I often take out clients to help them improve their casting technique. I enjoy it, but as fun as it is to get a nice double haul and lay out 100 ft of line. Its not that practical for most fishing. If you can layout a perfect 30 ft cast and then manage your line for a good drift, you will catch a lot more fish. So what is mending?
Fly fishing requires precise casting techniques in order to effectively present the fly to the fish in a way that will entice them to bite. Mending is an important technique in fly fishing that involves making adjustments to the position of the fly line in the water to improve the presentation of the fly to the fish.
Mending can be used to control the speed and direction of the fly line in the water, which can be critical for successfully catching fish. For example, if the fly line is moving too quickly through the water, the fly may not have enough time to properly drift and mimic the natural movement of an insect or baitfish. By mending the line, the fly fisherman can slow down the fly line and give the fly more time to drift naturally. This can improve the chances of the fly being noticed by the fish and getting a bite.
Mending can also be used to control the direction of the fly line in the water. This is important because fish tend to feed in specific areas, such as along the edges of currents or near obstacles. By mending the line, the fly fisherman can guide the fly to these areas and increase the chances of getting a bite.
Overall, mending is an important technique in fly fishing that allows the fly fisherman to control the speed and direction of the fly line in the water, which can improve the presentation of the fly to the fish and increase the chances of getting a bite.