Written By : Trent Jones

Fly fishing has its own lingo, and sometimes it can sound like a different language. Two of the most important terms you need to know are 'high sticking' and 'mending.' These techniques are super important to becoming a successful trout angler. Though they look different, they both serve the same purpose—achieving a drag-free drift, also known as a dead drift

Now, you might be thinking, "Trent, why do I need to know this stuff?" Well, let me break it down for you. Even if you pick the perfect fly out of your box, it won’t matter much if it’s speeding down the river like it's late for a date. Yes, choosing the right fly is important, but I’d argue that making your fly look and behave like a real bug is even more crucial.

When I say 'drag-free' or 'dead drift,' I mean your fly should float naturally, like a leaf drifting on the water. Fish have keen eyesight and can spot even the tiniest details. If your fly starts to drag, looking like it's attached to your leader or fly line, that fish is probably going to snub it. But if you can achieve that drag-free drift, your chances of catching a fish skyrocket.

So how do you get that perfect presentation? How do you make your fly drift without any drag? It all comes down to mending and high sticking. Let’s break these down

High Sticking

You’ll use high sticking when you’re fishing at shorter distances, like in pocket water where you can sneak up on fish. There are three keys to successful high sticking:

Keep your rod tip high: This might sound obvious, but it’s crucial. Keeping the rod tip up helps you with the next key point.
Keep as much fly line and leader off the water as possible: When high sticking, only your fly and about 3 to 4 feet of leader should touch the water. Too much line on the water is a common mistake.
Manage your slack line: Tuck your slack line under a finger on the rod grip. This way, you’ll have a tight connection and can set the hook quickly.

High sticking is great for smaller rivers, pocket water, or when you can get close to the fish. But what if you need to fish from further away? That’s where mending comes in.

Mending

Imagine you’re standing in a river (Point A) and casting to a fish near the opposite bank (Point B). The water is moving at different speeds across the river: slow where you’re standing, faster in the middle, and slow again near the fish. If you cast straight across, the current will grab your line, create a belly, and yank your fly downstream—ruining your drift.

To fix this, cast and then mend your fly line upstream. This reduces drag and keeps your fly drifting naturally. Sometimes, you might find yourself in the opposite situation—where the water between you and the fish is slower than where the fish is holding. In this case, you’d need to make a downstream mend.

I know that’s a lot to take in, but let’s make it real by putting these concepts into practice on the water.

Now, picture this: I’m out on the water, geared up and ready to fish. I’ve got a dry-dropper setup with a Chubby and a Bead-headed Pheasant Tail—a simple but effective rig. The water is running a little high, so I know I’m going to need to throw in some mends to get those drifts looking just right.

As I work my way up the run, I’m focused on keeping my fly line above the fly, throwing in a few mends as soon as it hits the water. This keeps the fly drifting naturally, avoiding any drag. A question I get a lot is about how to mend without moving your fly or indicator. If the fly moves a little bit right when you throw your first mend, don’t worry—especially if it’s at the start of the drift. The fly hasn’t had a chance to settle yet, so a tiny bit of movement is okay.

Key Mending Concepts

Let me share a couple of mending concepts that are crucial:

Use the whole rod: Don’t just mend with the tip of your rod—use the entire rod to move the line.
Pick up and move the line: A mend is not a recast; you’re simply picking up the line and moving it to a different place.
End with a flick: After you pick up and move the line, finish with a slight flick of the wrist. This helps shoot the line where you want it to go.

As I continue fishing, I’m managing my slack line, keeping it tucked under the rod grip. This is essential to maintaining a tight connection to the fly, allowing for a quick hook set when a fish strikes. If I notice any drag during a drift, I either mend or lift my line off the water to correct it. I’m going to keep working this run, mending and adjusting as needed. Remember, sometimes those downstream mends are just as important as the upstream ones.

As I wrap up this Article up, I want to emphasize that you don’t need to be an expert right away. The more time you spend on the water, the better you’ll get at these techniques. So get out there, practice your mending and high sticking, below is a great video on this topic go give it a watch 👇