Walter & Group.........
Sample MCCI exam questions / one candidate's answers / comments V :-
· What is your method of straightening a coiled leader?
Answer: Pull tight and rub on leg to heat up the leader while stretching it. OK.
BE AWARE THAT YOU CAN DAMAGE A TIPPET BY STRAIGHTENING IT WITH FRICTION AGAINST LEATHER OR RUBBER.
FOR HEAVY TIPPETS AND SHOCK TIPPETS, MY TRICK IS TO STRETCH IT VERY TIGHT AND HOLD IT THAT WAY WHILE RUBBING MY THUMB AND FOREFINGER UNTIL IT GETS HOT ENOUGH I HAVE TO STOP .... THEN I HOLD IT STRETCHED WHILE IT COOLS. THAT LAST STEP MAKES A DIFFERENCE !
· You are fishing in a run 4 or 5 feet deep using a double nymph rig with split shot and a strike indicator. You are confident the fish are there and eating and your flies are right. No takers. What do you do next?
Answer: Make sure the fly is getting to the bottom if I am not snagging the bottom sometimes I figure I am not deep enough. Next change flies and sizes. OK. (MIGHT CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR POCKET WATER TECHNIQUE ..... LIKE USING WELL DIRECTED TUCK CASTS, HIGH STICKING, OR THE USE OF A STRIKE INDICATOR AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES FROM THE FLY. IF ALREADY USING A STRIKE INDICATOR, YOU MIGHT TRY CHANGING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE INDICATOR AND THE FIRST FLY.)
· What would you tell a beginning fly fisherman about starting a collection of flies?
Answer: Start simple, check with local fly fishermen and fly shops find the predominant flies used in the area and get a few of each in common sizes and colors for the area. YES.
· Your
process for figuring out a difficult rising-trout situation when yesterday you
were doing well on one particular surface pattern, but today, in the same
location, casting to rising fish they will not take your fly?
Answer: Make sure they are not eating the emergers in the surface film.
YES. STUDY
THE "RISERS". THEY MAY BE MAKING A SURFACE DISTURBANCE WITH THE TAIL WHILE
FEEDING BELOW THE SURFACE ON EMERGERS OR
NYMPHS.
· What
are some of the major differences in fishing a free stone river and a spring
creek?
Answer: Spring creeks generally have more vegetation, smaller insects, less temperature variations, clear water and few or no stone flies (DS). Longer leaders, more delicate presentation and smaller flies are generally required on a spring creek.
YES.
ALSO, AS THE FISHERMAN, YOU NEED TO BE LESS VISIBLE TO THE FISH ... CROUCHING,
LESS BODY MOVEMENT, ETC, ETC.
· Is
water temperature a significant factor is fishing
success?
Answer: Yes, different types of fish and the same type of fish will behave differently at given temperatures in different areas of the country.
YES. THAT IS WHY I
USE A STREAM THERMOMETER WHEN TROUT FISHING, AND A SEA WATER THERMOMETER WHEN
FISHING THE FLATS.
· What
tide phases are most important to the saltwater
fisherman?
Answer: Incoming tides open up new areas to the fish and stir up the new areas giving access to more forage for incoming fish.
YES. (THE DETAILED ANSWER COULD TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME !) IN GENERAL, THE EXPERIENCED SALT WATER FLY FISHERMAN WILL BECOME KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT AREAS WHERE FISH TEND TO ENTER AN AREA OR FLAT ON THE INCOMING TIDE, AND PLACES WHERE THEY TEND TO TRAVEL OFF THE FLAT. THERE CAN BE GOOD, "INCOMING TIDE SPOTS" AND GOOD, "OUTGOING TIDE SPOTS". THIS CAN GET VERY DETAILED AS ONE GETS INTO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LOW-LOW AND HIGH-LOW INCOMING TIDES, ETC.
Is it better to fight a strong fish with the rod
in a vertical position or a horizontal position?
Answer: Horizontal YES. YOU CAN PUT A LOT MORE PRESSURE ON A FISH THAT WAY. (FOR DETAILS, READ: "FISH ON! a guide to playing and landing big fish on a fly" BY FLOYD FRANKE.
· What
part of the rod is best used to fight a large, strong
fish?
Answer: Butt YES. (BUTT SECTION)
Appendix D - Representative Questions - Casting
Casting, including essential fly casting mechanics and style variations of well-publicized casting teachers. A basic understanding of spey casting and overhead casting with a two-handed rod.
·
Describe the parts of the casting stroke.
Answer: Remove slack from the line, Lift, translational acceleration, rotational power, stop/pause and drift repeat as necessary from acceleration to stop/pause and drift until presentation. BE CAREFUL, HERE. I'D KEEP IT VERY SHORT AND GENERIC FOR A SHORT ANSWER. PERHAPS USING JOAN WULFF'S CLEAR DESCRIPTION : "LOADING MOVE / POWER SNAP " THEN ADD MORE DETAIL WHEN ASKED INCLUDING FOLLOWTHROUGH AND DRIFT AFTER THE STOP, ETC.
· What
is the most important element of the casting stroke?
Answer: Strait line path of the rod tip.
I'D ALSO ACCEPT, "SMOOTH ACCELERATION TO A STOP." (EXAMPLE: WE ONLY WANT A STRAIGHT LINE PATH OF THE ROD TIP FOR A TIGHT LOOP CAST. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE THE, "HOLY GRAIL" OF CASTING. IT IGNORES THE EXPERT CASTER WHO IS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ON A TROUT STREAM WHILE USING PURPOSEFULLY MADE AND WELL CONTROLLED WIDE LOOPS ALL DAY LONG.) IF I WERE ASKED WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN FORMING LOOPS, I'D ANSWER WITH ONE WORD: "CONTROL".
·
Explain the importance of the path the rod tip takes during a cast, both
vertically and horizontally. How do different tip paths affect the
cast?
Answer: The rod tip should follow a strait line path both horizontally and vertically, as if it was passing through the barrel of a gun. If the rod tip follows a convex path on the vertical plane the line will appear to dome and the size of the loops will increase as the path becomes more convex. If the rod tip follows a convex path on the horizontal plane the rod leg and fly leg of the line will not be parallel. If the path of the rod tip is concave a tailing loop will be the result.
YOU NEED THE CONCEPT THAT THE PATH OF THE ROD TIP DETERMINES THE SIZE OF THE LOOP. SAME COMMENTS AS ABOVE.
IF ASKED, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE THE ROD TIP PATH FOR 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF WIDE LOOPS :
1. UNCONTROLLED VERY WIDE LOOP MADE BY A CONVEX ROD TIP PATH DURING THE ENTIRE STROKE. USUALLY DUE TO AN OUT OF CONTROL WRIST.
2. WIDE LOOP WELL CONTROLLED, WITH THE FLY (TOP) LEG OF THE LOOP FAIRLY STRAIGHT AND THE ROD (BOTTOM) LEG A CONTROLLED DISTANCE BELOW THE ROD TIP PRODUCED BY PLACING THE CONVEXITY OF THE ROD TIP PATH NEAR THE END OF THE STROKE.
3. THE WIDE LOOP PURPOSELY MADE BY PLACING THE CONVEXITY OF THE ROD TIP PATH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STROKE TO YIELD A LOOP THE ROD LEG OF WHICH IS FAIRLY STRAIGHT AND THE FLY LEG HIGH (SUCH AS WHEN USING A TAIL WIND TO ADVANTAGE.)
·
Describe the casting mechanics that govern the size of the casting
loop.
Answer: Provided the rod tip follows a strait line path and there is no slack. The amount of movement beyond the rod strait position of the rod determines the size of the loop.
IF ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL, YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BEND OF THE ROD AND THE LENGTH OF LINE CARRIED AND RELATE IT TO THE LENGTH OF TIP TRAVEL, STROKE LENGTH, AND ROD ARC.
THE WAY YOU HAVE WORDED YOUR ANSWER WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY LEAD TO MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS...... IF YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF, THAT'S FINE.
WHILE I DO AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT, IT MIGHT BE CLARIFIED BY STATING THAT THIS MEANS THE SIZE OF THE LOOP IS DETERMINED BY THE PATH OF THE ROD TIP DURING THE STROKE AS WELL AS THE DISTANCE BELOW THE ONCOMING LINE THAT YOU UNLOAD AS YOU COME TO A STOP.
....JUST DIFFERENT WORD PICTURES TO DESCRIBE THE SAME THING. (IF YOU, "UNLOAD" A TINY BIT BELOW THE ONCOMING LINE, RSP DOES PRESENT AT THAT POINT, AND THE LOOP WILL BE SMALL / IF YOU, "UNLOAD" WELL BELOW THE ONCOMING LINE, RSP WILL BE A GREATER DISTANCE FROM THAT LINE AND THE LOOP WILL BE LARGE." ALL THIS HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY WHERE YOU COME TO A STOP. WHEN YOU DO STOP YOUR CASTING HAND, RSP OCCURS A FRACTION OF A SECOND LATER. RSP (THE ROD STRAIGHT POSITION) IS THE POINT AT WHICH THE FLY LINE CAN BEGIN TO OVERTAKE THE ROD TIP; HENCE THE FORMATION OF THE LOOP.
· What
causes loops to get out of parallel and why is this
bad?
Answer: When the rod does not follow the strait line path. It is inefficient and can cause tailing loops which can tangle the line.
WELL ... SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN LOOP LEGS GET OUT OF PARALLEL, A TAILING LOOP BEING ONE OF THEM AND IS BASICALLY CAUSED BY A WAVE IN THE LINE PRODUCED BY A CONCAVE ROD TIP PATH. ANOTHER FORM OF NON-PARALLEL LOOP LEGS, IS THE CONVEX PATH OF THE ROD TIP YIELDING A WIDE LOOP. POOR, "TRACKING" (ROD TIP PATH VARYING FROM SIDE TO SIDE) ......(OR A VARYING PATH IN ANY PLANE, FOR THAT MATTER) CAN YIELD AN ERRATIC LAYOUT AS WELL AS POOR DISTANCE. ACTUALLY, THAT WOULD BE OK IF YOU WISHED TO MAKE A TRUE SLACK LINE WIGGLE CAST, ETC. IN THAT INSTANCE, THE CASTER CONTROLS THE VARYING PATH OF THE ROD TIP FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
THE PATH OF THE ROD TIP MUST BE CONTROLLED
WITH RESPECT TO ALL PLANES IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED
RESULT.
· What
is the difference between "substance" and "style" in
casting?
Answer: The five key elements of the cast make up the substance of the strait line cast. No slack, strait line path, proper application of power, stop and pause and matching the casting arc to the amount of line beyond the rod tip. Style is everything else, hand position, foot position, casting plane, body movements etc. YES. (DENNIS GRANT IS PREPARING A CHALLENGING LIST OF FACTORS WHICH ARE IN A GRAY AREA LEADING TO LOTS OF INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS ! )
·
Describe some different styles in casting. Is one style better than another?
Answer: The two that come to mind immediately are the competition caster and the saltwater caster. The competition caster is known for a very vertical strict casting stroke. The saltwater caster has a side arm style which is very common with casters which are wary of the wind and the large flies/hooks they use. Both styles have advantages and disadvantages. The vertical style allows the caster to more easily follow the strait line path in the vertical plane since there is less twisting/body movement involved in the cast; however, it is more difficult to see the back-cast with this style which can result in timing problems for the caster. The side arm style allows the caster to see the back cast but is more prone to rotational problems.
FOR MORE PRECISION AND DETAIL, READ THE ARTICLES ON THIS APPENDED TO THE MASTER STUDY GUIDE ... ESPECIALLY THE ONE ON ARM STYLES BY AL KYTE.
· When
casting for distance, there are some variables in the casting stroke that must
be adjusted. Can you describe them?
Answer: The casting stroke/arc must be increased, the power or speed of the rod tip must increase, the caster will use hauls to further increase power/speed, pauses will be longer between strokes, and the trajectory of the cast will be higher. YES. (SEE MY COMMENT TO THE NEXT QUESTION, BELOW)
· What
do the very best casters-elite casters-do differently than less competent
casters?
Answer: They shift
their weight and rotate there bodies, they open up the arc of their casting
stroke (drift), haul more efficiently and stop more abruptly than lesser
casters.
They straiten the fly line more completely on the back cast, ( greater tension on the line ), accelerate the rod tip on the straighter path and stop the rod more abruptly ( rod butt moves through a smaller arc during stop ) than less competent casters. YES. STUDY THE ARTICLE CALLED, "GOING FOR DISTANCE" BY AL KYTE AND GARY MORAN FOR A LOT MORE DETAIL. (INCLUDED WITH THE MASTER STUDY GUIDE.) WHEN I OUTLINED THIS ARTICLE AND PICKED IT APART, I CAME UP WITH 16 DIFFERENT PARAMETERS. SEE HOW MANY YOU COME UP WITH.
·
Describe the difference between the single haul and the double haul? When would
you use a single haul?
Answer: The single haul is a haul on only the forward or back cast. The single haul can help the caster achieve greater distance on the forward cast or tighten the loop of the cast. YOU DIDN'T DESCRIBE THE DOUBLE HAUL OR GET TO THE MEAT OF THE QUESTION WHICH IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
ALSO: BE AWARE OF A VERY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE DESCRIPTIONS OF SINGLE HAULS AND DOUBLE HAULS BY JOAN WULFF.
GORDY
·