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Walter & Group...
[GH] From Rene Hesse :
Hello Gordy,
At our last two continuing education classes at the S.E. FFF conclave we had some excellent instruction on
accuracy. I asked Steve Rajeff what he -thinks about-visualizes or focuses on when doing competition accuracy casting. His response was much different than I would have guessed. He said the money....just kidding. He said he pictures a tube shaped like a tornado or funnel that he casts his loop through to get to the target. That visualization has stuck with me. The round entry allows casting on different planes and allows the size of the loop to narrow down to the target. The other thing he will do is, somewhat over power his back cast so he is not having to think about loading the rod on the forward cast---just going in a straight line.Works for me.
The other accuracy seminar that really dug in to the science and focused on accuracy was done by
David Diaz. He made a great DVD for the class. One interesting comparison he made was the way to 'focus'
on the target. He noted a cat will size up it's prey by scanning his eyes side to side and then up and down to
get zoned in on the target. (sign of the cross) The method makes you really focus on the target and I find it quite helpful.
I've found putting a 1inch dot on the cone or target helps too......but only if you focus on it.
Just some things that I find helpful and maybe others will too.
Regards,
Rene
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[GH] Great mental pictures !
I have those 1" dots at the tips of my practice and teaching cones.
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[GH] From Walter Simbirski :
Hi Gordy,
Actually, to go against "conventional" wisdom, for people with vision that is obscured, or partly
obscured in one eye, using a horizontal, or off vertical, rod plane makes it much easier to dial in
the distance. Once you have the distance dialed in then you can switch to the vertical rod plane to
line up the eye/rod/line/fly/target for side to side accuracy. The "trick" is to keep your stops in the
same position relative to the target when changing rod planes so that the distance remains dialed in.
This comes easily with a bit of practice.
Another trick is to use a larger piece of casting yarn to increase visibility of your fly.
Cheers
Walter
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[GH] Yes, indeed. Casting in the vertical plane only gives you right to left accuracy. Using an off vertical plane, gives you Joan's "accuracy triangle".
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[GH] From Gary Eaton :
Gordy,
I have a suggestion for Don Pendleton's issues. Cast to the smallest portion of the target that delivers the fly to the center. I used to have to cast to the left edge of the ring for off-shoulder casts and for the back half of the softball for dominant side casts. I discovered what I needed by creating a sight-window where the loop legs bisected the target for the dominant hand and where the loop legs went along both sides for the off-shoulder. The rod leg went to the off-shoulder side and the fly leg would skim the dominant side of the softball.
As I practiced, I would recognize the sight-picture and hover characteristics at about "belly-button" height over the target. It took a lot of effort to generate a consistent appearance. Afterward, I could predict from the loop-on-target appearance where the fly would land as it was on it's way. Practicing at night with a small flashlight illuminating only the center of the target increases focus by decreasing distractions in the sight picture.
When I started, I suspected Joan's video of hitting a teacup was excessively compulsive. Then one day a friend invited me to a Carp slough where a creek enters the Missouri River. The Carp were cloupping - suspending their mouth at the surface and skimming the water while appearing to breath air. He told me these fish were impossible to catch. I started casting small Clouser Minnow's directly into there mouths at thirty-feet, or more. I only hit about 50%, but sure did land a lot of large "uncatchable" carp in a short time. My host asked me for an on-the-spot lesson and I had him stand right behind me, looking over my head while I practiced my "accuracy" to Carp mouths. They were about the size of teacups. Joan Wulff was right! My buddy would ask me questions while I aligned my loop legs with target both hitting and missing with my real-time narrative explanations of what I was seeing during each shot. After I caught a few while he watched from over my head, he tried it. He caught a few, too.
Later we sat at a table in a restaurant and I drew various sight-pictures next to fly-in-target diagrams on paper napkins. He took the drawings with him, I wish I had them back.
I have since used these methods to teach sight-picture by having students stand behind me on a stool resting their forearm on my shoulder blades. It breaks the plateau of accuracy casting for some as they see a version of what I see. I suspect a competition caster wearing a "hat-bill" camera would be able to generate nice video, too..
Always teaching!
Gary Eaton
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[GH] From Michael Gallart :
Excellent suggestions. I'd like to add one, and it cane from Floyd Franke( a generous, stern wealth of learning) He taught me to reverse my stance. As a right rod hand caster, I place my right foot forward, continue to cast vertically. He stressed the late push with the thumb. He explained it is about getting everything in a straight line to the target. Elbow,Thumb,Rod tip,Line= target.
To me, accuracy is getting the whole cast together. Stroke length matching line length. Timing matching line length. A smooth application of power with proper trajectory. (Magically the fly hits the target:) I've never found it magic. It's just the the best test of putting it all together to prove your demonstration matches your explanation.
Michael
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