Task 20 Discussion 5

Walter & Group...

[GH]  Jerry Puckett comments :

Gordy,

 

This past "Best of the West" accuracy casting championship in Salt Lake City was most interesting.  There was a young gentleman casting with non-dominate hand and scored very well.  Reason---he had a severe injury to his casting arm (right) two years prior and was still in the healing process.   He was able to haul somewhat with his limited motion in his right arm.  Kicked my tail!

 

It still amazes me what the human spirit can accomplish when challenged.  I see more advantages to casting with both hands than disadvantages---the advantage for me is the joy of learning and all the benefits that come with the territory.

 

Love this group.  Thanks to everyone for your time and efforts.

 

Jerry Puckett

Gerald L. Puckett

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[GH]  From Roy Sedge :

Gordy:

 

I appreciate your comment about hauling when casting with the non-dominant hand.  Using the non-dominant hand as the ROD hand is far less of a problem than dealing with line control issues using the dominant hand as the line hand.  As you described, learning to haul with the dominant hand gave me much more empathy toward my students learning to haul.  Although I have not taken the MCI exam, your suggestion that  hauling should as  part of the task probably should be considered.

 

Roy Sedge

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[GH]  From Craig Buckbee :

gordy,

i have been casting a fair bit with my other side. go figure, but hauling seems the shortest hurdle. 

Now i feel much more competent, very even, when using hands-on with a south paw student. recently i have found this handy when teaching at the Wulff School, as the instructor uses both hands with Joan's method; one on the student's grip hand and the other on the very end of the rod butt.

An interesting twist to all this, a few years ago in a TH'd group class with Al Buhr each student got to play "two-handed rod for four hands" with Al . he stood in front, faced the student and then simultaneously put the rod through a few sequences of rotary like, momentum changing moves. it was eye opening. 

Some general advice: as with our students when they get stuck, move on, try something else. try doing mends for example, something that needs rod control but isn't the cast itself.  watch your grip. make sure the hand contracts and relaxes as the stroke requires. try other stances. place the casting foot forward to help act as a body block which sometimes enables a better, crisp back cast stop.

Ally brings up exactly what i have been doing for the past year or so: use other side for other non casting tasks. try brushing your teeth with your other hand !

Lastly, 2 issues i have when casting other handed:

- dominant eye does not like it... resolved by tilting rod tip over as if in an accuracy competition, reminiscent of Floyd Franke's style with a strong elbow drop as my initial move. though, when i lawn cast for distance ( .... ha !) i switch over to my tilted out default mode.

- when fishing, oh boy... as soon as i need to do a task that is not casting itself, say tie on a fly, that screws with my competency mojo. i have sworn to fish days solely with my other side but that has yet to come to fruition.

sincerely,

buckbee craig

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[GH]  Next message :   Should we suggest that the MCI Testing Committee take a second look at Task 20 from a standpoint of revising or eliminating it ?

Gordy