More answers to teaching questions / Blow Line fishing & Dapping

Determine - by having them cast

You seem to want me to categorize?. Not necessarily .... up to you. G.

Suggested approach: Make a list of 2 to 4 qualities about a casting student that could be used to place him as a BEGINNER, an INTERMEDIATE or an ADVANCED caster.

a. What are the qualities you would use (consider) ?

Can they accurately decribe "loop", or equilavent, and the role of the loop in fly casts? If not - they are a novice.

Can they use a fly rod and line to generate a controlled loop, delivering a fly to 35 feet one handed?

Are they consistent in delivering good loops back and front at varying distances from 25 to 50 feet without breakdown of loop quality?

Can they properly demonstrate accurate, adaptive techniques for various fishing situations like: loop size, wind, mend for current, heavy or high-profile terminal tackle, around obstacles, shooting line, etc.?

b. How do you weight them ?

Weighting is difficult because some are foundation for subsequent skills. Would you consider weighting these highest ? G.

Things I consider geenrally important are, in order

1. Control (OF: power, rod tip action, line, loop, fly, self, etc.)

2. Consistency (repeatability of skill even as conditions change)

3. Resilience (perseverance) [ this incorporates observation and dialing-in improvement]

4. Accepting / receiving coaching - asking for help, doing what is needed to improve including practice and self-analysis, video etc.

2.) Understanding the components of casting mechanics is important for teaching. How useful is understanding them for learning ?

Mathematics may have little teaching value but "math-types" like math language in their lesson. Adapt to the student.

The Five Essentials and the value of STOP are probably enough as they relate to loop control etc.

I certainly agree with adapting this to the student. Some will be turned off when the instructor gets what they consider to be, "too technical". Others benefit greatly by digesting more technical material. G.

3.) How important is it for learning for students to know why ? 4.) Explain you answer to 3

Pretty important - I like to relate each new skill I introduce to a real-world fishing situation.

When to use a particular technique (windy, quiet pool, mixed current, etc.) puts the student in a frame of reference for when they may have to apply the maneuver. Yes. Gives the student some background to help him to teach himself.

additional questions:-

5.) Some experienced teachers of fly casting feel that it is very important to classify students into these catagories (Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced.) Other equally experienced teachers feel that this is a useless exercise for which reason they don't do this in their schools.

How do you feel about this ?

If a class is designed to develop a specific set of skills, it is convenient to have all participants to an adequate pre-requisite ability level. Group may progress without individuals lagging too much - less frustration for all.

Usually, participants vastly over-estimate their individual skills. Their view of decades of "fly fishing" being equivalent to "high skill level" remains faulty. In this situation asking the "experienced" people to tolerate the foundation skill building acts as a "refresher" to no ones detriment.

A third important concept is instructor to student ratio. I have evolved to realize that smaller ratio's provide better return for the invested time. This is especially true at higher levels of ability and for more specific skill development. My preference 6 students to 1 instructor -maximum. Beginners - maybe 4 to 1.

6.) You have undertaken the teaching of fly casting to three female students in their thirties. They have hired you to help them improve their casting so they can do well on a fly fishing trip they've planned for trout on a famous river. You have no assistants, so your instructor/student ratio is 1:3. You have a full afternoon of 4 hours to accomplish your objectives.

One has never held a fly rod and has only observed anglers using one, so she wants to learn how to cast. Call her "A"

The second has barely mastered a basic cast. She can false cast and can shoot about 15' of line max. She doesn't haul. Her loops are often of medium size, though not consistently so. She gets an occasional tailing loop when trying for distance and doesn't handle wind well, at all. Call her "B"

The third casts with nice tight, well controlled loops. She can haul well and can shoot line out to make an 80' presentation. Her shorter casts are accurate and her application of power appropriate to the amount of line carried. She knows how to handle wind from different directions. Call her "C"

a.) What level would you ascribe to each ?

B - Beginner to a little better than beginner

C - High level - almost expert

b.) What are your GOALS and OBJECTIVES for each ?

A- Goal - Independent on Water and safe

A - Name parts of rod, reel, line (belly), leader and role of each- safety issues (eye protection)

Assemble gear without help

Attach fly with simple knot

Attach tippet with simple knot

Casting Goal 35 foot controlled loop & roll cast 30+ feet (straighten line)

Strip line from reel and strip line to retrieve

Keep a bend in the rod during fight

Two stroke false cast

B- Fewer interruptions of fishing with better presentation and control

Sidearm and Opposite shoulder cast (early wind adaptation)

Loop Control (narrower loops)

Delayed Rotation (fewer tails)

Increase one-hand distance to 40 feet carried for a four stroke false cast

One-hand shoot 30%+ of line carried

Simple haul one direction

C - Ask her what she wants to work on and let her set targets. Pick those that are doable.

Ask her to help me teach!

c.) How will you plan this important afternoon ?

(Submitted without times for each piece)

Location with rest rooms and uninterrupted area

Gear inspection and commentary (have extra gear for everyone)

Demonstrate gear assembly and have them assemple their stuff

describe the "Essentials" -SLP, smooth acceleration, no slack , long stroke for long cast, long pause for long cast, stop with authority.

Describe with line on ground Loop size, shape & parts of loop and "candy-cane" or "Lazy-J" shape.

Convex tip path - wider loop; SLP - narrow loop; Concave tip path - tailing loop and why this presents problems.

Begin loop exercises - wide to narrow

Narrow one-two-lay it down

Probably will have to introduce limiting wrist over rotation

General rule 2 - 5 minutes of drill maximum for each skill.

Stop drills when observe fatigue and demo the next step

Every hour break for bathroom, water, etc.

Friendly Contest for narrowest loops on horizontal - introduce "Stop harder" concept.

Overhead cast 1-2-3-4-lay down.

Attach or Replace Yarn fly with improved clinch knot - A- gets practice

Increase line carried by 2 foot increments not to exceed head - to these end point targets

Introduce simple presentation methods -

Puddle cast - when, why, how

Reach Mend - when, why, how (Left AND Right)

Review principles - more line behind = greater potential distance; don't cast across fly; sotp before go; can't cast longer than head length; control down stroke -more like throwing knives than chopping wood - pound nail high in front of you.

Layout back cast narrow loop opposite target on ground (Tom White method)

Move B & C to opposite shoulder work and target B-30 ft; C-40 ft

Move all to narrowing roll cast loops

Introduce late haul on roll casts and practice

Overhead Casting to targets, narrow loop

B- haul on some of these

A, B, C - demo Delayed Rotation

Practice with coaching

Break - water/ bathroom

Introduce One-hand shoot for B & C to try and A may try if ready

Practice drill & coaching

Replace tippet on each line with double overhand knot - A- gets practice with knots

Friendly Contest - Who can shoot the greatest percentage of line carried.(one-handed)

Take turns and analyze components of 'good shoot' set-up

Correlate to good cast loop & delayed rotation

Side arm, off shoulder as applied to cross winds B, C

Deliver back cast for strong head wind - A,B, C

Oval cast as applied to strong head/tail winds B, C

Roll cast if tail wind - A, B

Review Skills and key Performance criteria

Recommend practice regimen

Invite follow-up contact and problem solvng

Caution about over-doing practice sessions - injury & pain, failed skill building

"Perfect Practice Makes Perfect - Practice Mistakes and Achieve Mediocrity"

"This lesson will not make you a better caster- only daily, good practice can do that."

Skills for each participant based upon Q & A

Send e-mail follow-up with notes for day to each individual.

We might wish to find out more about the river they'll be fishing. Specific instruction could be tailored to this ...... makes a big difference whether they will fish a small, "famous" spring creek or a large river from a drift boat, etc.

Submitted by Gary Eaton

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Tony Loader sends a reference on BLOW LINE FISHING :-

Hi Gordy,

Jason Borger's "Nature of Fly Casting" Pages 248 - 249.

Regards,

Tony.

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Question on the same subject by Pete Humphries :-

Hi Gordy,

Is blow line fishing the same as what we English people refer to as "dapping"? Dapping is a method used on lochs and lakes to dance a dry fly on the surface for trout and Atlantic salmon. A very long rod and a silk line is used. The silk line is suspended off the surface of the water and acts as a sail for the wind to catch the line and make the fly dance on the surface to attract a taking fish.

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Pete: Yes, indeed.

In the U.S.A., as well as in the U.K., the term, DAPPING is sometimes used a bit differently. (See, below). Common to both uses of the term, "Dapping" and "Blow Line Fishing" is the principle that the dry fly can be worked on the water with the leader suspended above the surface....not in it.

Gary Borger, in his book, PRESENTATION, (p. 286) gives a detailed explanation on this blow line fishing and points out that it is a centuries old technique once embraced by the, "Mayfly anglers" of the Scottish loches. He goes in to detail on the use of what he calls a, "blow line" made from multifilament untwisted polypropylene yarn to catch the wind in order to kite the fly onto the water's surface with no leader in the water.

The term, "Dapping" is also used with no wind or with protection from it. Basically, it consists of a, "cast" in which the angler tries to conceal himself while reaching out and "working" the dry fly with multiple touch downs, the leader not even in the water. Can be used when nymph fishing to fish close by pocket water or lake water, using the rod to raise and lower the nymph. One reference for this method is:

CASTING ANGLES, Mac Brown , pp. 179, 180. (Check out Fig. 7.27 at the top of p. 179 for one method of doing this.)

Also: THE ORVIS FLY-FISHING GUIDE, Tom Rosenbauer, p.2.

Also: THE NATURE OF FLY CASTING, Jason Borger, pp. 247-248.

And: The FLY FISHERS ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY, by Darrel Martin, pp. 23 - 24 (Blow line fishing) and pp. 53 - 54 (Dapping)

Now for a bit of historical research with information you really didn't need :-

From William Lauson's edition (year 1620) and later editions of John Dennys's THE SECRETS OF ANGLING, is this early description of, "dapping" or "bushing" :

" If the winde be rough, and trouble the crust of the water, he will take it in the plaine deeps, and then, and there, commonly the greatest will rise. When you have hookt him, give him leave, keeping your line streight, and hold him from roots, and he will tire himselfe. This is the chiefe pleasure of angling. This flie and two linkes among wood or close by a bush, moved in the crust of the water, is deadly in the evening. This is called bushing for trouts."

In, A HANDBOOK OF ANGLING , 1888, by Edward Fitzgibbon (His pen name, "Ephemera") there is an artist's picture of an angler hiding in the brush, dapping. He places his fly on a floating leaf .... then teases it off into the water to attract a strike from a trout.

Gordy