One of my favorite fly fishing casts to use with nymphing rigs is the tuck cast. The tuck cast essentially shoots your nymphs and weight straight down to the bottom of the river. The tuck casts allows your nymphs to actively fish on the bottom just a little bit longer, which can make a substantial difference throughout a day of fishing.  .

We’ve all heard to cast at ten and two, that is, imagine a clock with twelve o’clock at your head and six o’clock at your feet. Essentially, your backwards cast should stop behind you at two o’clock and your forward cast should stop in front of you at ten o’clock. The tuck casts begins at the ten o’clock position. Once you cast forward to the ten o’clock position and your fly line is all the way extended in front of you, strip in about a foot and a half of fly line with the hand that is not holding the rod. If you are right handed for example, use your left hand to grab and strip in the fly line that is between your first rod guide and fly reel. This action will pull back on your fly line and shoot your nymphs and weight ninety degrees downward – sending your nymphs straight to the river bottom.

You don’t have to use the tuck cast everywhere, but it can make a huge difference in fast riffles and runs where you’re making short, quick drifts and it’s difficult to get your nymphs to quickly sink to the bottom.

More information on trout nymphing can be found in my guide book SIMPLE NYMPHING FOR TROUT IN RIVERS & STREAMS.

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