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Walter & Group...
[GH] Bob Hansell has these questions and concerns as he coaches a CCI Candidate :
Gordy,
Hope all is well.
I am not sure about something with task 7 on the CCI test: When or why do I want a slack line casts versus an aerial mend to create a slack line presentation?
This task change has me thinking a lot. First most of our casting requires the leader to straighten fully because we apply the right techniques/ power to get leader to turn over. Mending then puts slack in the presentation. As I read the task requirements closely, I interpreted it as the leader and the fly must be in front to the fly line, but the fly does not have to be in front of the leader; hence not straightening the leader. I could be wrong with my interpretation.
Coaching another person through his CCI preparation. Fortunately, I am only working through the first 3 tasks and first 2 teaching questions. So, I have time to learn.
Also, when I taught the pile cast, I never focused on the “slack line”. I taught the constant tension of the pile cast and the 180 degree rule so you would not tail a pile cast. So this change confuses me. Not complaining or asking for a change. Rather, it is another learning opportunity which will make me a better instructor (once I understand).
Thanks in advance with shedding any when or why learning on the slack line cast versus a slack line mend.
Bob
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[GH] Bob,
You are not alone with these issues.
Let me give it a try:
When fishing, the election to make a true slack line or slack leader cast or mend or a combination of these is strictly up to the judgement of the angler. The angler may elect to gain an unrestricted natural drift of his dry fly by other means, as well.
When performing a pile cast, constant tension is not maintained. The very loss of tension helps the leader and some of the line to become slack and fall from a somewhat vertical position to the water in a series of curls.
Now for the CCI exam:
On the CCI and MCI performance exams a distinction is made as to whether certain tasks are to be performed as mends or casts with no mends. This includes Task 7 on the current CCI exam (Slack line presentations) and the mend tasks (3 & 4) on the MCI exam as well as MCI Task 5. (Curve casts with mends not allowed.)
I think those distinctions are there to test the caster's ability to make pure mends or pure casts with no mends even though in our "real World" of fly fishing we may elect any combinations to meet the fishing and casting objectives.
As with the roll cast tasks, I do think it would be much better to test slack line presentations on water.... not grass or a gym floor. The way things are often set up, that may not be possible.
1. Two slack line presentations must be made for Task 7.
a. First one: A slack line CAST. By the description of "mend" as I see it, this means it must be done with no manipulation or purposeful alteration of the fly line position after the cast. (after loop formation). We've had several descriptions of such casts in our prior messages.
One example: A CAST aimed so the line loop lands on the water before the loop has fully unrolled followed by the leader rising up in an almost vertical position, then falling to the water in a series of curls as it unfurls and drops. The cast was done in such a manner as to yield the slack .
b. Second one: A slack line MEND. A cast is made. This can be a roll cast, or a so-called, "straight line overhead cast" or one of the Spey casts. A mend or series of mends are then made after loop formation yielding a slack line presentation as the loop unfurls and the line, leader, or both fall to the water in a series of curls. The mends yield the slack.
One example: A cast is made toward the target. After loop formation, a series of wiggle MENDS are made to provide a slack line layout.
2. In each case, according to the stated Expectations :
a. The slack created must be suitable for a drag free drift of the fly.
b. The fly must land in front of both fly line and leader.
3. Points which are open to interpretation by examiners :
a. Can these be slack leader presentations with no slack in the fly line ?
b. Or MUST they be slack leader presentations with no slack in the line ?
c. Can they be slack LINE presentations with no slack in the leader ?
d. Can they be slack presentations with slack in BOTH line and leader ?
e. Will any of the a. - d. slack presentations pass ?
f. Joe Libeu stated that a single mend in the line can yield some slack. Will that pass ?
g. Will a series of on-the-water mends such as the vertical hump mends to yield and maintain slack as the fly drifts downstream pass ?
h. Will any presentation which provides a drag free drift of a dry fly be accepted, even if there are no slack line curls in leader or fly line?
# A curve cast presentation?
# A curve mend presentation?
# A reach mend ?
# A reach cast (reach move done before stop and loop formation) ?
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Here is how I would interpret these things if I were giving an exam, today :
I would accept slack presentations with slack in either fly line or leader or both. (None are stated to be unacceptable according to the present Task 7 wording.)
I would NOT accept casts or mends which do not specifically result in true slack line, leader, or both such as a curve cast with no slack coils or a reach cast or reach mend with a straight line and leader layout.
A single mend in the fly line would not be passed, by me. Though no statement about this appears in the task description, I know that this is not the intent of the task. Other examiners may look at it differently.
Rod fade (lowering the rod position) after a cast such as the pile cast would not be considered a mend because it doesn't really reposition the fly line. (When I do it, I usually follow the line down with the rod rather than pulling it down.)
Would I pass on the use of a series of on-the-water hump mends ? I'd accept them as one method of maintaining a drag free drift, but not as a prime generator of slack line/leader.
Gordy
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[GH] Questions to try to answer, from Ally Gowans. If you have any doubt or misgivings about your answers, go out and give these casts a try :
Hi Gordy,
I’m guessing that most people answering the slack line question have on their minds on a slack line using a “straight line” casting method. They can also be produced using the roll casts (and variants).
So a couple of questions to start the thought process:
1.) How would a right handed student be taught to make a right handed reach based on a right handed roll cast?
2,) What are the problems of making curved mends to left and to the right using a right handed roll cast?
Best regards,
Ally Gowans
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