Diana Rudolph Profile in Fly Fishing in Saltwaters

The January/February 2006 issue of Fly Fishing in Saltwaters gives fly fishing phenom Diana Rudolph plenty of ink, with a six-page article that chronicles Rudolph’s beginnings in the sport and follows the sources of her passion for fishing. Additionally, the lists 10 tips from Rudolph on how to “up your game in salt water.” Here are our few of our favorites from that list:
“Water Loading — Often when the wind is up, or I have a funky angle, or I’m casting heavy or bulky flies, I will flip the fly behind me and use the wate to help me load the rod. This lets you get the fly where it needs to go with as few false casts as possible.”
“Know Your Fly — Take a few minutes to see what your fly looks like and how it behaves in the water. After I tie on a pattern, I watch it to see how fast the fly sinks and moves in the current. Then I’ll try a couple of different strips to see what it takes to make the fly move and how that movement translates to the fly.”
“Set the Hook — I don’t really set the hook hard. I slow strip then come up with the rod tip just enough to come tight and stay connected. That’s all you really have to do. That’s why I have a lot of success with lighter tippets. If you try to Bassmaster or rip the fish’s lips, you’ll end up breaking a lot of them off on the hookup. Just come tight and stay connected.”
(If you want to read more on Diana Rudolph, check out our interview on MidCurrent.)