There is nothing more frustrating than going to finish your cast and shoot out your fly line just to find that it is wrapped on something. Adding salt to to the wound in this scenario is if you look down and realize it was you standing on your own line that ruined the cast. A simple solution to this? Fish barefoot! You will then be able to feel whenever you are standing on the line. It will also be much easier to free the fly line mid cast if you start to notice that it is wrapped around your leg. Just add a little extra sunscreen to your feet at the start of the day and then anytime you find yourself up on the bow of the boat, leave the shoes off! Not only will you be able to feel when you are stepping on the fly line, you will also be much quieter when walking around on the boat resulting in less spooked fish. Another advantage of fishing barefoot is that you can use your big toe to help hold the extra line on the bow on those windy days when the conditions make it near impossible to keep all your extra fly line near your feet and not blowing into the water. The fishing barefoot technique has been so effective on flats boats that I also use it now when fishing from a drift boat or raft in the summer for the same reasons. I swear fly line seeks out stuff to get tangled in and if I am barefoot and can feel when I am stepping on the line, it leads to fewer frustrating moments when fishing from a boat.
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