Walter & Group...
This morning's message is the last one before I go on my trip.
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LETTERS
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Troy Miller responds to our letters regarding the chap with the painful shoulder :
Immediately I said to
myself – cast with the other hand! You covered that very well, and
extended it to even fighting the fish with the non-dom hand. Great
advice! As you may recall, I broke my dominant right hand a couple years
ago and was forced to learn to cast left handed. While I was capable, I
won’t say that I became comfortable – especially since I haul all the time.
Hauling with my right hand (and just managing the line in general –
stripping, shooting line, fighting fish) I found to be much more of a challenge
than stroking the rod properly with my left.
Have a great time on vacation!
Regards,
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Troy... Another motivation for me to become more proficient with my "other hand" was an injury to my casting hand which occurred when a metal dolly jack handle slammed onto my hand as I held to top of a boat trailer winch stand. Multiple compount fractures, etc. Fortunately, I keeping with the then proposed task of casting with the non-dominant hand on the MCI exam, I felt that I needed to be proficient in that to be a competent examiner, so I'd already started practicing that way.
Gordy
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TEACHING
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On teaching by Jim Valle:
Gordy
and Group,
In
my opinion, teaching to your audience and having a goal is important. There
is a difference between teaching someone to go fly fishing for the first time,
in an hour and teaching someone to become a fly fisherman. I have been
privileged to learn from and work with Mac Lord and been involved in the LL Bean
Program along with Gary ( Mac wrote the program for LL Bean) and in reference to
Scott’s comments below I wrote the article he is referring to (Spring 07 Loop
“Line Control… Feeling It”) all involve a form of Direct Teaching. I also
routinely use Bill Gammel’s Essentials and Lefty’s Principles. All have
their good points, and none by themselves are the stand alone complete lesson I
strive to give my students.
I
think there is a place for Direct Teaching. I like the idea of presenting
something that is very simple, does not overwhelm the student and gets the point
across in the simplest of terms, kind of comes around the corner to an epiphany
of understanding. I agree it is a discipline not to show what you know but
rather tailor what has to be said to the student’s need. Just as Mac
points out that a “fault demo” can be counter-productive. I try not to discuss
all the possible faults and would prefer to explain and demo faults only as they
are needed.
Too
many words is boring, egotistic and doesn’t teach the student much, so Less is
More… that is not to say the student doesn’t need to know Why! Some require it
more than others. I believe it is good to teach the fundamentals that will allow
the student to understand the cast and progress to the next levels of casting
ability. I do not think that is possible with a total diet of “Do it like this”.
At some point a serious student must ask “Why”.
My
point is that there is a time and place for everything, in my Line Control ..
article I am specifically looking for that very first success, and sometimes it
is just better to say “This is a fly cast … try it! And then go from
there.
Good
example just this weekend,
Grandfather and Grandson (12)(in the same lesson)(yes, due to their age
difference my first thought was to separate them into 2 separate lessons,
but they wanted to do this together), neither had ever fly cast
before, according to the senior student “We don’t know Spit about fly
fishing… but it looks like my grandson would like it”, neither had equipment.
This
was going to be a bit of a challenge… trying to keep it interesting at 2
levels. So I ended up simplifying the program to a common level, limited
my words to what they both could understand, used the “This is
a fly cast an how we cast the line, Try it”, worked in a bit of the “Line
Control” exercise, then hands on for each, working in the fundamentals(including
Essentials) as they needed to know or the circumstance required.
(Including the SLP along a building line when it was absolutely necessary for
them to understand). (Something to be said about teaching a pertinent point at
the exact right time and place.) Answering their individual questions as I
moved from one to the other. Introduced a Lefty game(shooting loops through the
Hoop) which both really enjoyed, (more than I thought they would) I guess
everyone likes a game, no matter what age. Showed them a horizontal
line casting exercise (Joan Wulff) to practice.
In
summary it became a different whispered lesson for each, tailored to their
individual needs. Common tasks and fun games where possible. Two private
lessons at different levels within the same lesson. I certainly enjoyed
the challenge and watching them both enjoy a good tight loop as it shot through
the hoop!
So
“All things in Moderation”, and “A Time and Place for
Everything!”
Hope
that helps,
Jim
V
I read Macauly Lord's
article. Once again, I learned what the terminology is for what I've been
doing! And doing for many years now. Direct Instruction! It's how I teach. I
didn't know there was a BILLION dollars invested on researchiong this
either. How 'BOUT that. I really didn't even know anyone was teaching that way
either, fly casting or whatever. I just know I got tremendous results, so I
stuck with it. And if anything, tried to make it simpler as I went
along.
That's funny. When I do a clinic I often don't even do an
introdution any more. We just get out there, start casting, and I go from
one person to the next. Maybe I sometimes give a VERY short
introduction.
I do explain to people the reason why I do this too.
I go into talking about what I saw Lefty do in a demo. At the end of
some marvelous and entertaining casting he asks for a "volunteer" to come on up
for some quick instruction.
Lefty: "OK, what's your name
"
Instant Student: "Harold"
Lefty: "Alright Harold,
make some casts."
Harold begins casting and it looks like the
action of the classic "windshield wiper" You know "woop - whop, whoop
- whop"
To which Lefty remarks: " Well Harold, It's obvious you
haven't listened to a DAMN thing I've said for the last 45
minutes!"
Says it ALL!
I really am SO
concerned about giving too much information. VERY concious about not
overteaching. Less truely IS more. And being efficient makes it (and
you) SO much more effective.
I teach to the person's style.
Rarely do I change it. I will give them from one to three things to change in
their casting. Usually no more. Most people can't handle more than that, anyway.
I don't want them overthinking. I don't want them over-concentrating. I NEVER
want them to be overwhealmed. I want it to be easy, if it can be. And as easy as
it can be. I want them relaxed and happy. I want them enjoying
themselves.
I try to pick out the smallest changes I can have them
make that will result in the BIGGEST improvements. Sometimes this is only one
change. But it's significant.
Small changes because they're easier
and faster to make than big ones are.
I also very often ask
what they want to learn too. What kind of fishing they're going to
do.
Beginners I teach in the basic Lefty Kreh way. Extension both
ways, accellerate to a stop with a stiff wrist (or a short wrist arc if they
prefer) Pause, and then go back the other way 180 degrees. Keep the hand moving
parallel to the ground, and let the body flow with it if that feels natural.
Simple as that.
I was smiling as I read Macauly's article! I
anticipated disagreeing with it, before I started. The complete opposite
happened.
Happy "Poonie"
Fishing,
Mark
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Scott .... The answer to your question is obvious.
A valid counterpoint !
Gordy
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Gordy,
After reading the comments on DRAG & SLIDE I got to thinking if there would be a greater amount of load on a rod that is NOT laid back in a horizontal position? Wouldn’t we utilize the momentum and energy of the line better if the rod is held in a more vertical position and less horizontal? This topic brings me back a while ago where we were discussing the benefits of “Slide Loading.”
For
me, I can maintain tighter loops and cast further when I DO lay the rod back
more in a horizontal position (Lefty’s “Keeping the elbow on the shelf style”),
I thought it was primarily due to the longer casting
stoke.
I teach at L.L. Bean and find Mac’s comments to be “Right On.” When you have an hour to teach up to 6 students you can’t and don’t have the time to explain in great detail.
......
Speaks to my list of things to consider. In this case, TIME
CONSTRAINTS. G.
Lou