Fly Fishing Techniques: The Leisenring Lift

Jason Borger describes this deadly technique that can be used for nymphing, streamers and even dry fly fishing to entice strikes. The secret is in controlling drag. “The angler stands at the edge of a current tongue and casts up and slightly across stream with a short (usually no more than 20 feet), controlled line. After the fly settles to the water, the rod tip is raised to keep only enough line on the water to allow the fly to sink. Leaving the entire length of the cast on the water causes downstream drag to set in, undermining the effectiveness of the technique.” From Fly Fish American Online.