Global Fly Fisher, Norm Crisp AKA The Wiz, Stream side strategies: three ways of improving your fly line control

Stream side strategies:
Three ways of improving your fly line control

Line control is much more than mending

By Norm Crisp Illustrations by Benjamin Waedeled.

If someone says line control to the majority of fly fisherman the very first thing they think of is mending their line to get a perfect drift.

We spend a great deal of time and effort in search of a drag free drift. What good does that drift do if poor line control keeps us from setting the hook or landing a fish? I see more fish lost because of a line control problem than because of a "break off".

Here are some common line control problems and their solutions.

Tip no. 1: Avoid the stray hand