A very important retrieves for stillwaters is the very slow retrieve. Most nymphs and the like do not move very quickly and to imitate them you need to retrieve almost painfully slowly. Gentle retrieves of an inch or so of line at a time, at the most, are what is required, perhaps with the odd twitch or lift of your rod to imitate a burst of speed by the natural insect. You use the fore finger and thumb of your line to hand to make a continuous retrieve of line into the palm of your hand, where it is held by the other fingers of the same hand. You should pull - and in fact can only pull - a very short length of line each time you move your thumb and finger backwards and forwards. There is no need to move your line hand away from the rod butt as you do not need any arm movement to retrieve longer lengths of line. At the end of the retrieve, you can drop the small coils in your hand before casting again. By all means experiment until you find a successful retrieve and then stick to what works.
The slowest retrieve of all is, obviously, the static retrieve when you simply cast out, take in any slack and then leave your line and flies well alone. This retrieve can be used with both nymphs, or sunken flies, and dry flies. Surface movement and a breeze will impart some movement into the flies. A high level of concentration is critical when fishing the static retrieve as takes can be very gentle. If you think that you have felt a touch, it is always worth tightening your line quickly as it may be a fish that you felt. If your line has been blown into a wide curve, the best way to connect with a fish is to tighten by moving your rod sideways in the opposite direction to the way your line is blowing.
The figure of eight
One of the best-known retrieves is the figure of eight. This retrieve is ideal when you want a slow, steady and continuous retrieve. Line is retrieved through a combination of pulling with your thumb and forefinger and rotating your line hand. Start by holding the line with the thumb and forefinger of your line hand, close to your rod handle. Rotate your wrist backwards, towards you body, and then put your little finger over the line and rotate your wrist in the opposite direction. Now, holding the line in the palm of your hand, having released your thumb and forefinger, take hold of the line again and repeat both rotations. The line that has been retrieved will start to form a figure of eight in your hand.
Fast retrieves
In contrast to the strictly imitative static or slow retrieve is the fast continuous retrieve, sometimes known as the roly poly. Fast retrieves are appropriate if fishing fish or fry imitations or perhaps a caddis. Also a fast retrieve can inject life into fish on a dour day. To achieve a fast and continuous retrieve you need to tuck the butt of your rod under your arm, so that both hands are free to retrieve the line in fast steady and continuous pulls, one after the other.
The slowest retrieve of all is, obviously, the static retrieve when you simply cast out, take in any slack and then leave your line and flies well alone. This retrieve can be used with both nymphs, or sunken flies, and dry flies. Surface movement and a breeze will impart some movement into the flies. A high level of concentration is critical when fishing the static retrieve as takes can be very gentle. If you think that you have felt a touch, it is always worth tightening your line quickly as it may be a fish that you felt. If your line has been blown into a wide curve, the best way to connect with a fish is to tighten by moving your rod sideways in the opposite direction to the way your line is blowing.
The figure of eight
One of the best-known retrieves is the figure of eight. This retrieve is ideal when you want a slow, steady and continuous retrieve. Line is retrieved through a combination of pulling with your thumb and forefinger and rotating your line hand. Start by holding the line with the thumb and forefinger of your line hand, close to your rod handle. Rotate your wrist backwards, towards you body, and then put your little finger over the line and rotate your wrist in the opposite direction. Now, holding the line in the palm of your hand, having released your thumb and forefinger, take hold of the line again and repeat both rotations. The line that has been retrieved will start to form a figure of eight in your hand.
Fast retrieves
In contrast to the strictly imitative static or slow retrieve is the fast continuous retrieve, sometimes known as the roly poly. Fast retrieves are appropriate if fishing fish or fry imitations or perhaps a caddis. Also a fast retrieve can inject life into fish on a dour day. To achieve a fast and continuous retrieve you need to tuck the butt of your rod under your arm, so that both hands are free to retrieve the line in fast steady and continuous pulls, one after the other.
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