Downstream Method

A. Make a reach cast slightly upstream with the fly accurately landing in the feeding lane. Next, lower the rod tip horizontally to the surface; track the fly downstream by reaching with the rod pointed directly towards the fly.

B. Allow the fly to drift well past the fish’s position and then make the line swing away by moving away from the feeding lane. Pick up the line for another cast.

Other Useful Downstream Presentations

There are various other methods of presenting a fly downstream. Simply feeding out slack line is one of them. An up-and-down rod shaking or a side-by-side wiggling motion can play out additional line; also, a wiggle cast made directly downstream extends the fly’s drift as the line uncoils. Both the slide and the mini-slide methods afford additional downstream presentations.

Again, the advantages of a downstream presentation are: the fish sees the fly first without any disturbances by the line and leader; the line/leader is never false cast over the fish, and a natural dead drift is created.

Both of the above methods present the fly downstream by playing out slack line in a serpentine manner. When the line straightens the dead drift is over.