. My problem is when I need to mend line. I've been mainly nymphing and I have a heck of a time mending without moving my strike indicator. I've had the best luck with an overhand mend but still not great. Anything else I try and I end up moving the indicator a lot.

Is this more likely a problem with my technique or maybe just crappy fly line? My line came pre-spooled and is only about $20 when bought separately. I'm using a 9' 5wt if that makes a difference. Ive also used about every type of indicator with similar results.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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[bradfordw]

Fly line has some impact on it; the Orvis Hydros Easy Mend for example picks up really nice off the water (that's largely what I use).

Anyway, regarding the technique, practice in a grassy area and work on flipping the rod tip almost like you were flipping a pancake. It's a short, methodical flip of the wrist. once you get the small ones down, increasing the effort in the flip will result in a larger mend.

Also, if you checkout the Orvis fly fishing website look for Pete Kutzer's videos on techniques, I'm sure he has one in there on mending.

Cheap answer: practice with the line you have (you'll get it).
Slightly more expensive: you still have to practice, but with a line that picks up off the water easier due to the dimpling in the line itself.


Hope that helps,
BW

[Pinwheeled]

Thank you, BW 👍

Those Pete Kutzer videos are great. I think I have watched all of them 4 or 5 times but I definitely need to check out the mending episode again.


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[bfish]

Mend sooner. Doing so, will require less picking up. Wait too late then you have to pickup a lot, and risk flopping too much line (and pulling the indicator).

Which indicator are you using? I like a thingabobber in smallest size for choppy water and a palsa for other (flatter) moving water. Although I seldom use one any more (I just watch the line really close, particularly the leader/line connection).

[Erock]

Here's my 2 cents
I get you would like to work on your mending and that is definitely a worthwhile skill to have . . . that being said:
When fishing tailwater (and even wilder waters for that mater) there is a lot to be said for the strikes that are a result of drag in one way or another. Dead drifts tend to be much more important when fishing dry flies on waters with native fish. I have caught more fish on the end of my drift when drag takes the nymph higher in the water column than any other time when fishing tailwaters. The end of the drift when the nymph actually circles back and comes up quickly is a particularly effective time to get a strike.
I guess what I'm trying to get across here is that while working on mending is a good skill to have, many fish are caught while nymphing because of the effects drag has on your presentation. Embrace the drag!

[bradfordw]

Here's my 2 cents
I get you would like to work on your mending and that is definitely a worthwhile skill to have . . . that being said:
When fishing tailwater (and even wilder waters for that mater) there is a lot to be said for the strikes that are a result of drag in one way or another. Dead drifts tend to be much more important when fishing dry flies on waters with native fish. I have caught more fish on the end of my drift when drag takes the nymph higher in the water column than any other time when fishing tailwaters. The end of the drift when the nymph actually circles back and comes up quickly is a particularly effective time to get a strike.
I guess what I'm trying to get across here is that while working on mending is a good skill to have, many fish are caught while nymphing because of the effects drag has on your presentation. Embrace the drag!

Agree with this 100% -- especially if you are fishing caddis patterns; that drag often emulates that lift that a hatching caddis has because it is filled with gas and causes it to literally shoot to the top of the water column.

I've had days where the only way I was able to hook up on voraciously feeding trout was when I would go to rip the line off the water to cast and they'd smash it on the way up/out!

[Pinwheeled]

Thanks guys


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[Travis C.]

Google a reach cast, that will help put the line above the indicator when it hits the water.