Task 20 Discussion 3

Walter & Group....

[GH]  Other points of view emerge.  This From Jim Penrod :

Hi Gordy,

   Like you I found hauling to be the most difficult part of using the non-dominant hand to cast. I had to go back to the basics. I started with doing a back cast to a laydown using a haul. Prior to that I had spent some time in front of a mirror pantomiming the haul. After I got the haul down I added shooting some line. Then I went to a forward cast to a laydown with a haul (I think it is easier to haul on the back cast since the hands pull in opposite directions and that was my reasoning for perfecting the haul on the back cast first). After that I put them together horizontally and then started playing with hauling in different planes. I am sure there are other approaches but this worked for me. 

  As far as using the non-dominant hand in two handed I actually found it easier as I tended to overpower with my right hand opening my loops. Switch casts seem to take less effort and seem smoother with my non-dominant hand. Anyone else had this experience?

  I agree with you in that I think a Master should be able to haul when using the non-dominant hand and it should be part of the exam.

Jim

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[GH] From Ally Gowans :

For many it is not easy to learn “with the other hand” once habit is established with the “good hand”. I encourage all beginners to cast with either hand and it never ceases to amaze me and them how they conquer both sides and indeed often perform much better than they expected with the “wrong hand”. From an ergonomic point of view if you don’t learn to cast with both hands you will be at some disadvantage 50% of your fishing time. As a teacher and demonstrator being able to show the same casts from both sides lets students see exactly what I’m doing from different points of view. Is that helpful? I think so and students and audiences appear to appreciate that. Finally when two handed casting it is essential for efficiency to be able to switch hands if you are going to fish and teach properly.

 

The ability to use either hand has my vote every time, I don’t believe the “hard wired theory” because we learn to lots of complicated jobs with the “other hand” and my advice to everyone is to look at all the tasks they do and start training to switch hands for them all. Washing the car is good practice; no more cross body wiping and the computer mouse is another! It might feel strange to start with but you will be amazed how coordination develops and with it your confidence and lots of jobs about the house become that much easier.

Best regards,

Ally Gowans

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[GH]  From Jerry Puckett :

Gordy,

 

The first student I taught to fly was ambidextrous, able with either hand, a switch hitter on the University of Georgia baseball team.  He was the first person I witnessed casting a fly rod, again equally well with either hand.  Pure joy to watch.

 

You referred to Jason. I learned from him and his pantomiming with both hands, both sides of the brain involved in the learning process.  I have an exercise I use in teaching the double haul called the double haul dance which requires the use of left hand capability with a right handed person and vice verses. 

 

There are not only teaching advantages to non-dominant hand casting.  I find that as I get older (70) I am looking for ways to distribute work load.  Using both hands with several different grips over a day of fishing makes life easier, especially when rowing a drift boat is required.   Call it injury prevention I think.

 

I do think it reasonable to require left hand double hauling on the Master's test.  Tom White was a joy to watch cast left handed.  

 

I am using the non-dominant hand in normal every day tasks, such as tying shoe laces, shaving, etc.  Reminds me of the difficulties one new to casting and keeps me patient.  I start practice each day with non-dominant hand casting.  Some days I practice right handed and the next left handed, alternating for rest and recovery purposes.

 

Thanks for the excellent effort, Sir Gordy.

 

Jerry Puckett

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[GH]  Rick Brown writes from personal experience :

Gordy, what I have to share does not relate directly to casting but it may be helpful to those trying to use their non-dominant hand.

 

When I was in college, I was involved in an accident (motorcycle)  that prevented me from using my right/dominant hand for a year. I was forced to learn  how to deal with only one hand but my left one to boot. I had a great deal of difficulty at first; learning how to write left handed was the hardest. But there definitely  was a knowledge ''hump'' and once I got past that barrier things fell into place.

 

Maybe other people who do not find the conversion easy just need to spend a little more time with their non-dominant hand. Necessity made me do it and the practice couldn't hurt anyone anyway.

 

Rick

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[GH]  Kirk Eberhard discusses casting with the opposite hand.  He relates this to the choice between casting "cackhanded" and switching top/bottom hands for two handed casting :

Hi Gordy,

    Experienced casters may compensate for awkwardness by applying excess power/force when learning to cast with the opposite hand. Use less muscle, focus on technique.

Groove a decent cast with the opposite hand before adding hauls. Using small, compact hauls shortens the learning curve.

 

The FFF two hand exam does not require casting with the opposite hand up (off-shoulder or cack handed casts may be substituted)

However, most if not all THCI exam candidates are proficient with either dominate or non-dominate hands on the upper cork.

 

 

Kirk  

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[GH]  Kirk,

I'll never be a two handed casting expert, simply because I don't do it often enough.

My TH instructors started me off from the beginning to switch top hands rather than casting "cackhanded".  Simon Gawesworth covers both methods in his teachings. He states that he took a full year to become proficient with his "other" hand. *

I am distinctly right handed, but I now find it awkward to make two handed casts without switching top hands.

*   SPEY CASTING , by Simon Gawesworth, 2004,  Chapter 17, Left Hand or Right Hand, p. 225.

Gordy

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 [GH]  Next message :  More on counterpoint.