Stripping is how fly anglers retrieve flies that aren't drifting - streamers, wet flies, saltwater patterns. The off-hand pulls line back through the rod hand's index finger; the fly jumps forward, then pauses (or doesn't) before the next pull.
Common cadences:
- Short strip - 4–8 inches at a time. Wounded baitfish, dazed prey.
- Long strip - 12–18 inches. Active baitfish, panicked retreat.
- Strip-strip-pause - two pulls, beat of stillness. Most takes happen on the pause.
- Figure-eight - small twitches near the rod tip. For close-in pickups when a fish has tracked the fly.
The cadence matters as much as the fly profile. Predatory fish key on rhythm.