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Walter & Group...
[GH] From Bob Stouffer :
Greetings
If our task is to become "teachers of teachers", the point for me in Task 20 is to understand the ability of the non-dominant hand to perform new tasks and how to encourage others to teach to that hand when the dominant hand will not behave.
The dominant hand is the seat of the ego. Teaching to the less-used side, leading the dominant hand in pantomime, casting with two rods with the non-dominant hand leading and similar exercises is not threatening to the dominant. It can be tricked into playing along with the non-dominant.
Bob Stouffer
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[GH] Bob,
Agree.
Lefty Kreh and others have pointed out that a good reason for instructors to be able to cast with either hand is to be more efficient when teaching students who have a dominant side opposite that of their instructor. *
I see other advantages of learning to cast with the non- dominant hand, especially if the caster or instructor is not in the least bit ambidextrous. Taking the time and effort to do this, puts the instructor "in the shoes" of a student. This leads to empathy not otherwise easily acquired. It's humbling.
For short/medium distance with a spanking wind from the rod hand side or with bushes close to the primary hand, it is helpful to be able to cast with the "other" hand as an alternative method when fishing.
Years ago, my Dad (Pop Hill) had a stroke which left him with a left hemiplegia including a paralyzed left arm and hand. He was a right handed dominant caster, so he could still cast. Problem was that as a salt water fly fisherman, he couldn't use the left hand to make hauls. This forced him to sharpen his right handed skills and to use alternative methods of handling the line. He "locked" his rod under his left arm and retrieved with the right hand. (He, also, learned to tie flies with one hand !)
Fishing with my good friend, Tom El Ramy one day back in the seventies, I noted that he was teaching himself to cast with his "other hand". I asked him why. His reply; "Well, if I ever lose the use of my right arm, I'll still be able to fish."
Another way of teaching ones self to cast with the "other" hand is by making casts alternatively with each hand... one with the right, then one with the left, etc.
This can be "morphed" into a rather extreme method which Jason Borger called, "switch-hand casting". With this technique, the caster makes the back cast with one hand, then quickly switches to the opposite hand to make the forward cast and vice-versa. He advises pantomiming the exercise before trying it with the fly rod. The "change of hands" is done overhead.
I had a lot of trouble doing that at first. Jason's comment in caption to his drawings, "Repeat cycle until thoroughly confused and weeping" says a lot ! **
There are varying degrees of "handedness" or side dominance. For some, learning to make the switch is extremely difficult. Years ago, it was not uncommon for families to "re-train" their left handed children to use the right hand for table utensils and other activities such as writing. This taught us that the earlier in life these changes are made, the quicker the adaptation. With this in mind, I suppose that it may well apply to fly casting as well. ***
When learning to switch hands when Spey casting, some students become adept at casting with the non-dominant hand on top more quickly than others. I sometimes wonder if being less adroit with the "other hand" may be one of the reasons for the "top handedness" fault. (Excessive use of the upper hand along with inefficient use of the lower hand.) Al Buhr attributes this as failure to develop the use of the lower hand as the caster tries to break the "single-handed casting influences". ****
The most difficult thing for me was learning to haul with my dominant hand while casting with the rod in the other hand. Since Task 20 is one of the "no hauling" tasks, it isn't required for the test.
This makes me wonder, however, if hauling should not only be allowed, but required. This in consideration of the fact that all Masters will be teaching students to haul regardless of the "handedness" of both student and instructor.
* Casting with Lefty Kreh, by Lefty Kreh, 2008, p 439. (TEACHING TIPS).
** Jason Borger's NATURE OF FLY CASTING, by Jason Borger, 2001, p. 262. , ?Figure 15-18.
*** CASTING ANGLES, by Mac Brown, 1997, p. 63.
**** Two-Handed Fly Casting Spey Casting Techniques, by Al Buhr, 2006, p.74 (Table of Faults & Corrections).
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