On 12/29/2010 03:04 PM, Giles wrote:
On Dec 29, 12:51 pm, Larry wrote:
On Dec 28, 6:23 pm, wrote:



One of those things that descriptions can never do justice to. The
simple truth is that mending line will, one day, suddenly seem
natural. It may take a while.

Till then, practice, practice, practice.

One thing that has helped me approach nearly adequate at mending is to
realize that most times you have to add line to the system not just
move line. So make sure you have the needed extra line ready and
visualize throwing it into the place where it's needed to add more
slack. This WILL pick up what's already out there and move it,
usually, but makes it easier ( for me ) to avoid moving the fly in the
process.

Another thing that often helps is to tug on the line a bit before
begging the mend. This helps to ensure that more (if not necessarily
all) of the line is on the surface, thus reducing drag somewhat. Both
your method and mine WILL often move the fly. This, while not always
desirable, is often unavoidable. Sometimes, though, it IS
desirable.....to correct an errant drift, for example. And one can
make allowances for this movement by deliberate placement of the fly
in the first place. In other words, do not place the fly where a
perfect drift will bring it where you want it to be IF you can execute
a perfect mend without moving the fly in the process. Place it where
a perfect drift will bring it to where you want it after a mend that
moves the fly a bit. As with many other techniques, this takes longer
to describe than it takes to do. And it takes no longer to learn than
any other mend. Nor does it take any longer to perfect (well, as near
as any of us comes to executing ANY technique perfectly, anyway) than
doing it without moving the fly. In fact, since learning to mend well
without moving the fly is difficult in itself, it is at least
plausible that learning to do it well WITH that movement may take even
less time.

One more thing ... I've redefined my 'poor mending' into "advanced
twitching tactics" for fishing things like damsel adults, caddis
dries, hoppers, etc. ... helps my ego :-)

Making a virtue of necessity.....or, malleable standards. By whatever
name, a useful and valuable technique in its own right.

giles


I've had some success doing a sort of a "roll cast" using a big loop of
additional line, while the original line remains in place on the
water... more or less... No idea whether this is what I'm supposed to be
doing, of course.