On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:42:23 -0400, Dave LaCourse
wrote:

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:11:38 -0700, "Tom Nakashima"
wrote:


"samurai" wrote in message
roups.com...
I'm a happy and satisfied member (well almost) of a local club which
has access to many good stretches of the Upper Don in West Yorkshire,
UK. My biggest problem is casting into small pools overhung with trees
which both prevent easy overhead casting from the bank and pose a
problem if you're in the water! Advice, technique, tips please!

Thanks,

-----------------------------------------------------------
Fly Fishing Guide Book
http://angelfit.flyfish.hop.clickbank.net/
-----------------------------------------------------------


Rollcast.
-tom


I don't believe he has trees behind him, Tom, but wants to place the
fly under the trees along the banks of the river. A roll cast or
overhead cast wouldn't work. A side cast might work, or a
bow-and-arrow cast taught to me by roff's own Waldo Winters.

It's been many years since I have tried it, so maybe some of the North
Cacalackie boys will correct me if I am wrong in the description.

This is for a right handed person. Hold your rod in your left hand in
a horizontal position with the tip to your right. Draw out some line
from the reel, and hold the line tight with your left hand with
about six feet of line from the tip of the rod. Grasp the fly
*carefully* at the eye and make sure it will not snag you. Draw the
line back essentially making a bow out of the rod. The more you bend
the rod, the farther the fly will go, but be careful that when you
release the line that the fly doesn't hook your fingers. *Practice*
this on your lawn or in another safe place before you go to the stream
and try it. The first time I tried it I got the fly into the trees I
was trying to avoid. The very next cast I caught my finger with the
fly. *Practice* You might want to also try changing hands (rod in
right hand, left hand drawing back the "bow", and holding the fly at
the bend instead of the eye.

This technique works for very short casts, say about 10 - 15 feet.
Old Waldo has it down pat and is very accurate with his "bow".

Dave

Um....at the _eye_? I thought you and Walt were friends. Next time,
try grasping it at the bend of the hook, and you'll have a lot less to
worry about.

As to the OP's question, both of the casts Dave mentioned are good
possible alternatives (well, if you don't hook yourself trying to hold
onto the eye...), and you might consider a skip cast (essentially, just
like skipping a rock):

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/b...hniques_1.aspx

(It's an excerpt from an A. K. Best book)

TC,
R