fishing under a bridge

[VINNYT]

i was wondering whene i went to fish under a bridge on my 2 faverite streams i cant cast with the fly rod and end up using my spining rod and my shortest fly rod is my 7.5 foot 3 wt fly rod and i cant even rool cast right what should i do?thanks

 

[ian_brown]

I usually just cast sidearm in that situation.

 

[FarmerDave]

Me too (sidearm), or if i want to fish unter a bridge, I will stand away from the bridge and cast underneath.

 

[tomgamber]

Or if you are really lazy...just let it float down under the bridge from the upstream side...but other than that, what they said.

 

[Chaz]

Practice, I've fished under may bridges big and small and there are almost always good fish under bridges. The plus is that you don't have to make long casts because under bridges it is nearly always dusk or night fishing.

 

[jaybo41]

I'm going to assume (yes I know, makes an *** out of us both) that you're able to cast and roll cast in areas that are wide open. I'll also assume that your rod's line weight and lenght aren't too small for this stream. Given those two items, I'd say it's going to take practice as others have mentioned.

Leave the spinning rod at home and stop using that as a crutch. You'll never get better casting if you keep going back to that. Not saying that you shouldn't spin if you enjoy that, but if you're trying to improve your fly casting that's not a good way to do it.

If you have an old line spool it up and go cast in a park. Set a target and cast at it. Then try to work the roll cast in a similar fashion as you would need to when you're working the area under the bridge.

 

[Woolybugger]

Just roll cast or side cast! A fly rod is much more accurate than a stinkin' spin rod. LOL When you're under a bridge, you only have to cast 30 feet to put your fly where the fish are. When you use a spin rod you will probably get snagged on the bridge! LOL
When the hot sun is out, the bass hide in the shade under bridges, and a fly rod is the best way to catch them......... why would you take a spin rod when your flyrod is soooooo much better?

​

 

[FarmerDave]

That was kinda my point, but i was being nice. there are fish under those bridges, so why would you want to stand under there while fly fishing?

The way I see it: If you are casting for fish under an overhanging tree, do you stand under the same tree and fish for them? Of course not. So, if you are casting at fish under a bridge, do you stand under the bridge? I don't.

The only time I fish FROM under a bridge is if it is raining, and I am using a spinning rod and fishing for crappie or perch. Lots of fun.

 

[VINNYT]

its harder than you think fishing under a bridge that is 5 foot off the water with a 9 foot or 7 foot rod also if i would sid arm cast i would 1. smack it off the wall 2. tangle up my line whene im fishin with a shot.im fishing peters creek it pritty small also if i put it up stream it gets caught on a log and the deep part where the fish are is right along a 5 foot wall where the stream would meet the land.soo what i think i need to do is try side arm rool casting? i rilly do need a picture soo you guys can understand what im getting at.

 

[tomgamber]

I learned to cast at just such a bridge. It was a stone, double arch bridge that ran under the road. A channel of the spring creek run under each arch. I would stand approx. 15 feet from the bridge on the bank that would allow me to cast right handed into the closest tunnel.
The trick was to cast the fly beyond the end of the tunnel, into the light on the other end so I knew where my fly began its float. When it floated into the darkness I just listened for the "kiss", lifted the rod and caught beautiful natives in the 12-14 range. Still the only place I've ever consistently see natives of that size. The rest of the creek holds lots of spooky trout but the big ones were under the bridge. The rod was a 8 1/2 ft 5wt. The creek was in Berks county.

 

[FarmerDave]

tomgamber wrote:
I learned to cast at just such a bridge. It was a stone, double arch bridge that ran under the road...

Well, I suppose if the bridge ran above the road, you wouldn't be fishing there.

 

[tomgamber]

I guess it could have run under RR tracks. It was more of a reference to how far it was to the other side. Perhaps a "small 2-lane road" would have been more informative and accurate. Will you be pointing out all of my overly obvious statements, in the future, or are you just feeling generous today?

 

[VINNYT]

lol thanks tomgamber

 

[Phillyfisher]

VinnyT- Do you or someone you know own and SUV? This is why I ask: Years ago I took my Dad to a flyfishing class on the Yellow Breeches taught by Joe Humphreys and Ed Shenk. One of the casting demonstrations Joe Humphreys did simply blew me away, and gave new meaning to tight loops. During his demonstration, Joe was standing maybe 20 feet away from a Jeep Cherokee. To illustrate casting back under over hanging branches, he was casting his fly underneath the SUV, and no lie, his loop unrolled underneath the Cherokee, with his fly ending up out the other side of the SUV, by a good 3 feet! He did it over and over again, proving it was not just luck. Tom's bridge fishing above reminded me of this. I suggest you start practicing your casting and learning to throw I tighter loop. You may find you will soon be able to get your fly back where you need it to be.

 

[OhioOutdoorsman]

Options:

1) Learn to haul with short casts to shoot line
2) If you have open water down stream, let your line flow down stream and flip the line forward sidearm, using the water tension to load the rod
3) Swing a wet, bugger, or streamer from upstream
4) Cast with the line unfurling on the water, like you do in windy conditions.
5) If you're really desperate, dap from on top of the bridge......

 

[FarmerDave]

tomgamber wrote:
I guess it could have run under RR tracks. It was more of a reference to how far it was to the other side. Perhaps a "small 2-lane road" would have been more informative and accurate. Will you be pointing out all of my overly obvious statements, in the future, or are you just feeling generous today?

Relax Tom. I believe the smiley I used is the one for Razz. That is all it was, a little friendly razzing.

 

[tomgamber]

Sorry , I used the quick reply so I didn;t get to send a smiley back...like now.

 

[VINNYT]

thanks guys will try the suv thing

 

[JackM]

VINNYT wrote:
thanks guys will try the suv thing

Oh, God, I was hoping you wouldn't say that. Sorry for any offense to the poster of that suggestion, but for goodness sake, do not go trying to throw your fly line under a motor vehicle. For whatever dramatic value such a stunt may have when performed by experts like Mr. Humphries, why would anyone want to be slapping their flyline off of the greasy, grimy, metallic and likely abrasive under-carriage of a motor vehicle.

If you feel the need to practice casting under a bridge, why not just practice by casting UNDER A BRIDGE!?

Save yourself a lot of unneccessary damage to your flyline and forget about the SUV thing.

 

[jayL]

I agree with Jack. The best part about practicing under a bridge as opposed to the SUV is that there are actual fish under the bridge. Hell, you might catch one or two.

By the way, I think this applies to all backyard casting. Unless it's really far to the nearest trickle of water, I think the backyard casting is a bit silly.

Disclaimer: Of course I used to practice casting in the back yard... I just think it would've been a bit less time before that first trout on a fly if I would've just taken my lumps and learned on the stream.