Distance cast 4

Walter & Group...

[GH] Attached: 1. A new list of available fly-casting books by Bob Rumpf.

2. Communication between John Field and me on AMERICA'S FLY LINES, by Victor Johnson, Jr. (Most of you know that John is current president of the American Casting Association.)

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[GH] From Craig Buckbee. My brief comments in his text in italics :

Gordy,

When forward end of Line puddles :

1) Slack in system

----- back cast not tight prior to redirect . slack evidences itself on front cast lay out >> timing issue a/o back cast energy issue. match pause to line length. match force to line length and rod.

[GH] Yes. These were all problems.

----- incorrect leader, hinging >> recalibrate leader proportions.

[GH] His leader was OK.

2) Lacking Line speed on forward cast (if back cast was tight)

[GH} Yes. (Added to the fact that the back cast was poor, with a big loop and poor tracking)

This plus lack of needed rod load and insufficient tip & line speed combined to yield the line piling up. *

----- hauled too early, too small >> haul is the accelerator, adjust as line length requires AND haul LATE !

[GH] Line speed was lacking. Haul length & timing were acceptable but haul speed was not. (Same haul speed used for short casts as well as his attempt at the long casts.)

3) Trajectory

----- too high, given equipment being used.

[GH] Yes. Trajectory was not perfect. Too high on his back cast and not enough time on the pause to have it drop (a la Joan Wulff's "seesaw" - "Long Cast Trajectory") **

4) Wind

---- pay your wind tax

---- move boat

---- cross river

---- use heavier line

---- false cast 'til it calms

[GH] We had very little wind for these sessions - about 5 mph from behind him.

Craig

* TROUBLESHOOTING the CAST, By Ed Jaworowski, 1999, pp.22, 23.

** Joan Wulff's FLY CASTING TECHNIQUES, By Joan Wulff, 1987, p.121.

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[GH] From Jim Valle:

Gordy and Group,

Re Distance Cast

Best results I have had is to convince the caster that he has to slow down and concentrate on loading the rod to the stripping guide with a long pulling stroke ( pulling is delaying the rotation)

I like to convince the caster how little energy it takes to cast distance by having them first lay 50’ + on the ground behind them and make the cast no haul just let the line shoot…

Then I add something Tom White taught me …haul pick up and one backcast … shoot some line on the backcast make the cast with a haul and shoot…. This is simply a confidence builder and once they realize they can make the cast with only one backcast … they can slow down and make it easily with two or three false casts…. All a matter of confidence in the loaded rod!

Hope this helps,

Jim V

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[GH] Jim,

As I stated, his haul speed didn't increase as he tried for greater distance. That was only one of his problems.

That trick Tom White used works well. It does build confidence. It also prevents a lot of false casting during which the cast can deteriorate unless everything else is done well. I've found that making the pickup with a haul from water (called a "tension cast" by some ... a "water haul" by others) works even better because you get more load. Also: it teaches a smooth accelerated pickup since the caster can be taught to heed the water disturbance or lack of it.

Lefty Kreh has used that method for years..... most of the line laying out on the ground behind, then making one forward cast and the whole line lays out before him nice and straight. He and Ed Jaworowski have made that very demo to easily throw an entire fly line using very little apparent effort and a two finger "non-grip"!

This caster was working much too hard with his rod arm which was one of the reasons his cast deteriorated as he tried to use more strength for distance. I tried Lefty's teaching of : " Use no more force for your delivery cast than you did for your last false cast. Haul faster. Let your haul be your accelerator."

That helped, to a degree, but he still needed more help with his back cast while carrying ever increasing amounts of line.

Gordy

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[GH] As many of you know, Peter Minnick is a casting instructor and true expert salt water fly fisher as well as an accomplished golfer and skier. He's an avid student of each sport. This from him upon his return from Africa. In this message, he speaks to Bob Hansell's:-

"3. If it is pure poetry, tell me how feeling helps me translate that feeling to a student or the feel of fighting a fish."

Gordy...

such a tremendous array of responses from all.... I've been away for 3 weeks and am having some good laughs catching up with the mail. Good to see that everybody is maintaining their sense of humor and not taking themselves too seriously...After all.. it's just fly casting.

Regarding the distance cast there's something about trying too hard that gets in the way of the objective. Tim Gallwey of Harvard wrote The Inner Game as well as Inner Golf,Tennis and Skiing...His message is that you need to trust conscious 2 as opposed to conscious 1 which is the analytical side. Conscious 2 is mindless and effortless. An analogy would be a golfer who would normally hit a 5 iron in a certain situation, but decides to hit a nice easy 4 iron... only to fly the green by 15 yds !

Likewise, Ed Jaworowski suggests that you try to reach your distance objective by using less effort in each successive cast. I ski best when I'm mindlessly taking in the beauty of the mountains,trees and snow rather than thinking about the edges of my skiis. So I think what's going on between the ears tremendously effects your performance. It's almost a zen like feeling in which you're trying to minimize any tension in your body and just "let it rip". Whether it's Eli Manning or Tom Brady...the quarterback who does this best this Sunday will win the Superbowl.

Thank you, Gordy, for your leadership and management skills in keeping the elements of this group together so that we can all remain open minded to the range of skills and interest that in the end represents who we are... Maybe some day we can all come together and raise our glasses to you.....

Peter

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[GH] From Jonathan Walter (Highlighting is mine) :

Hi Dr. Hill,

Ok, I guess I'll join in the fray and I hope this helps with perspectives. I am not preaching (far be it from me!) but rather participating by sharing my thoughts and reactions. As a Master candidate and new Study Group member, first I'd like to say that the latest question I've been intimidated and silent about as it might as well have been me trying for the 85' distance. I knew that 2 of my problems were timing and trajectory, but there is clearly other tweaking to do. Thanks everyone, I have already learned so much in the past 2 months!!

As to the latest discussions (banter?) on casting "theory" and physics, v. how to identify casting problems and correct them there is merit to all. This is reminiscent of medical school for me. We all struggled with how all this biochemistry and physiology was clinically relevant to practice. "Patients don't present complaining about problems with their Kreb's cycle" we said. Then, a very intelligent, respected (god-like) physician addressed our disgruntled group and asked "Do you know how arteries got there name?"---(silence in the room)---"The Greeks thought they conducted air. It wasn't until someone very brave asked the question and furthermore dissected a cadaver that it was found otherwise. Basic science shapes what we know and how we practice."

It seems to me that a similar thing has happened in fly casting. Critical thinking has led to defining the substance of the cast when there was a time when substance and style were intermixed. Now, further refinements are occurring. Yet, Mr.Duffy's point is well taken, and his presentation gets your attention! The best students in med school were the ones who could assimilate basic science knowledge and take it to the bedside and solve a problem. As we learn more about the cast we have to be able to apply it in such a fashion that it's relevant to teaching casting. We must also change what we teach and do as new knowledge arises.

As a CCI and MCI candidate, I enjoy these discussions and would rather read them than not. As a "test taker" (and I have done this a lot), it is helpful to know what I need for the exam. Could those MCI's who discuss theory please say in your message what you would expect a candidate to know or think through with regard to the topic v. what is the "casting theory" point you are trying to make which might not be so relevant to the exam? To paraphrase one of my basic science professors: "the stuff that is really cutting edge or fringe material that is fun to theorize about and may be important someday probably will not be on the test, but the stuff we're pretty damn sure about you better be damn sure about!"

Now I have said enough! If you have gotten to the end of this I thank you for your time and patience. I very much look forward to the "answer" regarding this distance cast issue!

All my best,

Jonathan Walter

P.S. Isn't it a testament to human stubbornness that arteries were never re-named? Somewhere an ancient Greek physician is laughing!--JW

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[GH] More on our candidate's distance cast in our next message on this topic.

Gordy