Welcome to another installment of "Ask an Orvis Fly-Fishing Instructor," with me, Peter Kutzer. In this episode, I demonstrate how to make a serpentine cast, a slack-line presentation which has several useful applications. Like all slack-line casts, the serpentine cast puts slack into the line on the water, in this case by creating a series of S-curves. Why would you want slack in your line? Because there are times when you need slack to allow your fly to drift naturally. One obvious situation is when you are casting downstream. If you don't add slack to the line, the current will cause your fly to start dragging immediately.

Another great situation in which the serpentine cast can make your life easier is when you're casting across complex currents that exert opposing forces on your line. By placing slack at strategic points in the presentation, you can give your fly more time to dead-drift.

Previous episodes:

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor I: Casting Heavy Flies in the Wind

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor II: Roll-Casting for Accuracy & Distance

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor III: Casting in the Wind

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor IV: Casting Accuracy

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor V: The Curve Cast

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor VI: Casting Angles

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor VII: How to Double Haul

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor VIII: Fixing Tailing Loops

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor IX: How to Make Delicate Presentations

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor X: The Steeple Cast

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor XI: How to Avoid Hitting Your Rod with Your Fly

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor XIII: Don't be a Creep

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor XIII: Parachute and Pile Casts

Ask a Fly-Fishing Instructor XIV: How to Make a Reach Cast

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