Fishing Techniques:

Dive Right In

by Nick Curcione

Sinking lines are a fact of life when fishing BTB. But for many people, casting a sinking line is an exercise in frustration. Here are some tips and tricks for dealing with sinking lines.

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Why Sinking Lines?

Underlying Concepts

Let 'er Rip!

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Let 'er Rip!

So here’s what you do: make the roll cast to bring the line to the surface, and lay it out straight in front of you. Immediately make a back cast; if you hesitate too long the line will sink below the surface and you’ll have to start over. Then make a short forward cast to extend the head portion of the line plus 3 - 6 feet of running line out past the tip. Allow the head portion and the running line to land on the water, then pick it up from the surface, make a smooth, easy back cast followed by the forward cast. Do not try and over power the forward cast. Line speed is achieved by making a short, sharp haul on the forward cast. Check out the animation below:

If you are an experienced caster, you can eliminate that first short cast to extend the line by extending line on the initial back cast, and making a normal forward cast. But for most people, extending the line is easier done with a forward cast. These steps may sound quite involved, but with a little practice you can execute them smoothly and quickly. (Editor’s note: if you are a good roll-caster, you can also extend the head and running line by making a second roll cast after the first roll cast that raises the line to the surface, prior to the initial back cast).

Here’s a quick review:

1. Bring the head portion of the line to the surface by means of a roll cast.
   
   
2. Make an easy, controlled back cast. If you are an accomplished caster you may be able to extend the head portion and a few feet of running line on the back cast, eliminating the necessity of a second back cast and forward cast (see step 3).
   
   
3. Make a forward cast, and extend the head and a short length of running line outside the rod tip. Let the line fall to the water.
   
   
4. Immediately make a second back cast, followed by the “real” forward cast. Use a sharp haul to accelerate the cast and gain distance, rather than overpowering the rod.

To reiterate, before you start using sinking lines, develop proper casting technique practicing with a weight forward floating line. Once you become proficient, you can start practicing with a sinking line. And when you get to the point where you spend a lot of time fishing with sinking lines, you’ll start nailing a lot of fish that were previously inaccessible.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, feel free to post them on the BTB forums