Hi, Group....
I just spent the past 3 1/2 hours going through a pre-test.
Some mental notes I made:-
# Stringing up the rod should be done like a PRO. This provides a sort of, "first impression".
# Having the candidate ask the examiner to help stretch out the line is a plus. Most examiners will respect this as good practice.
# The use and position of the casting hand must remain, "fluid". Within the parameters of the candidates own style, the hand must move in order to keep the PATH OF THE ROD TIP where he wants it to be. As such, the hand cannot be maintained in a pre-determined position or path.
# We video taped the entire procedure. That way, the candidate can take the tape home and study it at leisure.
# A tendency to make the reach casts resulted, often, in a curved layout. There were 2 reasons for this: 1. A slight twist of the wrist on the forward stroke. 2. The use of an off vertical rod plane, stopping the rod a bit too late. (Most examiners want to see a straight line layout between the rod tip and the fly with the reach cast.)
The "cure" resulted from:- 1. Using a vertical rod plane followed by a 90 degree sweep of the rod tip directly upstream, while slipping line. 2. avoiding the wrist twist.
The demo was completed by having the candidate bring the rod tip back down stream at the speed of the current to maximize the length of the drag free drift.
The candidate, then, did both methods of reach cast (really a reach mend) well.....a.) Slipping line as the reach move is made so the fly isn't jerked back away from the target feeding lane, and b.) Casting the fly beyond the feeding lane, and making the reach move so as to accurately have the reach pull the fly back to the target lane.
# On the distance cast, there was a tendency for the caster to stand upon the coiled line, thus ruining the cast. The "cure" was to teach him to step about 4' forward of the zero mark, strip out line in a neat pile, there, then step back to the zero starting point before making the cast. This way, the line was no where near his feet.
# We noted a tendency for the candidate to false cast, letting out line each time until he had a bit more line out of the rod tip than he could well handle for the existing wind conditions. Several recommendations helped, including:- 1. As soon as the caster realizes this mistake and knows he can't handle as much line as he has allowed out of the rod, either keep false casting while retrieving line,(NOT easy to do) or , (better) abort the cast by allowing the line to fall to the ground on the BACK cast......and repeating the event. (If you abort it on the forward cast, it will count as a poorly done cast.....if aborted on the back cast, it doesn't count.)
2. Lots of practice with different amounts of line out of the rod in different wind conditions and directions until a good average of the lengths of line handled well is measured. Then a nail knot of 4 lb. test mono is placed at this point on the line so the caster can feel and "hear" it click against the guides as a warning not to let any more line out before executing the final presentation cast.
3. Starting that event with only about 30' of line out of the rod also helped with that problem.
4. Being careful to WATCH each and every back cast helped a great deal. (The distance back casts were always better when the candidate watched them.) Since the back cast is the setup for the forward cast, it was one of the "secrets" to a successful outcome.
5. We did encounter a tendency to "reverse creep" when trying the distance cast with a nasty back wind. As soon as I showed him what he was doing, and how it shortened his back cast stroke, he corrected it. (The problem is not usually recognized by the caster......and often not by the instructor, either. This one's a "sleeper.) Immediately, his back cast into the wind was a lot better, and required less effort.
# For the distance roll cast: Problems were encountered, as follows-
1. The "back cast" often placed line on the grass behind the caster in a wide loop, or curved around way behind him. This yielded a lot of slack which had to be taken up before the forward stroke became effective.
This was partly due to the 20 MPH wind quartering from behind. Rather than tossing the line behind using a vertical rod plane, I taught him to take a step or 2 toward the the line hand side, and then flip the needed length of line DIRECTLY behind the rod tip in a neat tight loop using a low horizontal move. The rod was left way back pointing at the apex of this loop. The caster now takes a step to the rod hand side so he's next to this loop, and makes his forward stroke. Crouching, and making a forward stroke with a loading move followed by a power snap which didn't start until the rod tip was 90 degrees from the target, and a straight line path of the rod tip to an abrupt stop just below the path of the oncoming line yielded the nice tight egg shaped loop which ended with an accurate roll cast to a 60' mark.
This was made easier, by my showing him a practice trick. Here, we anchored his fly/leader to the ground 2 rod lengths in front. This allowed him to practice his roll cast loops easily, making a new loop every few seconds. A rolled up towel on the leader side of the anchor prevented the leader from breaking.
# Accuracy casts were improved a great deal by his attention to 3 changes as he went from close to distance targets:
1. Change of line plane (trajectory).......High back cast, low forward cast to the close target, to less high back cast and higher forward cast to the distance target.
2. Change of rod loading. ("Tip casting" to close targets, mid-flex loading to medium targets, and more deep "butt" loading for targets at great distance.)
3. Change of rod plane helped, too. (Strictly vertical rod plane, cap turned backwards, rod brought right up between the eyes for the close target......to minimize any right or left inaccuracy, slightly off vertical to gain more stroke length for medium distance targets, and more off vertical with open stance for targets at great distance.)
We gained better accuracy, by doing a couple of other things: 1. The use of a more easily seen WHITE yarn fly. 2. The use of a 1 1/2" long thin yarn fly tied on a #14 hook, with the hook bend and shank cut off next to the tie. (Casts more like a real fly than a hunk of yarn on the leader.) 3. The use of a steep tapered 7 1/2' custom leader. 4. The use of a simple nail knot connection between the butt section of the leader and the fly line rather than a bulky loop-to-loop connection. 5. "Drilling" the fly into the target in high winds, and learning to hover the fly for better accuracy when no wind.
# Making the required loops while false casting worked out a lot better when only the required length of line was allowed out of the rod. Loops were much better when he watched his back casts. In making the required tailing loops, he did this well by using the technique of making a definite creep, and then a spike of power. This worked best when he set himself up to CONTINUE TO MAKE FALSE CASTS after making the required tail upon command.
In order to avoid arm/hand fatigue while going through all this (as well as with long practice sessions) I made these suggestions: 1.) After making long casts, place the rod/reel beneath the casting arm and use a 2 handed strip to get all that line back. 2.) In between casting events, don't hold the rod with the casting hand. Rest this hand by placing the rod under the arm and "shake out the fingers".
Of course, we know to advise our regular fly casting students to practice in short sessions.....not long ones. Candidates, however, (particularly MCI candidates) do use very long sessions......so these are some ways of avoiding hand and arm fatigue. Another trick, is to have the candidate practice any unfamiliar or new event with minimal line out of the rod tip.....say 30', until the skill is developed.......only then going for more distance. This is particularly important in learning curve casts and compound mends, etc.
On the oral exam side, I concentrated on his knowing WHY these different casts are needed. We, also, covered the mechanics of casting, rod loading, timing, etc, etc...until I was satisfied that he was handling it well.
He's doing OK. With a bit more practice, I think he'll pass just fine !
I can't emphasize the value in the candidate doing practice exams with a CBOG ! I have volunteered to do this with ANY candidate who is willing to make a trip down here to Big Pine Key........be it CCI or MCI exam. I remember well how much I learned in taking pre-exams with 5 different CBOGs back when I was studying for my own MCI exam !
Gordy