FOLLOWTHROUGH

1.) In flycasting as in many other sports including pitching and golt swings, carrying the propelling motion beyond the stroke point (golf or batting) or the, "stop" of the fly casting stroke can smooth out that stroke and psychologically prepares the athelete to go further with controlled power. Mac Brown gets into this with his chapter on, "Angler Psyche.

2.) With the fly casting stroke, we come to an, "almost stop" (rapid deceleration") At that point, the stroke is finished. A lot happens right after that, however, including counterflex and rebound. Followthrough in the direction of the unrolling loop at that point, can minimize the tendency of counterflex and rebound to open up a well formed tight loop.

3.) One technique of FOLLOWTHROUGH, is to point the rod tip at the target. This minimizes friction between the shooting line and the guides and helps eliminate power robbing line slap against the blank.

4.) FOLLOWTHROUGH also slightly extends the time for the loop to unroll. Now the longer the time for loop unrolling, the longer the cast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' OK, I'll bite. Why would I ever want to "followthrough." Realize I haven't given this much thought, but, I don't see the purpose. "

The 'Follow-through' is tending the bottom leg of the loop. You can control the flight of the bottom leg by using the follow through. It will remain aloft longer if you guide it up and out, AFTER the loop is formed. If you will watch a video of Steve Rayjeff or Paul Arden casting you can see the extreme reach after the forward cast. As with most long-distance casters, they are trying to 'maintain contact' with the line, before the loop is formed as long as they can. They drift back as far as they can then power forward as far as they can.

Remember when Mark Sardoti (SP) the man that cast backward at the Fly Fishing Show. He maintained contact with the line as long as is possible. I guess you could liken it to a Rifle or a pistol barrel.