The STOP / Spey question / Casting Emergency Room

Hi Gordy,
Under Bill Keister's observations in number 2 it reminds me of what I have told some of my more advanced students,"Now here is the paradox-I want you to stop more aburptly but with less force". A hard concept for some to grasp but your method of having the student exaggerate the force and then applying less without changing the abruptness of the stop seems to work.

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The fly rod will unload whether the caster stops or not. It will even do that if you let go of it. It will also unload to the same degree. With the STOP some important things happen, however, to control the loop. One is that the stop can form a sort of platform for the rod to assist in positioning the rod tip at RSP as the loop starts to form. A crisp stop also changes the timing of the unloading rod from that achieved with a stop which is too "wimpy" or too forceful.

As we "stop" the rod, a lot of things happen. It is sometimes called "rapid deceleration" or negative acceleration. This entails the release of the muscles used for forward movement and rotation of the wrist and hand and rapid activation of the antagonist muscles ... those which apply force in the opposite direction. This is followed by tightening of both agonist and antagonist muscles to minimize rod movement.

The expert caster also becomes an expert at forming this stop. This requires a complex kinaesthetic balance of muscular performance. Right in line with your message !

This stop is easier to control when we have less mass with which to contend. More difficult with heavy rods. A great deal easier when casting the same rod with the reel removed. This reel mass has momentum the inertia of which must be countered as the moving rod/reel is brought to a stop. In practice, then, it may be best to use a light reel when in casting competition or even when doing casting demonstrations for long periods of time. Of course, when actually fishing the mass of the reel/backing/line will be dictated by the fishing circumstances and the fish.

As I pointed out, yesterday, too abrupt a stop (beyond what a human caster can achieve) will ruin the cast due to unwanted and uncontrolled vibration.

Several years ago at one of the Conclaves, Floyd Dean demonstrated that. He had a fixed metal bar in front of him. As he cast, he had the rod butt section strike that bar for a solid STOP. Distance was poor and the layout a mess.

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Gordy,

I have a 10?6? switch rod, I use shooting heads, of two different lengths (longest is 28?) and weights. I limit my casts to the underhand cast, and the forward spey. Is it possible to use a short belly spey line with this rod length so I can use more casting options and not have to strip my line as often on the retrieve? Plus I find using my longer spey rod with the longer belly line to be more enjoyable to cast!

I thought about asking the rod manufacturer but thought it might be a good question for the group.

Thanks,

Lou

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Lou,

I'll leave that answer to those in the Group who are "dyed in the wool" Spey fishers. G.

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CASTING EMERGENCY ROOM

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As many of you know, this is a concept developed by Jim Valle several years ago. The idea is to have volunteer instructors working with a lead instructor available for instruction during certain designated hours at conclaves.

Turned out to be a super popular event ! Casters of all skill levels coming to the "emergency room" like patients to a clinic to have their casting critiqued and improved. Some came because of a single fault that they didn't know how to correct. Great opportunity between "ER visits" to have CCI's and MCCI's have fun critiquing one another as well.

The volunteer instructors at the conclaves had a great time doing this. Included were CCI's and MCI's as will as some from the CBOG.

The name has changed to "CASTING RENDEVOUS" for the past 2 years when the event was held at the International Conclaves.

The message, below, from Bob Tabbert is to invite Jim Bass and his Al Crise Study Group members to attend.

This one invites any of you to participate.

(Bob's attachment on roll casting instruction didn't come through to me.)

Gordy

Hi Jim,

please extend an invitation to all of your casters who are at the GCC EXPO to grab their favorite rod and come on out Sat AM starting at 10:00 AM on the casting lawn and join me in the joy of casting. I will have a hula hoop set up for loops, some rings for accuracy practice and a tape for those who want to go long, also will have some 'lines' stretched out for teaching loops.

. If anyone shows up for help on their casting we can jump in and help, if not we can cast away, learn from each other and enjoy the company. I am not aware of any planned, formal FFF Continued Education Casting Program? We can use the ERCC as an opportunity to cast, teach and learn, thanks for your help, hope to see and meet you out there, Bob (Attached is a rather ambitious study plan for teaching roll casting).

Bob
Robert L. Tabbert CCI
Conservation, Fly Fishing, Exploration
Winter: 211 Ursuline St, Lafayette, LA 70506
Summer: N14925,W Turner Lk Rd
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538