Our recent outing to the Deschutes River reminded me just how valuable the roll cast is—especially when the wind picks up and you’re casting under overhanging trees on a narrow bank.

After taking Steve Jones' Fly-Casting Skills Development Course and passing off the Bronze Certification requirements, I finally felt confident in my roll cast. That weekend on the Deschutes, I passed on my new casting knowledge to my wife, Kelsey. Just three casts into her roll casting journey—BOOM!—she landed her first fish on the Deschutes.

But the day didn’t end there. As we meandered down the river, the wind forced us to shore, and while we waited out the wind, Kelsey waded back under a tree and, in gusty conditions that shifted in every direction, landed another fish—a beautiful rainbow trout!  

With all that wind, were there any wind knots? Yes! The infamous wind knots did come, but not until AFTER we each landed two fish in windy tight bank conditions. We give credit to the roll cast and a 5wt rod with a yummy looking salmon fly and a dropper (a nymph selected and recommended by Don Starkin). Thanks Don!

This trip was a great reminder that without the roll cast, many of those fish would have remained out of reach. That’s why I want to walk you through some of what Steve Jones taught in his class.

Step 1: Set the Stage – Line on the Water (Acting as an Anchor)

Begin with your fly line lying mostly in front of you on the water. Your rod tip should be down low, nearly touching the surface. This anchored line on the water is critical—it creates the tension needed to load the rod on your forward cast.

Step 2: Form the D-Loop

Slowly raise your rod, tracing a shallow arc upward and slightly back until your rod hand is near shoulder height and just behind your ear (elbow up and square). As you do this, the fly line should trail behind the rod in a hanging loop—shaped roughly like a capital “D.” This is your D-loop, and it’s what gives power to the roll cast. The fly line should still have contact with the water in front of you. Once again, the fly line’s contact with the water creates a drag (acting like an anchor) to keep the line taught.

Step 3: Forward Cast – Accelerate and Stop

Drop and your elbow and thrust (drive) the rod forward smoothly, accelerating into a crisp stop with your rod tip ending around eye level. The energy from your stop transfers through the rod and launches the line forward in a tight loop. Your fly should roll out and land gently on the water.

Tips for Better Roll Casting

• Use your body. Don’t just flick with your wrist—engage your shoulder and forearm.
  
  

• Practice timing. The D-loop should form cleanly behind you and not collapse.
  
  

• Adjust your angle. Tilt your casting plane slightly off to the side for better visibility and control.
  
  

Practice makes perfect—so next time you're on the Deschutes, or anywhere with tight quarters or swirling wind, try the roll cast. It might just lead to a memory like ours.

Take a Class

I invite you all to take Steve Jone’s Fly-Casting Skill Development Course to develop your fly-casting skills and/or to get FFI Certified with Bronze, Silver or Gold Certification. He just finished teaching the course, but he is offering it again every Wednesday this summer starting June 18th at 2:00pm at Dorothy Fox Elementary School (on the grass).

Share Your Experiences

Did you know you can publicly share your stories about your experiences with Clark-Skamania-Flyfishers? Yes, you can! We invite you to share your experiences with classes, outings, member meetings, projects and banquets on our Google Maps page with Reviews. You can post your stories and pictures as well as write CSF a 4 or 5 Star Review while you’re at it. Click on this link, or go to Google Maps and search for Clark-Skamania Flyfishers.

We’ll see you on the water!