Walter....
I use these aids regularly....they work.
As far as, "aids" in the form of classroom props, there are many. We'll have a string of suggestions on those in the near future.
When Dennis Grant and I gave our workshop on, "classroom tips, aids, and tactics", I had brought a huge rolling suitcase crammed full of these things, weighing about 50 lbs !
Gordy
From: WALTER/SUE SIMBIRSKI <simbirsw@xxxxxxx>
To: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 09:32:54 -0700
Gordy - Molly's suggestion for identifying teaching aids was a very good one.
I have a suggestion along a similar line - what sort of self teaching/diagnostic
aids do people provide students with?
Bob talked about his laminated cards that he gives out. I also Molly's
idea of using a picture window as a mirror so you can watch your casting (been
using this myself lately!).
A couple of "tools" I like to give students -
1. Watch how your line lands. If its curved, and you were trying for
straight, then watch for side to side movement in your stroke. Every
so often let one of your back casts land behind you and check to
see if the line is aligned with the target and is straight.
2. Casting side arm so you can watch your loops on forward and back casts
and get the feel of a good cast. I've recently added the idea of rotating
the thumb position 180 degrees to change the back cast into a forward cast
(and vice versa). I haven't tried this last bit with a student yet but
I will in the spring time. During the side arm cast the student should
also observe wrist opening/closing and how it relates to loop formation.
Cheers
Walter
From: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
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Subject: Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 20:38:24 -0500
Bob...
Good, useful suggestions. I'll pass these on to the Group.
Gordy
From: "Bob Rumpf - The Flye & The Pen" <caddis@xxxxxxx>
To: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 07:23:23 -0500
Hi Gordy & group,I will make an attempt at answering the new quiz. Good suggestion by Molly.Bob RumpfSent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 7:04 PMSubject: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
Group...Following a suggestion by Molly Semenik, I have one more question on the 5 (or 6) ESSENTIALS.
In your own words, describe what you would do to demonstrate clearly to a group of fly casting students, each essential. You may use a fly outfit or any other teaching prop or tool.
1.) Straight Line Path of Rod Tip - I have a short (one foot) section of a rod tip complete with tip top guide. It enables me to hold the short section up to eye level and while moving it back and forth as per casting strokes, I can use the other hand to clearly demonstrate the straight line path by accompanying the rod tip with the flat palm of my other hand.
2.) Eliminate Slack - When teaching, I always stress this very early in the lesson. I have always liked and used Lefty's way of putting this. With the line laying out about 30' with a bit of slack, he points to the fly and leader and states: "Ain't nothing gonna happen until that fly starts to move." After stating that fact, I demonstrate how much of the back stroke is wasted pulling out slack that was not removed. I also, to indicate the uselessness of slack in casting and to interject a little levity as a bit of an ice breaker, use the analogy of a drunk pulling a chain down the street, when asked by a very proper lady, why he is pulling a chain, he replies, "Lady, did you ever try pushing one of these things?"
3.) Short Line - Short Stroke, Long Line - Long Stroke - I use analogies here also. To indicate proper stroke length, I pantomine throwing a line-drive baseball, which requires a short straight line throw/stroke for a close throw and a longer straight stroke for a longer ball. I also have the student watch the rod as I make longer strokes while adding line.
4.) Pause - I like to use the term -Timely Pause - With beginners I try to have them temporarily adapt to a 90% stance and watch their back cast straighten (almost straighten). This has a dual-fold purpose, as it allows them to see the line trajectory and often helps to keep their back casts up where they belong. If the individual has trouble watching their back cast, I revert again to one of Lefty's old methods. I ask them where they are from, and I instruct them to make a back cast while pausing long enough to state their name and where they are from. It works like a charm on a 30' cast.
5.) Proper Application of Power. - When explaining power and how to apply it, I have started to use a term that I believe our own Gordy has coined, and that is "An accelerated acceleration to a stop", I have never heard it explained better. For this all important step I also use hands on guidance with permission. There are many analogies for this also, such as driving in low gear then shifting to second and finally high.
6.) Abrupt Stop - When trying to explain the importance of the stop, I allude to the elite distance caster's (Steve Rajeff) words, when he was asked: What do the best casters do that other's fail to do? And he replied; "They stop the rod." As to demonstrating this, I again like to, with permission of course, use hands on. It is a wonderful way to have the student actually feel the abruptness of the required stop. Here again there are many visual aids we can apply, throwing water at a wall off of a paint brush, slinging an apple from a dowel rod and so on.
Since I have a plethora of beginners here in the Catskills, I have printed out little cards (laminated) with the essentials listed and hand them out at the end of a one day lesson. I tell them to put them in their wallet or purse and refer to them if necessary when they are practicing, and then I always add; "You do plan to practice, don't you?"