Uses for the Belgian Cast

Walter & Group.....................

 

 

Here are some messages from Group members on uses for the BELGIAN CAST (I didn't pass on duplicates ) :-

 

 

Hi Gordy & group,

 

                             As regards uses for the Belgian Cast, you mentioned using it for permit fishing, and an adaptation for use with a casting side wind and . You asked for more uses.

 

How about casting with a tail-wind?

 

Hold the rod horizontally and make a highly accelerated very low (right above the water) back cast, retaining tension  make your horseshoe like curve, bring the rod forward on a higher plane hopefully getting an assist from the wind for the forward cast.

 

Don't have time to think right now, but if I think of more, I'll be back.

 

Regards,

 

Bob Rumpf 

 

Comment:  Yes, Bob....this does work.

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From Jim Valle :-

Gordy & Group,

 

Wind, low Back Cast high Forward Cast, high Back Cast low Forward Cast, and on either or both sides.

Flexible – make power and direction adjustments during the cast, sometimes very applicable when teaching a physically challenged student.

Change of Direction

Casting weighted fly’s or lines

 

Combinations of all the above  when circumstances dictate!

 

Good starting point for learning rod repositioning or “Circle Up” for Spey moves

 

Great Cast to know and Use!

 

Jim

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Comment:  Agree all the way.         Gordy

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From Gary Eaton:

Gordy,

Oval casts may reduce your likelihood of alerting fish in quiet water by

not lining them with false casts and shadows being off to the side.

Oval casts may be protective of rod tips when using weighted flies by

keeping heavy flies away from the fragile rod tip. This may be enhanced in

wind from the line hand side with heavy flies keeping the fly from

shearing the rod tip.

The low back cast of an oval cast is easier to watch in most cases, than

high back casts. I see this as an advantage, frequently.

Those are 3 quick advantages before my morning coffee.

Gary Eaton

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Comment:  Good additions     Gordy

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From Damon Newpher:

Hi Gordy,

As it's most often pointed out it is a great cast for heavily weighted nymphs, especially when you have a higher rock bank behind you since on the back cast it makes the flies ride up in the air rather than take a dip.  Talk to you soon.

Damon

 

Comment:  Yes.  I sometimes use it when surf fly fishing with a sand dune close benind for the same reason.  You can get the fly to go back and up.  Not only that, but you don't need quite as much room behind you for the back cast.  Less likelihood of ticking the hook point off your fly !

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Here is one from Mac Brown (that I had not thought of........)

 

Gordy and Group,

Another example of elliptical casting can be used for layout control (presentation) or to avoid cover on the stream. Often times it will be varied (different than A.J. Mclane or Ritz describes). I will give one example due to time constraints this morning. Make a right hand curve from a vertical position to have a large 90* toward the right. This example will have a slight ellipse (concave opened to the right during delivery ) this ensures that the loop plane is coming off the left hand side of the rod. The result is a disaster when the student tries to throw the loop plane over the tip top of the rod. The cast becomes easy once an ellipse is used for the setup. There are numerous examples of ellipses for presentation depending on what you desire for layout (piles,tucks, curves, etc... can all be thrown easily by using ellipses). Slight ellipses become the key for controlling where the loop plane is for all casts. I think on the stream the majority of my fishing casts make use of ellipses in some form another.

Have a good holiday season!

Mac

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Comment:  Good one !   I've done this semi-conciously not thinking of it as an elliptical cast....though of course it is. 

 

A couple of years ago, Jeff Barefoot (MCI - Penn.) introduced me to consideration of something we see rarely discussed .... LOOP PLANE.  An interesting concept, since you can have a loop plane different than your rod plane.  One example of this is to make a cast with a vertical rod plane to place a horizontal loop under an overhanging bush.

 

 .............      Gordy

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From Jerry Puckett:  (My comments in red in his text.)

 

Gordy:

 

1-Belgian Cast can be used with weighted or heavy flies to prevent the weight from crashing into the rod or head!  I have witnessed two rod breakages with weighted leaders using the standard overhead cast.  I also opened up the back of my head with a heavy fly on a 10 weight!  This is really fun if one is into pain and blood!  Agree !

 

2-can be used to make a side arm high aimed back cast followed  by high aimed forward cast thus eliminating tailing loop issues.  Clearing bushes behind the caster is an excellent  example.  Makes tailing less likely, but the caster can still tail if he follows the continuous tension back cast with a forward stroke which has a spike of power early in the stroke.

 

3-This elliptical cast can be combined with other presentation casts such as Tuck cast with a weighted line to put the fly on the bottom quickly. Or as Jason Borger states p.146, "THE NATURE OF FLY CASTING" Dump cast, Puddle Cast, or slack line cast can be combined with the Belgian cast for great presentation effect.  Yes.  This fits with Mac Brown's message.

 

4- Casting low into the wind on the back cast followed by a high forward cast to catch the wind for kiting effect for a longer forward cast.  Yes.

 

5- Joan Wulff refers to this cast as a circular cast in the form of an oval.   Yes... I think we could use the term, "oval cast" as a synonym for, "elliptical cast".

 

6- can be used as a standard cast placing less stress on the shoulder during the cast.  Referred to as a constant pressure cast.  May be a great cast for those with shoulder injuries.  Agree.

 

Have a great Christmas!

 

Jerry     

 

...  Gordy

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From David Lambert:

 

Gordy:

Good question:  I sometimes use the Belgian or elliptical cast as a change of direction cast, to reposition the fly line to the casting side.  Pull the low horizontal segment of the cast very slowly (still accelerating) around behind you, then 'sling' the fly line in the direction 180 degrees opposite of the forward cast during the rotational segment.  You can only gain 20-35 degrees of change on the casting side with this, but it is a quick, easy means to that end. Note:  The timing is critical.

And a second use:  For dead-on, Joan-Wulff -icking-leaves-style-fast-presentation accuracy practice, the elliptical/Belgian/oval/etc is great.

David       Comment:  Good additions.

 

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From Woody Woodland:

 

This cast being oval by nature is handy in places with limited room for your back cast.

 

Comment:  Agree.

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