The Snake Roll

This is purely a cast when the wind is in a downstream direction of you, or on a Stillwater when you want the cast to go off your downwind shoulder, the same rules as the double-spey. It is a cast that will achieve a bigger loop on the back-cast therefore giving a greater distance but you will need a little more space to accommodate this. On the right bank this time, the line is lying downstream, you are facing square to the target, if the cast to be made is 90 degrees, it is along this line (toward the target) that the rod-tip must make its movement. Keeping a firm wrist and the elbow touching your side, it begins with an accelerating sweeping lift into the near bank, this can be best described as when the initial lift is done, the rod-tip has flexed, we then rotate that flex up and over out towards the intended direction, then tucking the rod-tip under (the line is always under tension) before sweeping the rod-tip in a shallow dip opposite the shoulder, (so the line lands in the correct place), then cocking the wrist, relaxing the elbow back up into the roll-cast position, the loop will form behind, ready for the tap forward. The line will come spiraling back toward you, and as the last couple of feet of line land on the water it will all be in line with the target. A few changes can be made to adjust the size of the spiral by the amount of rod-tip movement and speed we use when tucking the rod-tip under, smaller or tighter tucks will give a smaller spiral for smaller angle changes, and larger spirals for bigger changes of angle. The path of the rod-tip is to follow a number 9 on the right bank, off the right shoulder, or a lower case “e,”on the left bank off the left shoulder.

Salmon Snake Roll

A very efficient and very easy cast to use with a floating line in a downstream wind, more efficient than the double Spey because a larger D loop can be formed behind the rod, space permitting. Another advantage being that it is a lot quicker.
As with the double Spey, the line is fished out on the dangle. The rod tip is touching the water and pointing down the line. There must be no slack in the fly line. If there is, pull in a yard or two; this is always a good ploy, as a fish might have followed the fly across the stream. When you pull the line in and the fly makes an upstream movement, it is then that the fish will take. Or just do a roll cast.
The first movement is to lift into the bank that you are on, drawing the curve of a lower case ‘e’ on the left bank or a number ‘9’ on the right bank, accelerating as you do so. Continue up and around with the rod tip going out towards the stream. (Try to keep yourself central to the spiral). As ¾ of the revolution is complete, tuck the rod tip back under toward the home bank, still accelerating, then up into the roll cast position, with the rod almost vertical.
The fly line will come spiralling back and the end of the fly line will touch down on the water and the D loop will be formed. At this point the forward delivery is performed.
The bigger the spiral of the rod tip, the bigger the loop of fly line that will spiral back to you and the closer it will be. Bigger angle changes need bigger spirals.