Wind Drift Style
Drift crosswind with Boat Control
Loch-style setups and boat configurations differ from Northampton-style setups and configurations. They utilize a drogue or anchor the boat to allow it to drift in the desired direction for adequate water coverage. Northampton-style fishing focuses on controlling and slowing the boat's drift in line with the wind to maximize fishing opportunities when one or two anglers are aboard. In this fashion, unlike the loch-style drifting crosswind, the anglers can fish out of both sides of the boat as they drift to cover a larger swath of water. Various fly-fishing methods and line tactics can be used to achieve this, including using a drogue or an anchor and different anchor points on the boat to attain different drift speeds and drift angles.
The most effective way to slow down the boat is to use a drogue. While this may sound similar to Loch-style fishing, where a drogue is employed, the distinction lies in the techniques and the various ways drogues are used. As illustrated in the diagram below (Loch Style setup) and the following pages, the drogue can be secured to multiple points on the boat. Each attachment point results in a different drift rate and boat angle of movement through the water, which can be achieved using an adjustable looped-style setup to the drogue tethers. This adjustment ability lengthens or shortens the opposing tethers to change boat drift, drift speed, and drift angle, and, in all cases, stabilizes the boat.
Northampton Advantage
Drift in line with the wind and boat control.
Exploring the application of ancient and modern mariners' technology to lake fishing for trout yields excellent success. Northampton-style boat fishing began in 1968 and developed over the next decade. Dick Shrive and Bob Church (the Lefty Kreh of England) - may have been the most creative Stillwater boat fly fisherman there has ever been and certainly far and away the most cunning and ahead of their time!
The style originated from trolling, which implemented sailing tactics.
Initially, the technique involved placing a seat board in the water at the bow of the boat and securing it to the thwart board with a G clamp. This setup allowed the boat to efficiently track across the wind at approximately a 45-degree angle, similar to a keel board on a yacht. Both types of craft use side keels, known as leeboards, to improve control and extend the distance between tacks. Northampton-style setups are effective methods for propelling and controlling unpowered craft in directions other than straight downwind. By combining the knowledge and practice of Northampton and Loch-style techniques, anglers gain a significant advantage in catching fish. This combination allows them to quietly and efficiently cover larger areas of water where trout are likely to be found.
The first illustration of the drogue attachment shows that attaching it from the starboard side (Figures 1 and 1a) results in the fastest movement, as the boat's largest surface area is exposed to the wind. Attaching the drogue at the stern (Figure 2) slows the boat down because there is less surface area for the wind to push against, and attaching it from the bow (Figure 3) slows it down even more. Some people prefer to attach the drogue from the aft quarter (Figure 4), as shown in the final drift illustration, because this position offers the best and widest casting angle.
The best advice for fishing in Loch Style or Northampton Style is to stay in your designated casting lane. You can cover much more water quickly and effectively when fishing as a pair. Suppose one angler hooks a fish and is netting it. In that case, the other angler can keep fishing, even covering the opposite casting lane while their partner is occupied.
Be cautious about backcasting simultaneously, as this will likely result in tangled lines. If both anglers are casting, I recommend that one angler lower their cast to the surface during the backcast (upwind side) and wait until the other angler has completed their forward cast and is actively fishing again. Drift-fishing techniques and setups require some wind to work effectively, which enhances your skills as a fly caster. By using a weather app daily for the waters you fish, you can access a wind condition scale for the day. This valuable information is based on the Beaufort Scale system, which helps you understand how to adapt to wind conditions. Familiarize yourself with the terminology in the chart. For instance, my Irish friends often refer to lake conditions using terms like "Irish wave" and mention when the wind is a "Fresh Breeze." This terminology describes wind levels and wave conditions.
Utilizing a Northampton style from a boat offers several advantages. For instance, two right-handed or two left-handed anglers can fish together efficiently, allowing for more water coverage. Anglers also have the option to fish much deeper while drifting if desired. The presentation is particularly appealing as you start casting across the wind, allowing the fly to swing "round the corner" as both the boat and the angler pull on the line. In the past, the gear consisted of strong rods, typically #8 to #10weight, about 10 feet long, often made from glass (before the use of carbon), usually built from course fishing blanks adapted for fly fishing. The lines ranged from floating shooting heads to lead-core lines cut into lengths to form shooting heads. Initially, reels were coarse fishing center pins. Over time, the equipment improved with the introduction of carbon rods, and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic reels were introduced. The shooting lines began with monofilament ranging from 30 to 60 pounds, eventually transitioning to flattened "tapeworm" monofilament and various types of braid. There were numerous methods for controlling the boat, including the use of large anchors, drag chains, and otter boards (Lee Boards) mounted on the boats. This makes for a fascinating subject, as anglers developed exceptional boat-handling skills. Many practitioners were not only competent anglers but also thoughtful in their approach, leading to envy among others. Unfortunately, where there is jealousy, there can be acrimony, resulting in the banning of side-casting or clamp-on rudders, among other regulations. Once again, fear and the creation of rules to limit or handicap anglers eventually saw the knowledge of Northampton-style boat control sink into Davy Jones' locker.
The big difference!
This means two fishermen on a drifting boat, each casting from an opposing end—one angler casting to port, the other to starboard. The boat is managed, so it is in line with the wind direction, NOT lying across the wind as in loch-style fishing. To manage the boat, a drogue (a big one, 1.5 m by 1.5 m or larger) would be used to slow it down. To keep the boat on course, a large auxiliary rudder (lee board or wind rudder) would be clamped in position either on the boat's standard rudder or separately on the transom. Today, the Lee Board and wind rudder are replaced with an electric trolling motor with forward and reverse control management of the drift angle and crabbing direction. The fly lines today would be weight forward density compensated sinking lines(Di3-7) including the Booby Basher lines (Di8/9) to get distance and maximum controlled depth with minimum fuss.
The best advice for fishing in Loch Style or Hampton Style is to stay in your designated casting lane. When fishing as a pair, you can cover much more water quickly and effectively as you drift downwind or when anchored using the anchored Northampton Style. If one angler hooks a fish and is netting it, the other person can keep fishing, even covering the opposite casting lane while their partner is occupied.
Be cautious about backcasting simultaneously, as this will likely result in tangled lines. If both anglers are casting, I recommend that one angler lower their cast to the surface during the backcast and wait until the other angler has completed their forward cast and is actively fishing again. To avoid tangles, let the other angler know you are casting by loudly saying "CASTING". Let them be forewarned.
Drifting over a more extensive water area will find more active fish. This method exposes your flies to many fish without requiring the fish to search for your fishing presentation or location. The fish will also not notice your presence and move out from your casting reach as they do when static anchored. Whether to anchor or drift depends on the wind and wave conditions and your fishing goals and at times size of structure. With drogues I prefer and find a two tether system much easier to work and deploy than a single tether system. They are much more adaptable with either a drifting style and quicker to set up in most cases.
Drift when:
- When you have no idea which area of a lake the fish are most active, or when you're exploring a new lake, it can be difficult. Start by drifting on new lakes' windswept shorelines.
- If you drift onto a hot area to fish over, say some form of structure, wind lane, shoal, inside corner, outside corner, weed line, etc, you can cover more of the area by drifting and repeating multiple drifts on the area. Drifting also allows more boats to fish the area than would be possible if everyone tried to anchor at a single location (a pile of rocks is a good example, or a depression).
- Hogging water is rude and not welcoming to fellow anglers, so share the water.
- Working along a shoreline - wind/current permitting, where a longshore current is present. Tacking down a shoreline several times allows you to fish for fresh fish constantly as they move in and out down its length.
Your target species often has less to do with the decision to anchor vs. drift than the location, wind conditions, and what you feel like doing. There are times when people drift for trout and times when they anchor. The same goes for most other species.
Anchor when:
- You might anchor to fish when you want to stay in one place, such as fishing over a small structure.
- When it is dangerous to drift due to very high winds.
- If you are bottom fishing with a static setup, that must stay on or near the bottom.
- If your casting ability and accuracy need work, and you cannot effectively cast 30-70 feet.
Drift-fishing techniques and setups require some wind to work effectively, which enhances your skills as a fly angler. By using a weather app daily for the waters you fish, you can access a wind condition scale for the day. This valuable information is based on the Beaufort Scale, which helps you understand how to adapt to wind conditions. Familiarize yourself with the terminology in the chart. For instance, my Irish friends often refer to lake conditions using terms like "Irish wave" and mention when the wind is a "Fresh Breeze." This is valuable information for your fishing log. With anglers using the same terminology it also put us all on the same page. I seldom fish anything over a scale 7 wind. Scale 1 to 7 are best approached with either drift tactic. My disclaimer is that you should only fish in weather that you feel safe in and to always wear a PFD. Stay happy fish safely!