A lot of folks consider the roll cast to be “advanced” fly fishing. It’s not. And it’s not hard to learn, perfect and perform on a regular basis. But, as RIO Product’s Brand Manager Simon Gawesworth notes in the video below, it does require some explaining. Just like any cast in fly fishing, there is a way to do it correctly.
S2 E3. How to Make a Roll Cast from RIO Products on Vimeo.
Simon uses perhaps the most common scenario that requires us to use the roll cast—he’s got a tree behind him that prohbits him from using his traditional overhand cast. But roll casts aren’t just to avoid fly-catching flora. They can be performed for lots of reasons, including for simple economy when a quick cast is needed to put a fly in the right spot at the right time. And they’re not just for trout, either. I’ve used roll casts to place shrimp patterns ahead of cruising bonefish that I noticed a bit too late on the wind-chopped flats of the Bahamas. I’ve used roll casts to quickly return flies to the water after an aggressive pike missed a grab at the fly and was clearly still looking for it.
If it’s not in your casting repertoire, it needs to be, and Simon’s tutorial is spot on.
— Chris Hunt