Flycasting physics

Walter & Group....

[GH] Server Sadik and I have agreed to present his latest work on the physics behind much of the phenomena which occur as we cast.

We do this realizing that not all if even many fly casting instructors are interested in getting deep into the details. Few fly casting instructors have a background in physics.

We realize that some of the information presented in Server's document will appear to fly in the face of conventional flycasting wisdom and teachings.

Most of us use statements, word pictures, actions and concepts which serve us well as they get into the minds and actions of our fly casting students to improve their casting ability. We do this knowing full well that they are often not in full accord with scientific principles despite the fact that they work.

One example is our teaching students to make a "hard stop". Almost all of use that concept, because it works. This despite the evidence that no caster can make a true complete stop as defined as instant total cessation of movement. Further, that in the event of a full stop made by having the butt section of the rod strike an immovable object, the rod vibrates causing a ruined cast with erratic layout. From a purely scientific point of view, what then are we really doing as we "stop" ?

For those who seek to inquire more deeply into the science behind fly casting, I offer his paper as a PDF attachment.

Server tells me he will be at the Conclave at W. Yellowstone. He invites any and all to seek him out to discuss his theories, findings and conclusions.

Lastly, we have given some thought to hosting a future workshop on flycasting physics to include informed instructors with similar as well as opposing views.

Please bear with me as I request that we withhold Group discussion of this paper until after the Conclave.

Gordy

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[GH] Craig Buckbee offers an admittedly non-scientific teaching message which might well be considered the antithesis of Server's paper. It is, nonetheless, in plain language which makes good sense to me and would probably be well understood by his students :-

gordy,

as to the line following the tip, the "aerial pencil"...

to beginners i teach that the line follows the tip. works great, no problems.

BUT

if i have an advanced caster, a caster that wants more, i explain that the line following the tip is a lil' white teaching lie, that in fact the line goes where the momentum of the cast sends it. Al Buhr taught me this. it was one of those "ah ha" moments. it made sense to me, it hit home. now, especially when casting distance i do not only think of the tip, now i include putting my mind's eye (thanks to JimV for that term) below the tip where i feel the momentum is born. depending on the rod and distance desired it may be about 2 -3 feet below the tip, maybe deeper.

i am NOT a scientist .... so, explaining it to myself, where the momentum is, is "where the peak bend of the rod is when i release the it"

(... where the bend is when i stop.... where the bend is when i release my grip on the cork)

crazy? make sense at all?

craig