The importance of the delivery cast

The delivery cast is the cast that counts when fly fishing. All the (pretty) false casting won't mean a thing if the delivery cast fails. Accuracy and delicacy are two aspects that should go together. Sometimes it's a challenge when there's lots of wind (side wind or head wind), but also limited room behind us that prevents a good back cast. The only exception might be when you're casting a heavily weighted nymph(s) or a big wind resistant fly like a large streamer.

The delivery cast I often see is the line landing first followed by the leader and eventually the fly. On moving water this type of delivery has a huge disadvantage that the fly will instantly start dragging as the fly line is washed away by the current. Mending right away will ruin an already crappy drift...

The second disadvantage, which I wasn't aware of myself, is explained by Joe Rotter from Reds Fly Shop in this particular video. He explains (starting around 4:30) that the fish waiting for food will get distracted by the sound (and water disturbance) the the line makes when it lands and miss the presence of the fly (in this case a hopper) that will drift outside its view very soon. It's the fly we want the fish to focus on, not the fly line after all.

Another great tip Joe (starting around 2:15) gives in this video is how to twitch the hopper to get the fish's attention. When a grasshopper lands on the water, it makes a crawling movement trying to swim back to the shore. This crawling can be seen as circular waves. Learn to make this hopper crawl movement by using the tip of the rod.

Great tips Joe!