Walter....
These are all good ideas......except for the SLP of the hand.
The one with the finger tracing a straight line is OK for representing a SLP of the ROD TIP......but you must remember that during most casting, the hand does NOT travel in a straight line even when the rod tip does. This is even more true as the cast gets longer. Some instructors are still teaching that in order to have a straight line path of the rod tip, you have to have a straight line path of the hand. That might be true if there were no bend in the rod, but that's not what happens with a real loaded fly rod.
Using a mirror out to the side to check hand/elbow motion is something I learned from Joan Wulff. Very effective.(Check out p 27 of her book). Also check the diagrams of her hand motions on p. 36 and p 44.....and the depiction of the elliptical motion of the hand during false casting shown on p. 63.
Also, study the chapter, "The Foundation Casting Stroke & The Three Phases" in Jason Borger's book. As you do, take note of his hand motion diagrams, especially figure 2-22b on page 36 which depicts a frame-by-frame sequence of a forward cast made by him with a fairly good SLP of the rod tip as the hand moves down and forward in a with a curved path.
I can't retrieve the detailed back cast message I sent to you....can you dig it out and bounce it back to me ?
Gordy
From: WALTER/SUE SIMBIRSKI <simbirsw@xxxxxxx>
To: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Back casts
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 11:21:06 -0700
Gordy - The advice is VERY much appreciated and I have no problem with sharing with the group. There were some very good ideas that I hadn't considered before.
My basic problem is that my tracking isn't good when I get into a longer casting
stroke. In order to compensate for this I end up introducing other bad habits (such
as using too much arc) but once I have the tracking thing down I expect everything
else will take care of itself. My basic approach has been to practice repetitive
casts with a length of line that I have very good control with and then gradually
increase the amount of line. I don't exceed the amount that I can handle well during
my practice sessions and this keeps bad habits from creeping in and becoming
ingrained.
As you noted it can be difficult to watch your backcast on longer casts so I use
a makeshift fly-o which I find very useful for identifying faults. The family cat
certainly enjoys these training sessions. :)
Now that winter has descended on Calgary I plan to spend the winter months working
on tracking by improving flexibility and by using a casting aid I've rigged up at
home that consists of a long string and a dowel with small loop of wire at the end.
The string is strung tightly just below the basement rafters and I put the loop
over the string and practice my casting motion with the loop sliding back and forth
along the string. I find this is very good for educating the hand in all planes
as to what a slp feels like.
I've also been told to draw a horizontal line on a wall and work on tracking by
sliding my finger tip back and forth along the line in a simulated casting motion.
This works very well for educating the hand/arm vertically but I find the wall
may actually act as a crutch for horizontal tracking. I find a good exercise
is to stand in front of a mirror and watch the hand track as I mimic casting.
Cheers
Walter
From: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
To: simbirsw@xxxxxxx
Subject: Back casts
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 12:30:37 -0500
Walter....
May I have your OK to sent our banter on Back casts to the Group ?
Gordy