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[GH] Let me jumpstart the discussion by looking at my working definition of "Reasonably parallel loop legs" :
"Loop legs which are in approximately 180 degrees of alignment with one another in all planes."
This is a reasonable expectation for most accomplished fly casters for casts of short or moderate distance as used in executing the demonstrations for Task 18.
That would make a definition for parallel loop legs :
"Loop legs which are in 180 degrees of alignment with one another in all planes "
Rarely accomplished even by expert casters, because it presumes dynamic geometric perfection.
For this reason, I'd like to see the MCI Testing committee to consider replacing the words, "loops with parallel legs" with either, "loops with reasonably parallel legs" or "loops with approximately parallel legs".
When hosting a Masters exam, I prefer to have one examiner stand to the side of the caster while a second examiner stands well behind the candidate as we judge Task 18. Often the examiner to one side is satisfied that the loop legs are not widely disparate, while the examiner behind finds a great misalignment in the horizontal plane. Of course, this is often due to mal-tracking. It turn, this is sometimes rooted in the changing of rod planes (casting planes) between the back cast and the forward cast.
Lack of reasonably parallel loop legs in the vertical plane is usually due to a combination of lack or loss of straight line path of the rod tip during the casting stroke up to the point of line launch for the fly leg (upper leg) and mis-direction or excessive dropping of the rod tip after line launch leading to misalignment of the rod leg (lower leg) of the loop, as I see it.
As I've pointed out in the past, champion distance casters never have parallel loop legs with their long distance casts, because of the effect of gravity.
When the candidate is asked to teach this as he would for students, I'd be well impressed by the use of a hand held loop of fly line turned in front of the student(s) to demonstrate both satisfactory and unsatisfactory loop leg alignment either before or after the actual casting demonstration. When done slowly,t his would meet the expectation of "focused at the student level".
I've only presented a couple of ways that loop legs can get out of parallel.
Now, allow me to put you to work :
1. LET'S SEE OF SOME OF YOU CAN COME UP WITH OTHER CAUSES FOR LOOP LEGS GETTING OUT OF PARALLEL.
2. CAN YOU OFFER OTHER WAYS OF DEMONSTRATING THIS TO STUDENTS ?
Gordy
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[GH] Two questions which often have come up in my experience, from Mike Heritage :
A couple of questions Gordy. Is a tailing loop an out of parallel loop?. I know this may seem a stupid question but I have had one Master tell me that a tailing loop can still be a parallel loop. I can't see how it can be. If a tailing loop is an example of an out of parallel loop then I can understand why this is bad. I would guess the other 'bad' out of parallel loop would be a non loop. Other that the only 'bad' thing I can think of is that they show a tracking error.
Mike
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[GH] Mike,
1. In my opinion a tailing loop is an example of a loop with legs out of parallel. (If the loop legs cross, they cannot be in alignment with one another and therefore not parallel.)
2. The super wide loop with a fairly straight rod leg and a very high fly leg is sometimes called a "non-loop" or an "open loop" (caused by "waving" the rod ) Since there may be as much as 90 degrees of mal-alignment between the loop legs, the legs are, perforce, out of parallel.
While invoking semantics, however, some will argue that one cannot have loop legs out of parallel with a "non-loop" since with no loop, we have no loop legs.
Is this "bad" ? As Dennis Grant would tell us, it depends ! I sometimes use this to help the wind kite my fly/leader downwind when accuracy is not an issue. If I wish to use a controlled tailing loop to flip a fly beneath mangrove overhangs (without an actual collision ) I do it by changing rod planes between the back cast and forward cast, then apply a spike of power during the forward stroke. It isn't "bad" because I achieved the desired result.
In answer to "why this is bad", the well informed candidate will realize that while loop legs being out of parallel often results in inefficient and inaccurate casts. However, it isn't always "bad".
The very fact that this wording is used for Task 18, seems to make the presumption that it is always bad, when that is distinctly not the case. Perhaps a slight modification such as, "... why this may be bad" " or "why this is usually bad" could be considered. In followup, the examiner might even explore the depths of the candidate's understanding by asking, "When is this unavoidable ?" as well as "What are some of the disadvantages of casting with loop legs out of parallel ?"
Gordy
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