How to make a roll cast when fly fishing

One of the first casts all fly fishing anglers should learn how to make is the roll cast. We can use this cast for many things. First, it is used when you first get to the water and pull the line outside the tip of your rod. A roll cast is made to straighten out the line. A roll can should be used anytime there is an excessive amount of slack in your line. Roll casts can be the primary cast anglers use all day long or they can be used to pick the line up off the water. Commonly, the roll cast is used when there is not sufficient room to make a normal back cast because of trees, hills, or other obstructions behind the caster.

The roll cast is a simple as a slow motion normal back cast motion. Do not "cast" or throw any line out behind you. The end of the fly line and the leader should still be in the water in front of you. Make a normal forward cast motion using continuous acceleration to a stop. The rod tip should stop traveling out and not down into the water. If your roll cast is ending up in a pile or not straightening out, it is almost always because your rod tip went around in a large half circle and stopped as it was heading down.

The roll cast can be performed off both sides of your body and in all types of fishing situations. This cast is nearly equally as important as the normal overhand cast.

If you have any question or comments about this technique, be please leave them on the video below.