This video, Casting vs Lobbing, kicks off the next generation of the Fly Fishing the Mono Rig video series on Troutbitten. I fish many different styles and leaders, and I enjoy being a versatile angler every day that I’m on the water. But there’s no doubt Troutbitten has become synonymous with Mono Rig tactics. And I’m happy to introduce a new video series that features these long leader styles and answers some questions.
The Mono Rig is a hybrid system for fishing nymphs, both tight line and indy tactics, streamers large and small, dry dropper and even pure dries. It is not a competition-style rig. Euro nymphing is part of what we do with the Mono Rig, but it is much more. While competition rules restrict angler versatility, the Troutbitten Mono Rig takes advantage of every style and every tool available. Split shot, drop shot, variable fly distance, leader length, indicator usage and streamers — all of these elements combine, bringing the tight line advantage into a world of opportunity for the ambitious angler.
READ: Troutbitten | Beyond Euro Nymphing
READ: Troutbitten | What You Are Missing By Following FIPS Competition Rule
I’ve written hundred of articles here on Troutbitten about the Mono Rig. And I’ve come to believe that the most important tactical piece is this one:
READ: Troutbitten | Fly Fishing the Mono Rig — It’s Casting, Not Lobbing
That article breaks everything down even more than I can in the video. But as a pair, the video and article convey an idea that I communicate every day on the water. Turnover is the fundamental difference between spin casting and fly casting. And all good fly casts, with fly line or otherwise, allow the line/leader to turnover in the air and then hit the water. That’s the difference between casting and lobbing. Without good turnover, we are simply lobbing the line.
Lobbing places extra line, leader and tippet on the water. And it robs the angler of a tight line advantage. Does lobbing work? Sure it does. But we must be careful what we learn with a fish on the end of the line. Because so much more is possible with turnover, with a fly-first entry, with a good tuck cast. More control means more success.
Here is the video. (Please select 1080p for best quality.)
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Remember this: lobbing is limiting. And a good casting approach, with great turnover, introduces a wide range of options.
Fish hard, friends.
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Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com
This video should be required viewing for all aspiring fly anglers. They may not all choose to fish the way you do, but at least they’ll be aware of a superior style of casting and fishing.
Ha. There ya go.
How many feet of the OPST do you use for your mono rig?
Long enough to keep the fly line on the reel spool, but not much longer. There are many good reasons for all of this. Here’s a great article that leads to many, many more about the subject.
https://troutbitten.com/2021/03/14/design-and-function-of-the-troutbitten-standard-mono-rig/
Good video. But still, it seems logical that you might actually want to lob sometimes, for example when you don’t want your nymph to sink very quickly, if you hit a shallow spot or believe the fish are feeding higher up in the water column.
Respectfully, there is no time that lobbing provides an advantage. Just because the water is shallow, why would I want to lay extra line in there? It’s still going to drag. Lobbing lays line in. Instead, cast with a nice shallow arc — a fly first entry. Stick the landing on the sighter and lead through it. That’s much better than lobbing in and hoping for the best.
When I do want to lay line on the water, as in floating the sighter, I STILL use a tuck cast and a fly first entry. That allows for the fly to fall before being pulled around by line on the water.
Check this out:
https://troutbitten.com/2021/07/12/3-sticking-the-landing-nine-essential-skills-for-tight-line-and-euro-nymphing/
Hope that helps.
Cheers.
Dom
Killer content presented clearly. As always, great stuff. What pound OPST lazar line is that?
Thirty pound Lazar Line is .0165, slighter thinner than twenty pound Chameleon.
Cheers.
Dom
Thanks for this video. The way it was shot cleared a few things up for me?
How do you adjust when you are fishing tight water with out the needed room for a back cast? Those are the situations that I find myself lobbing most frequently.
Tight water actually requires the most line control, line speed and tight loops. Lobbing in cover will put you in the trees. You don’t need back cast room. You need a good line hand recovery and a Pendulum cast. I show that with streamers here:
https://youtu.be/kSJQxHpNxkE
You can do it with light nymphs too, if you have power built into the leader. Thin leader won’t allow for it.
Hope that helps.
Cheers.
Dom
This video was exactly what I needed to follow the cast v lob vid. I often fish in tight quarters – NH winter fishing at the moment. The circle and pendulum casts are what I need to practice with the mono rig. I’ve been using 35’ of 10LB Chamelion to the first tippet ring. I like how sensitive it is. But I wonder if going to 15 or 20LB would make these casts easier.
YES! 20# will make it a LOT easier, with much more versatility and more options for how you want the line to enter. More power!
Cheers.
Dom
Great video with very straightforward explanation. I agree that the lob is the least effective way to cast. I would also suggest that the points you make about casting the mono rig 100% apply to a normal rig when you don’t have much fly line out. Those smaller stream situations where you only have room to cast your leader plus a couple of feet of line. Keeping a good crisp cast is key. Also keeping good tension on the line in the water when you start your pickup/back cast is important to properly load the rod.
Keep them coming!
Right on.
Great video Dom thank you.
I have some work to do to improve my casting technique so I get fly first entry every time.
Quite often I drop the leader and waste the drift because I have to lift and correcting the leader to regain contact. I probably miss the fish that take when the fly is on the drop too.
I think my main faults not always casting vigorously combined with poor timing of the forward stop and allowing the rod to track too far forwards. Any thoughts suggestions most welcome.
Thanks again.
Hi AJ. Sounds like you know what your issues are. And you have a good plan!
Good luck.
Dom
Thank you Dom
Tight lines
Do you sell 30lb pink OPST Lazer Line?
No, not here.
I read the article and watched the video this morning and headed out to fish. I euronymph and I’m always looking to improve my technique; this was very helpful!
That’s excellent
Terrific educational piece Dom . Great video production too . Thanks !
Thanks.
Hey Dom, great video as usual, does this change if you are using a micro leader? Hope your summer is going well, I just returned from a week on the Rio Grande, great action and I could hear you saying “change or die” ;-)!
This is the video I have been waiting for, thanks Dom! I am new to the mono rig and fished with it only twice and I wasn’t very good. Was having trouble casting but watching you cast here I just need to focus on the fundamentals, smooth power, and a crisp stop.
Very excited to get back out there and give it a go!
I am drawn to the mono rig mainly due to the versatility of the system.
From dries in a pinch, to low drag nymphs, to streamers, to a 1/8 oz jig! (Would love to see a jigging video) All with a few leader changes. And with a regular line at the ready.
You got it.
Cheers.