🎯 Freshwater to Saltwater: 5 Casting Adjustments Every Angler Needs🌊

We have created this blog for our freshwater fly casters who want to come fishing with us for their first experience in saltwater. While both techniques involve casting a line to catch fish, the environments, equipment, and techniques differ significantly. Understanding these differences helps anglers improve their skills and enjoy more successful saltwater fishing trips.

Captain Mike casting to a school of Permit

🌊 By Captain Mike Millam & Keith Keenan – Flyfishing Uno Mas, Cozumel, Mexico

If you’ve spent years casting for trout in mountain streams, stepping onto a saltwater flat can feel like entering a new world. The wind is stronger, the fish are faster, and you have only seconds to make your shot. But the good news? You already have the foundation — you just need to make a few key adjustments.

Here are the five biggest changes every freshwater fly fisher needs to master when transitioning to saltwater casting:

1️⃣ Adjust Your Power – The Wind is Your New Training Partner

In freshwater, we often cast with finesse — light rods, short strokes, gentle loops. In saltwater, the game changes. You’ll need more power and tighter loops to drive your line through the wind.

Try this: Lengthen your stroke slightly, use a firm wrist, and accelerate smoothly to a crisp stop. Practice in 15–20 mph wind until it feels natural. Remember: wind isn’t the enemy — it’s part of the challenge.

2️⃣ Focus on Speed and Accuracy – You Don’t Get a Second Chance

• In trout fishing, you can take time to false cast and line up your shot. On the flats, your window is seconds long. Bonefish, tarpon, and permit are constantly moving — and the key is to shoot your line fast and true.

  Try this drill: Lay out 40 feet of line, pick it up, and deliver it in one back cast. Accuracy within two feet can make the difference between a hookup and a missed shot.

3️⃣ Master the Double Haul – Your Secret Weapon in the Wind

• If there’s one skill that separates freshwater and saltwater casters, it’s the double haul. It gives your line more speed, more control, and more distance — all with less effort.

  Tip: Focus on timing. Pull down on the line hand during both the back cast and the forward cast, keeping tension throughout. The key is smooth acceleration, not brute strength.

4️⃣ Manage Your Line – Keep It Ready, Keep It Clean

Unlike a riverbank, a flats skiff doesn’t forgive tangled line. You’ll often be standing barefoot, stripping line onto the deck. Saltwater line is thicker and stiffer — and sand or salt can cause major friction.

Pro Tip: Always strip your line into a clean zone, use a stripping basket if on foot, and rinse your line with fresh water after each trip. Keep at least 40–50 feet ready to shoot at all times.

5️⃣ Learn to Read the Flats – Fish Move Differently Here

In freshwater, current and structure dictate where fish hold. In saltwater, light, tide, and movement rule everything. Bonefish tail in skinny water when the sun is high; tarpon roll near deeper mangrove edges at dawn or dusk.

Keith’s Advice: Slow down. Take a few minutes to watch before you cast. Look for nervous water, shadows, or tailing fish. Reading the water is half the fun — and half the success.

🪶 Final Thoughts

Saltwater fly fishing isn’t harder than freshwater — it’s just different. It rewards awareness, timing, and calm under pressure. Once you feel your first bonefish run or watch a tarpon leap in the air, you’ll be hooked for life.

We’ll be sharing more drills and video tutorials soon — follow along in our Saltwater Fly Casting Mastery blog series or join us on the water here in Cozumel.