ol Al...
I thought so, too.......then I began to think about all the different rear tapers available....all the way from the, "no rear taper" of some shooting heads to the other end of the spectrum which is the CRT line designed by Jason Borger. That one has a continuous rear taper all the way from the rear end of the head to the backing.
All these lines have one thing in common: A point beyond which, as we go rearward on the line, the line diminishes in mass/length. (To put it another way, the point beyond which it gets skinnier and lighter in weight as we go toward the back end of the line.)
I look at it as the distance between THAT point and the rod tip as OVERHANG. By using that "definition", I can include any fly line except a level line which has no belly, no taper, no, "head" and (more importantly) no point of decrease in mass.
One other line which wouldn't fit, is one in which there is continuous taper with the line having increased mass/foot throughout its entire length. As far as I know, it does not exist.
The concept of the effects of OVERHANG on the cast includes the lack of increasing line weight as you proceed to the back of the line. When you no longer have heavier line always available to turn over the lighter line in front of it you have increasing difficulty false casting with ever increasing lengths of line out of the rod tip.
You, also, have trouble making a good distance roll cast unless you have very little overhang behind you and are capable of shooting line on the forward stroke.
One way or the other, by carrying a larger amount of line and, therefore, having more OVERHANG, you delay the rate that your loop unfurls giving it more time to go in the direction of the cast. This can result in the loop either crashing to the ground/water or going a greater distance depending upon a number of factors which include trajectory (line plane), loop speed, loop size, loop shape, the application of power in amount and time, and a host of atmospheric conditions.
Gordy
From: "Allen Crise" <flysoup@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: term
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 06:58:24 -0600
Howdy Gordyjust back from the sow bug good showHow is the class going?one more term I need help withOVERHANG: Two uses. One is the fallen brush or bushes, mangroves, etc. which protrude from the bank. OVERHANG: as the length of running line between the rear end of the head taper and the rod tip.Adding taper I think helpsol AlAllen Crise FFF Master Casting InstructorSOC VP of EducationHawk Ridge Flycasting School2508 A County Road 1011Glen Rose, TX 76043254-897-2045geocities.com/rrdoctorflysoup@xxxxxxxxxx