Jerry......
You obviously have a very good understanding of grips and the principle involved in chosing one for your student.
By the very fact that "grip" is a manifestation of STYLE ,the final choice must eventually be left up to the student. This student, however, must be an informed one who has been given some logical choices from which to choose.
The very idea of style is that it is a choice which:-
1.) Is comfortable for the caster.
2.) Performs well for the particular casting task.
3.) Does not violate any of the ESSENTIALS.
4.) Has been called, "self optimization".
5.) Works well with the caster's particular anatomy including any variations produced by accident or infirmity
6.) Doesn't result in early fatigue.
In working out any style for a student, there are 3 schools of thought in the fly teaching world which I've noted:-
1.) Start the student with a standard method (in this case, grip).......and don't have him/her change until or unless:-
a. There is something that he/she can't do well with that particular style (grip)
b. Or....the student simply finds greater efficiency and comfort with an alternate style (grip).
An example of that method is Joan Wulff's teaching of the thumb-on-top method. Lefty Kreh and many others do the same thing.
2.) The teaching method of having the student chose a style of casting very early in the game. An example of this is seen in Bill Gammel's instructional video, "TEACHING YOURSELF TO FLY CAST."
3.) The teaching of small children, where the "style" has to match the individual capability. An example is the use of 2 hands on a single handed fly rod for the very young who simply can't do it with one hand alone......and then changing as the child gets older.
Either way, as the student progresses, I think it's a good thing to try different styles along the way. Eventually, as the student leaves the intermediate stage and goes into advanced casting, he/she will use different styles to accomplish different things........this may well include the use of different grips for different casting scenarios.
Let's take two radically different styles (except for grip)....that of Joan Wulff and that of Lefty Kreh. Both are among the few finest casters in the world. Each one has a definite style which I'll call the, "default style". Both, however, are fully capable of switching styles to meet a particular objective. For example, I've noted Lefty to go to a vertical rod plane ,elbow forward style for some of his casts on a trout stream......and I've noted Joan making a much more low elbow, open stance off- vertical perfectly executed cast while fishing the salt water flats. Each has departed from the "default" style for which he/she is best known, to accomplish a particular task.
I've seen casters permanently change a "default" style because of an injury........or even as a result of going from fishing in the salt to trout stream fishing; or vice-versa.
Incidentally, I think the question: What are the attributes of a good style ? ............. is a good one on a Master's exam.
Gordy
From: jerry puckett <jerry_puckett2001@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Grips
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 09:32:13 -0700 (PDT)
Dear Gordy, Just a short comment on grips, and this is only my limited point of view, this is a matter of style and I think fairly straight forward. And this is where I would like your input, with so many different grips when one is brand new to the art of casting, which grip do you teach? At present I have been letting folk just take the rod and hold it naturally and check to see rod and line plane as they cast as well as look at how it might affect them from a natural and comfortable standpoint, i.e. control and comfort. I recommend what I might think works for them. During my track days I threw the javelin and that grip is the basis for my casting grip. With a weak and badly damaged right hand I am literally unable to use the thumb on top for any cast that requires strength due to weakness and pain. I have an adaptation of thumb and index finger as one unit needing both the thumb and finger for strength. For those of us in the upward end of the life spectrum physical injuries may affect our casting and novel solutions may be required. I do practice with all grips regularly and can and do use the thumb on top when praciticing left handed casting all this I think useful for teaching. I try to avoid " this is better than that" regarding grips--I have seen too many folk with finger on top getting respectable distance in their cast to say it is weak. Teresa Allen, chief guide for Real Women, uses finger on top and cast a 5 WT. 92 feet. And one look at her and no one can mistake her but as a very talented and beautiful lady. I have watched Bob Jacklin cast considerable distance while demonstrating the finger on top grip--so much for that. Also, there is a wonderful group of younger people making that place in this fly fishing world and one day people will be listing their names and what grips they use...Ryan Barnes, Lance Egan, Clay Roberts, Jeff Wagner, Rick Hartman, Jimmy Gunderson just to name a few. I love watching and learning from these talented young folk and love seeing each of them getting incrediable accuracy and distances with their various styles. I lied about the short comment. Thanks, Jerry