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  • Congratulations ! / History / Casting heavily weighted flies, more



    Walter & Group...

    Congratulations to Gary Kell of our Group for passing his MCCI exam.   This from him:

    Gordy,
      
    Thought you and the study group should know I passed my Masters Exam a week ago Monday night in Midland, MI.  I was able to catch Bruce Richards, before he left for Montana, and John Van Dalen to administer the test.  It was a great experience.  Bruce and John commended me on being prepared --- and that is a testament to the influence you and the study group had on getting me ready-- I can't thank you enough.  Gordy ... you have the gift of boiling complex issues into simple terms and keeping the big picture in mind as well as a good dash of common sense ... Thanks again.    
     
    Of course the making of a master is the accumulation of many experiences, self study and the people you meet - gleaning the best of everyone and then making it your own by putting it into practice ... lots of practice!! 
     
    Key influences in my journey were folks like Macauley Lord and the great moments I spent teaching for LLBean.  Mac is the consummate teacher.  Jim Valle, my mentor - always encouraging, always positive, great insights, with plenty of good critiques and quizzing - couldn't have done it without you!!  Others include all my fellow instructors at LLBean, Phil Gay, Floyd Franke, Jeff Barefoot, and Dave Rothrock - all contributed to my success. I'm sure I've missed some but to all again I say THANKS!!
     
    Last but not least would be the over 1,000 students I've taught over the last 5 years.  I've learned from each and everyone how to be a better teacher and coach.  Thanks!!
     
     
    Gary Kell
     
    MCI
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                                                                             History
     
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    From Ally Gowans :

    Hi Gordy, 

    A couple more things on grease which I should have added to my last message but perhaps you can edit accordingly.

     

    Quote from below ?Wood changed a century of tradition by using ordinary oil-dressed double-taper line, dressed with Hardy's "Cerolene" gease, imported from India?. Wood was involved with Hardy?s later (rods bearing his name were made between 1926 and 1952 but Wood died in 1934) and certainly used and recommended Cerolene but the quote above is incorrect. The Hardy?s Cerolene that he recommended (especially for use in hot weather) was the special quality version that was exported to India because he said it had extra body and lasts much longer than the type made for home use. Another little gem is that part worn lines were preferred to new lines because the slightly roughened surface held more grease and they floated longer. Anthony Crossley (a friend of Wood and author of ?The floating line for salmon?) suggested that a form of prepared deer fat is best (as suggested by Carl) but then recommended another line grease called Sahara from Messers Bernard, King?s Road Chelsea. Around the same time Muclin was also used and indeed it is still available and in use today.

     

    Re Woods paraphernalia being on display, I hope that Carl is correct but I have no knowledge of anything being in Banchory Museum and the remnants of his kit at Cairnton House (which Wood rented) have been very much depleted over the years.

     

    Wood is reputed to have greased his lines with lanolin and they were treated 2 or three times a day. I have photographs of the pulleys, winders and arrangements built into the fishing room at Cairnton for the drying and treatment of several rods/lines at a time and this work would be done by the ghillies in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening whilst the guests enjoyed other pastimes. Perhaps his most amazing piece of gear was the hydraulic remote water height gauge which accurately relayed the water height to his study in the house at Cairnton which stands several hundred yards from the river. If enough people are interested maybe next time I come over I will bring the presentation about Wood and Cairnton.

     

     Isn?t it amazing what we get to talk about? Gordy?s Fly Fishing University!

     

    Best wishes,

    Ally Gowans

     

     See my web sites http://www.letsflyfish.com and http://www.flyfish-scotland.com

    2010 Spey Casting and Salmon Fishing Schools at The Kenmore Hotel March 19/21, April 16/18 and June 11/13. Trout fly fishing and fly casting school "Tackling Trout" at The Kenmore Hotel May 21/22/23, 2010. See my web sites for more details of schools.

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    Ally...  I prefer to think of it not as Gordy's, but OUR fly fishing University.  We learn from one another !   I guess anyone who has activily participated in the eight years we've been doing this, should be awarded a Cyber Fly PhD !

    Gordy

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                                                  More on Casting Heavily Weighted Flies

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    From Gary Davison:

    Gordy, 
     
    Like Rene, a little late on this one. Slowing down is also great advice.
     
     
    I like the recent topics Thanks.  It is great to review our past steps, so we can really appreciate the present day.  The preparations taken by the early anglers to condition these early Fly Lines in order to obtain the desired presentation, shows great dedication and love for the sport. 
     
    For Heavy Flies.  
     
    For the Vertical, I have been using the figure 8 technique that helps with most wind resistant, heavy or weighted fly's.  As we all know any given technique all depends on the conditions that one is encountering on any given fishing day.  But for the most part an average distance and conditions, I like to cast the fly high on the back cast with continuous tension and let gravity do its work, then time the next sequence of the cast according.  Sending it high on the forward cast and let gravity set in again.  Working the line out to a reasonable length using this method after the strip in is my preferred, then shot to the target.  As you suggested aiming a little high or to a point a little beyond my target due to the gravity of the cast.  You have to have a lot of room to do this casting. With open terrain. 
     
    On the horizontal, I go wider.  Similar to a Belgium tension cast working the line out wide away from my position.  As the back cast moves back behind me to a point where the fly and leader begins it's final swing around I begin the similar style forward cast keeping tension.  Once I have worked out enough line I shooting to the target. Maintaining proper continuous tension and speed during the cast is critical.
     
    Good roll cast for a smooth pick up is important.  Also as Rene stated keep it slow and do not rush things (timing is important), and maintain proper power and stroke based on the amount of line out the tip top. Keeping is a smooth helps a lot.
     
    Using mother nature to help with these casts is always fun.  Sometimes even using Seagull's ;o).  Never under estimate the power of Nature!
     
    Gordy, from what Mark touched on the balance of the fly will sometime allow you to tighten up the loops.
    Mark stated the following:
     
    "I call this a "weight balanced" fly. When you do this with any fly it casts well."

     
    Maybe some of the great Fly Tying artists out there can give us their general rule of thumb for a weight balanced fly.
     
    Also can you address the causes of loop legs that get out of parallel, and the affects of this on the cast.  
     
    The essence of continuous learning is the ability to learn to learn.
    
    All the best
     
    Gary Davison
    Gulf Coast Spey
     
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    Gary...  Perhaps Mark Sedotti can teach us the principles of making wt. balanced flies.  I admit, this is beyond my expertise.
     
    On loop legs which get out of parallel:   
     
    The way I see it is that anything which causes the fly rod tip to depart from its almost straight line path in any or multiple planes can yield this.   That would inlude a curved rod tip path,  a convex or concave tip path, an erratic tip path in any or multiple planes, and mal-tracking.
     
    Gordy
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    From Bob Rumph :
     
    Hi Gordy & Group,
     
    I cannot seem to find anything, either on the web or in my extensive casting library, regarding the actual "false casting" of heavily weighted flies. The only mention of this I have come across is in Lefty's "Presenting the Fly" where he advises never to false cast this kind of rig, and instead to just make a cast away from your target, allow it to land on the surface, and repeat the original cast (as per water haul) if you want to increase distance. I personally would think if we are indeed talking "heavily weighted" flies, that Lefty would be right on the money with advising to avoid false casting altogether, due to the energy required to keep the heavy fly in the air for a back cast. Then we also have to remember, that these explain and demonstrate portions are supposed to be aimed at student level, not at accomplished expert casters.
     
    Since explaining about false casting heavily weighted flies is part and parcel of the explain and demonstrate portion of the MCI exam, I consider it very important to find out what I am apparently missing. Can any of you salties out there give a mountain trout fisherman an assist with this one. 
     
    Thank you,
     
    Bob Rumpf
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    Bob...      Lefty is correct.  The "short answer", is:   Don't false cast unless you have to.  When you do, keep the number of false casts to a minimum.
     
    However, that is not to say it connot be done.  OK for advanced casters who can develop the pin-point timing to make it work combined with the maneuvers we have already talked about such as opening up the loops in a controlled fashion, changing rod planes, balancing our heavy large flies, etc., etc.
     
    I daresay that some of this if not all can be found somewhere in the fly casting books.  Perhaps not.
     
    Many things are still matters of personal discovery, casting and the sharing of casting, fishing and teaching experiences.   This may be one of them.
     
    Most of the questions and explain and demonstrate tasks on the Masters exam should be answered as though we are teaching a student.   Once having done that, if the examiners want more, the candidate can expand as though teaching an advanced student or as we would teach each other.  This is a way for the examiners to explore the depth of a candidate's knowlege and teaching expertise.
     
    Gordy
     
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