Hi, Group....
In studying for your MCI exam, remember that there is a big difference between simply reading an article or even a book, and CRITIQUING it. You will learn more if you can do the latter even though it takes a lot more mental energy. Below, is an example of my brief critique of a recent article.
I'd like to point out the article on p.38 of the Dec. '05 issue of FLY FISHERMAN magazine, written by Mel Krieger, entitled, "The Pull Through Casting Stroke."
This is in keeping with some messages we had going a while back on casters who consider themselves, "pushers" and those who are, "pullers".
The concept of "pulling" the fly line throughout most of the stroke is, I feel, a good one......especially for those who tend not to have a sufficiently long loading move prior to the "power snap" or final, "speed-up-and-stop."
Another good word concept, I think, is Lefty's, "unrolling a loop to a target" as opposed to the idea of throwing the line.
Mel's comment that, " "applying power too early in the casting stroke creates a tailing loop." This statement is incorrect. It is possible to apply maximum power in the beginning of a casting stroke. The real culprit here is UNLOADING THE ROD TOO SOON !" (P39)
Now, I don't agree that you can make a good cast by applying MAXIMUM power in the beginning of the casting stroke, because the word implies that you can't apply any more power than that later in the stroke....which means, to me, that you would have no acceleration. His comment about unloading too soon, has merit.....yet simply unloading too soon, without a SPIKE of power, won't give the concave path of the rod tip which results in the "WOW" in the line which yields the collision (tail).
On p.75, he points out that, "......many casters make their best backcast from the water. That's because the friction of the water helps bend the fly rod early in the casting stroke!" We all have noted that. It's also true of practicing to make good back casts on grass. As George Roberts points out in his video and his book, "SALT WATER FLY CASTING", one of the best ways to teach good back casting is to have the student make a back cast from the line positioned straight out in front on the lawn, then turn around and make another in the opposite direction...again and again. Better back casts then often follow when the caster, "goes airborne" and false casts.
His analogy of casting and javelin throwing is one I hadn't thought of. It fits with Jerry's comments in his last message.
Mel's pictures accurately and clearly reflect the concepts in his text.
Gordy