Teaching / Hauls / Salty, "Quick cast". / Knots

On teaching from Liam Duffy. (I tried to send this one before, but not sure it went out properly) :

Hi Gordy,
Totally different subject but I think it may be a good idea. I was giving a workshop to aspiring instructors and I explained that they should think of the course/lesson like a film or theatre production meaning I explained that the instructor should consider himself/herself as the "director" and not the "star".

The director lays out how to do things and the students are the "stars" if the instructor can explain and demonstrate how and why things should be done and get the "Stars" to do it correctly then as we say in Ireland "the job's a good one" I have seen too many instructors who feel and believe they are the "star" of the "Show"(class) when I get a student to perform as well as myself (or better!) I know I've done a good job in instructing
If you think it may help, pass it on, if not forget I sent this email
Best Regards,
Liam Duffy

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Liam.. I took the liberty of highlighting your most important statement in this message.

Gordy

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One of our members sent me a question on how to handle the questions on hauls as well as the performance of them on an MCCI exam. The message contained some personal information, so I'll not print it out for us ...... I'll send the bulk of my answer, however :-

Lefty taught and wrote for many years that the most efficient haul was the perfectly timed quick/short pull made at the point of maximum rod bend near the end of the stroke.

All this was before high speed video analysis and electronic stroke monitoring was available. New techniques of monitoring competition distance casters have also been used. With these techniques we've learned this:-

1.) In the hands of world class casting experts who are capable of perfect timing, the short, crisp haul techniques work well. For us mere mortals and, certainly for the vast majority of our students, it doesn't work as well because we don't have that rare timing ability.

2.) For most casters, it appears that the greatest haul efficiency is gained by matching the length of the haul as well as its acceleration to that of the casting stroke, ie. the so-called, "mirror image" concept.

3.) Just as we have the general dictum of, "short cast : short stroke / long cast : long stroke", thus matching the length of the casting stroke and rod arc to the length of the cast, we now have : " short stroke : short haul / long stroke : long haul " .

4.) One of the many reasons this works well for most casters and students of casting is that it is much more forgiving than the method of making a short quick haul at a precise point in time. It is that very precision which is so hard for students to achieve.

5.) Having said all that, the level of precision of timing is still important when casting distance competitively, for there it reaches the level of having split second timing, not only for the matching of the length of the haul to that of the cast, but to the inertia of the line carried as well as the acceleration curves of the rod tip, the casting hand, and that of the haul hand. To this is added the split second timing of when to stop the haul when false casting and exactly when to release the line from the line hand at the conclusion of the haul with relation to RSP (the rod straight position.) on the delivery cast or when shooting line behind.

On MCCI exams, the candidate should not blindly embrace one method alone, but should be aware of the casting mechanics behind whatever decisions he/she makes when asked questions on this topic. This is the kind of in-depth understanding of casting that we like to see.

With regard to performance on the casting part of the exam, I think most of the examiners will be looking for matching of the length and acceleration of the haul to that of the rod along with the avoidance of slack between the haul hand and the stripper guide of the rod as line is, "given back".

As you know, Joan Wulff and many of her, "disciples" use wording to describe the, "single haul" and the, "double haul" which is quite different from that used in most other teachings and casting literature. She states that you have made a, "single haul" if you don't give back line, even if you do it on the forward stroke and again on the back stroke. Most others teach that you have made a single haul if you do it on either the forward cast or the back cast but not both...... and you've made a, "double haul" when you do a pull with the line hand on each stroke. The latter concept doesn't take into account the giving back of line.

Hi Al,

Great responses this week.

Wanted to let all in our study group know that my brother Lee Davison (MCI) just passed his Two Handed Test today in Salem. Lee had the honor of being tested by Mr. Al Buhr and Mr. Dwight Klemin.

It takes a lot of dedication, study, and practice to meet the challenges of these tests. I am very proud of my brother Lee, who has just added another great dimension to this wonderful life long journey.

All the best

Gary Davison

Gulf Coast Spey

FFF Certified Casting Instructor

CND Custom Design: Representative

Willis, TX.

Office: 936-890-9639

Cell: 281-415-5142

gulfcoastspey

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The quick cast has to be one of my all time favorites. In the early 90's, when I first heard of the FFF CCI, I was told I would have to make a 70 foot cast with just one back cast. Even though I was a poor caster at the time I started practicing and learned how to haul - stop - drift - pause and "milk" that one backcast for all it was worth. The only way I could do it was to have 30 or so feet on line in front of me. Later I discovered I did not need to make this cast for the CCI test but it sure laid a great foundation for my quick cast.

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Scott... I remember that years ago, the MCCI performance test had a requirement which has since been delivered. Back then, you were allowed to use a # 9 outfit. The task was to pick up 45' of line from the water, make one back cast and deliver to 60'.

In weedless waters, I'll occasionally to this for my flats, "quick cast". I'll allow about 25' - 30' of line to drift out in the current and hold it there. When a fish shows, I do a quick water haul, making one back cast and shoot out to the critter. Of course, the tricks include starting with your rod tip right down at the water level, use a floating line, and make your pick up back cast, not from your dangle position, but straight back from your intended target. It, then, becomes at one and the same time, a, "quick cast" and a, "change of direction cast."

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It's been a few years, but I do remember you showing us that during your MCCI exam. ( I was one of your examiners.)

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Some brief comments in red on his choice of the perfection loop knot for shock tippets by Carl Zarelli (Added to my text):

Most loop knots, clinch knots of various types, snell knots, etc. resist failure when used to affix the fly to a heavy shock tippet ..... so resistance to failure is rarely the most important issue. Here is what I seek when chosing that connection:-

1.) Does the knot / connection result in the desired movement of the fly ? (Sometimes I want it to track straight .... sometimes I prefer to have it, "swim". At other times I want a, "wiggle".) Yes this one is for the wiggle because of the obvious loop.

3.) Is it reasonably easy to tie using heavy material (such as 60 - 80 lb. test FC or stiff nylon mono.) ? Yes very . We were chasing large fish and used nothing less than 80 lb.

4.) In the event I want a free swinging fly, I'll use a loop knot. Can I adjust the size of that loop easily ? (In my hands the Lefty Kreh non-slip loop and the Perfection loop don't lend themselves to really small loops.... hard to adjust. Very easy to make neat small loops with the Homer Rhode loop.) This one does and it is the way the perfection loop is tied. A little different than the way I was used to tying it. I thought I had found the way it was tied on a web site but have lost the address . Will look again. It didn't look like a perfection loop to me at first ( even though this is what it was named) but after looking closely at the knot it looked to qualify.

6.) Does the tag end come out toward the fly ?.... or toward the leader (where it would tend to catch weeds.) ? No issues with weeds in the this area but a good question and something to consider . This tag end comes out the same 90 degrees as I recall . It does not stick out very far and this I am sure comes from years of him tying it and clipping it down fairly close . Although I am sure if dragged through the weeds it may tell the truth about the knot.

7.) Am I likely to be fighting a monstrous fish for several hours ? (A standard Homer Rhode may pinch itself off after many hours under tension.) This had no problems with that issue . I fought a fish for quite a long time and it wasn't the knot that finally broke it was the line that continued to rub across his head from going deep and having to pull him up.

Carl .... I have trouble adjusting that knot for size, especially when I want a small loop. I also find it a pain to tie it to a fly. Love to see the method you've learned as noted in, 4.).