TACTICS AND TECHNIQUES OF FLY FISHING:
by Gary Borger

Presentation is both a mind game and a complex of physical skills. It is both an art and a science and it is an acknowledgment that simply knowing something is of little value unless it translates into action. First, there has to be knowledge, then that knowledge has to translate into on-stream tactics that result in fish caught.

Presentation is the ability to deliver the fly in such a way that the fish thinks it's something good to eat. That seems like such a simple thing to do and yet we all know that it can be, at times, impossibly difficult. The ability to deliver the artificial in a lifelike manner is based on everything you know and everything you can do (all your skills) as a fly fisher. Thus, the more you know and more skills you have, the better you are at presentation. The more fishing experiences you have, under a wide variety of conditions, the better you will become a presentation. The better you are at applying knowledge to practice situations, the better you will be at presentation. Let's look at how to begin integrating knowledge and skills.

Every angler agrees that casting practice is a good thing. Well, that's the knowledge part. Now, how many anglers actually turn that understanding into reality. How many anglers actually practice their casting? The reason many anglers don't practice their casting, even when they know they should, is because they don't have a good place to practice — it's too much bother to get all the gear out and set it up, it's too cold outside, etc. The answer to all these excuses is the use of pantomime casting. That is, simply do the casting motions without rod and line. In fact, this is the best way to learn new skills and hone old ones.

This method was first developed by Mel Krieger in 1975. At that time, Mel, myself, Jim Gilford, and Frank Gray were the four regional directors of the newly formed Fenwick Fly Fishing Schools (the first national fly fishing schools). We all met in West Yellowstone, Mont., at the Federation of Fly Fishing meeting that August to discuss our successes and failures and to trade teaching tactics.

Mel told us of his new technique for teaching the double haul. He called it "pantomime hauling." We were skeptical, so Mel selected 15 persons at random (some of them could not cast at all) and proceeded to teach all of them of double haul. Needless to say, the light bulbs went on! When I saw what Mel was doing, I knew this was the way to teach all of fly casting and from that moment on, I began to work on the tactics for teaching all fly casting with this "no-water, tackleless" methodology. One of the first victims of my trails was my then five-year -old son, Jason. He learned to cast well immediately. Since then, Jason and I have taught thousands of people the skills of fly casting and we've tried many methods to help them learn easily and quickly. The pantomime method has proven itself to be head and shoulders above all others.

Casting is a matter of correct arm/hand movements. No rod on earth will cast correctly if the arm/hand movements are incorrect. With the pantomime method, the caster can learn the arm/hand movements slowly at first and then gradually build up to speed, until full speed is achieved. In addition, because the caster doesn't have to worry about moving rod and line, there's plenty of time to compare the necessary, correct movements to what is actually being done. This is invaluable to developing consistently uniform casting movements.

Of course, there has to come a time when casting is done with the rod and line. This should be only after the pantomime movements are comfortable and easily done. But once it is time to start with a fly rod and line, the caster should seek to learn in a progressive manner, with each new skill building on old ones. Unfortunately, most fly rodders practice one skill and one skill only —casting as far as they can. Sure, tossing a whole fly line is fun. Sure, ripping out true, 90-foot casts on the tarpon flats may be required occasionally. Sure, booming out a gut- busting length of line cast after cast may catch you a few more steelhead on the brawling rivers of the Pacific Northwest. But, unless you engage in this type of fishing all the time, you'd also better work on other skills.

To the top of the next column

Again, we're back to the knowing/doing model. Work a bit on your long distance casting, that's fine. In fact it's an excellent skill to have. But so are curve casting, tuck casting, bow and arrow casting, squat casting and the whole array of mends and line handling skills such as reach mending, curve mending, hump mending, puddle mending, parachute mending, slip striking, strip striking, etc. When was the last time you practiced curve mending to targets at different distances? Such practice is the stuff that the real world of fly fishing is made of.

But, and this is a big but, simply knowing how to do all the casts and mends and line handling tactics will not catch you more fish if you don't know how to apply these skills in the wild. For example, you're fishing upstream into the slick at the tail-out of a pool. There's a big trout feeding there, sucking tiny Baetis mayflies off the top. You're positioned in the riffles below. Quick, what cast and mend will give you the longest, drag-free float? If you can't answer correctly and if you can't execute that cast, that big fish will be someone else's prize
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Now. let's take this little test a step further. It's a Baetis hatch, remember, so which fly do you select? Nymph? Emerger? Full-blown dun imitation? Again, presentation is a complex of knowledge and skills based on book-learning and practical experience. It's important to be saturated in both.

Let's say that the river is Montana's Bighorn. Its half-mile-long pools and sometimes equally long riffles hold a host of big fish. No, I said, BIG fish. Plenty of 20-inch plus, hook jawed browns that are really wild. And when you hook one, it can tear some serious line off your reel. So, what rod do you choose to fish your Baetis imitation? Is it that great 7-foot 3-weight that works so well back on your home river or the 8-footer that you really like for most of your general Midwest stream fishing? Or, what about that lovely 9-foot stick that you've been dreaming about? Is it really the best choice for the big waters of Montana?

Let's take it one step further and send you to New Zealand for a bit of spotting and stalking. What gear? Have you learned to see fish in riffles, pools, along undercuts, in the shade, etc. Have you practiced casting from a crouch or when lying down? And how much do you really have to know about the bug life?

Or suppose you choose to stay right here in the Midwest and fly fish for Great Lakes kings. What are your options for flies and what rod weight is best? Are kings really spooky, or can you wade right in there and start casting? Are there any special tactics that you should be aware of?

Suppose you're making a first bonefish trip to the Bahamas. Are the fresh-water skills you've worked on all your life going to be useful in the salt, or do you have to develop a whole new set of special "bone fish" casting, mending, and line handling skills? And will any of your fresh-water tackle items work? Decisions, decisions.

The point of all this is that presentation is a process that is continually being refined and learned. It's not a static skill or set of skills. It's an integrated interaction of knowledge and experience. It's also going to be the topic of discussion in this column. It is my goal to bring you information that will be practical, information that you can immediately put to use here in the Midwest and wherever you pursue our matchless sport. Join me in the next issue for a look at the seven foundation tactics of fly fishing.

Gary Borger’s column on Techniques and Tactics of Fly Fishing appear in every issue of Midwest Fly Fishing magazine. This column appeared in the February 2002 issue.
copyright Midwest Fly Fishing™ magazine 2003