The Snake Roll Cast

The Snake Roll cast is one of the handiest casts to have in your armoury when fishing in a downstream wind, and like the Double Spey cast your hand positions on the rod handle, in relation to the bank you are fishing from are the same.

Reasons to have this cast in your armoury

This cast will allow you to cover the whole section of the pool in front of you, at any angle you wish (upstream, across or down) much quicker than you ever could using the Double Spey cast. It will also allow you to cover a visible fish very quickly, weather it is on a lie or moving upstream when it shows. We all know that running fish can be difficult to tempt, but if you can present a fly to them the minute they show themselves, then you have increased the odds in your favour.

How the cast works

As with all casts, the Snake Roll cast can be used in a non wind situation, but like the Double Spey cast, if used in an upstream wind it can be very dangerous, although used in a downstream wind it is very safe and efficient for all the reasons described in the Double Spey section. As you become more familiar with this cast it can be made much more dynamic by altering the shape of the initial rotation and the length of the draw into your delivery position thus maximizing your available casting weight.

Here is the cast in brief:

With the rod tip pointing downstream, lift to 45 degrees and rotate the rod tip in a circle. A clockwise circle if on the left bank and an anti-clockwise circle if on the right bank.

When approaching the bottom of the circle in your rotation, draw the rod tip back into your delivery position to create your D loop in the direction to which you wish to cast.

The direction of your delivery will be dictated by the size of your circle coupled with the angle at which it rotates as you draw it back.

The initial Rotation of the rod tip

You will notice that the initial rotation of your rod tip performs two important functions

(a) It repositions your anchor point (e.g. fly, leader, end of fly line) so it is facing the direction you are going to cast to.

(b) It allows you to create a D loop behind your anchor point thus giving you the casting weight you require to make the cast work.

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