Fly fishing is an elegant style of angling, but it is not without its challenges.  One of the problems with fly fishing that is never mentioned a whole lot is how to deal with all the line?  In other forms of fishing, the line stays on the reel until it is needed.  With fly fishing, things are not quite so simple.  If we want to use line, we better have it off the reel and on the floor of the boat, on the ground, or in the water.

But that’s the issue.  If you are fishing in a stream, where does the stripped-in line go?  Downstream. If you are fishing in the surf, where does the stripped-in line go?  Down the beach.  If you are fishing in a boat (drift or otherwise), where does the line go? Either underfoot or over the side and thus downstream or down tide.

At least it’s out of the way.  What a great thought – until it comes time to cast said line again and then you are either standing on the line if it is inside the boat or it is overboard and you have  to contend with surface tension plus the force of any tide or current on your line. You want to cast 50’ but the best you can manage is 25’.  Bummer.

Fortunately, we are not the first to have to deal with this cruel challenge.

Fly angling companies have come to our rescue, maybe. There are at least three different types of casting accessories or techniques that can help.

The first is a stripping basket that can be attached to a belt around our waist.  There are at least three types of these stripping baskets.  The first is a medium size plastic basket with fingers sticking up through the bottom.  Orvis and numerous others have such stripping basket.  Having one myself, let me say that it works better than nothing.  For one thing, it is not deep enough to keep the wind from blowing the line out into the water.  Or, if you are fishing while wading in the water, a wave can come along and swamp your basket, pulling your line into the water.   If you plan on fishing in shallow water, you can use it fairly well.  It has plastic fingers sticking up to keep the line more or less separated.  But the wind messes it up.

The second type is like a William Joseph mesh bag I have that is bigger at the bottom than at the top so the wind isn’t that much of a problem.  But it helps to have stretched your line so it doesn’t curl up so much and create snarls.  Being mesh, water drains right on through so it works fairly well if you are wading in water that is waist deep or less. 

The third type of casting accessory is for a boat.  In a drift boat, you have the floor for the line.  I have tried using my William Joseph bag with limited effectiveness.  In many ways, it is more of a hindrance than a help.  The main trick in a boat is to be aware of where your feet are so you’re not stepping on your line.  In a flat’s skiff, you have a large bow and some captains have “finger pads” with giant pads with fingers that hold the line.  Others use a leaf bag of some sort form their gardening.  Take a line of weights off the bottom of a cast net and string them on a sturdy line that will fit around the inside perimeter of the bottom to keep the bag from shifting around while fishing or even moving to a new spot.  It works reasonably well.  Others recommend fishing in socks or barefoot so you can feel the line under your feet.  Some folks even use a tall waste paper can for the line. 

No matter what you use, the line is still going to get all wrapped up at some point.  Some fly anglers put a cast net or blanket over all of the wires and hoses in the back of a boat.  It helps.  But nothing works perfectly.  It is part of the challenge of fishing in windy saltwater. 

So, try your best and let me know if you fine a magic formula or line container.  The fact is, the confusion of dealing with line management is part of the joy and challenge of fly fishing.  Let us know how you have dealt with this issue.