Reading water · 2 min read
Wind on the bank is part of the cast
Wind on the bank is part of the cast. Keep the focus on a cast into a crosswind, and keep the water in sight while you do it.
Do it in order
Work from the near bank. Lower the cast and aim for the near seam. Then look up and see whether the plan still fits the place you are standing.
The usual miss
People lose time to a high cast that the wind puts in the trees. Retie, shorten, or reset. Do not negotiate with a setup you already doubt.
Leave only when the fly reaches the water in the lane you picked. Write nothing down unless that check failed.
This belongs with reading water because the decision happens before you are committed to the cast.
A bank note, not a forecast or a rule sheet. Check the local regulations before you fish.