In the Wind: Casting Backwards

“Wind coming from your casting-arm side is dangerous because it can blow the airborne line—and the fly—into your body. The usual result is a hook in your back. There are several ways to beat this, but the easiest is simply to turn around 180 degrees.” Another — and we think perhaps easier — way to defeat a right-hand (or left-hand, if you’re left-handed) crosswind is to simply move your casting stroke to the other side of your body. This is easier to with lighter lines; with heavier lines, you can also learn to water-haul, which aids loading the rod and reduces the number of false-casts you need to make before delivering the fly. John Merwin in Field & Stream.