Who’s getting ready for spring hatches and rising trout on the Battenkill? As we approach another exciting trout season in Vermont, now is the perfect time to sharpen your fly casting skills—especially your reach cast. As any experienced Vermont fly fishing guide will tell you, presentation is everything when fishing dry flies to selective trout. And on technical rivers like the Battenkill, a drag-free drift is key to getting eats.
If you want to increase your chances of success with dry flies, both on the Battenkill and other Vermont trout streams, mastering this technique can make all the difference.
How to Practice the Reach Cast
Here are a few tips from our friend Pete Kutzer, an instructor with Orvis—to help you improve your reach cast before the Vermont trout season kicks into full swing:
Why the Reach Cast Matters When Fly Fishing on the Battenkill
The Battenkill, an iconic river flowing through Manchester and Arlington, Vermont, is known for its wary wild brown and brook trout. Fish here are often holding in tricky current seams or soft edges that require a precise cast and drift. This is where the reach cast shines.
The reach cast is a specialty fly cast where, just before your fly lands on the water, you move your rod upstream or downstream depending on the situation to reposition your line and leader. This reach creates slack and aligns your leader with the current, allowing your fly to float naturally with a drag-free drift.
In rivers like the Battenkill, where current seams and eddies can pull your line at different speeds, even the slightest drag can spook a trout. With a well-executed reach cast, you give your fly a longer, natural drift and dramatically improve your chances of fooling finicky fish. This move is especially helpful when you’re casting across current, which is often the case when fishing from the banks of the Battenkill or other classic Vermont trout waters.