An Accuracy Gut Check

Photo: Josh Darling, courtesy of Dom Swentosky/Troutbitten

We often hear about fly rods being more accurate than ever before, and while that’s partly true, has it translated to anglers who are more accurate? And not just accurate with our fly placement, but also where the fly line lands?

That’s the question Dom Swentosky asks in his most recent article at Troutbitten, and it’s one I think is worth answering. As Dom writes, the goal for every angler should be refining their drift until the fish finally eats their flies.

“Trouble is, if the landing point for that fly is a few inches off each time, then the adjustments necessary are different, and a whole new set of variables are introduced,” he says.

That gets even more complex when you add in the variables of fly line landing where it shouldn’t. Bad line management is one of the biggest killers of drifts I saw in my guiding days, and as Dom observes, “We’re not sending just one thing to a target (the fly), we’re casting and positioning the attached line and leader in an effort to improve a dead drift or to set up for stripping or swinging streamers or wet flies.”

This is an aptly-titled gut check for accuracy for many of us, and I reckon it’s worth your time to read the whole story Dom wrote. You can do so here.