The Perfect Downstream Drift

We’d all be just as happy making quartering upstream casts across unbroken currents and setting the hook with a semi-straight fly line. But sometimes complicated flows and difficult approaches make it impossible to achieve drag-free drifts. That’s where the downstream presentation shines. This week on “Fine Lines” Phil Monahan tells us how to use the downstream drift effectively — why a slack-line cast makes it possible, and what to be ready for when a trout takes your fly.