Grip (By any other name).... / Curve casts & mends

I wish I had a decidedly better offering. Unfortunately the misnomer “grip” is widely used in relation to the use of a fly rod, that it conveys (as a verb) the wrong impression to most people is confirmed by the dictionary definition (see below) because we cannot “grip” a fly rod and make good casts, that is physically impossible!

“Grip” as defined in the dictionary is likely to cause injury to your students. Let’s concentrate on the single handed rod. I tell my students to hold the rod gently but firmly at times if need be (e.g. to make the “stop” (no doubt about what “stop” means fortunately!)). As an example I might say that they should be able to easily rotate the rod handle in their grasp.

Here are a few experiments for you to carry out, I use these at my schools, try them for yourself and let us know what you find. You need a pen, paper and the handle of a fly rod (butt section).

2 – Hold the fly rod (any “grip” you like) and then grip it tightly and note the feeling in your muscles, is it uncomfortable, did it hurt? Where?

3 – Hold the rod gently again. Pantomime back and front cast movements, slowly (forget the stops) and try to make the rod move very, very smoothly. Smoothness is key to great casting. Happy?

5 – Finally grip the pen tightly and again make your normal signature in the middle of the sheet of paper. Compare with (1)

Using the word “Grip” is really not such a big issue as long as students know that you mean to “grip” lightly (contradiction in terms?) or hold gently. Two handed rods are a different matter because you hardly have to hold them at all!

Gordy as usual is precise and correct with his answers on curve casts/mends. However I have a comment re the final sentence.

“Since that is a compound set of moves involving a cast to the left and a distinct mend to the right, it may not pass on your MCCI exam as a curve cast if a strict interpretation of the definitions is held.”

Any cast with a positive acceleration to a stop includes counter-flex and rebound; they are unavoidable – part of the cast. If you finish the cast faster and stop quicker these consequences are exaggerated and it’s very difficult to tell for sure whether a mend is also being made. My definition of a mend is simpler; a movement made after the rod has stopped (after rebound). This may not be precise but consider the time frame. “And one” spoken takes a second so RSP is within the spoken “A” and RSP, counter-flex and rebound may occur within “And”. Pretty quick!

Begs the question: When does the cast end ? At the STOP ? At RSP ? After REBOUND ? We can make that a definition not yet ageed upon.

Often, as an examiner, everything happens so fast that I cannot tell if the caster has used a very brief, "mend" to assist rod counterflex in magnifying or positioning the curve.

We can make a curve layout by casting in the vertical plane and making a twist (torqueing the rod) in the direction we wish the fly to go, then instantly making a reverse twist in the opposite direction ..... the first prior to the stop and the second after the stop .... done so quickly that even the caster can't relate these torque maneuvers to the stop. Tom White and I were only actually able to discern the difference when we made a video and played it back in slow motion.

I ran that by Ed Jaworoski, who felt that only a twist in one direction was needed, for he felt that the rod would literally, "untwist" afterward to throw the belly of the curve in the direction opposite that of the fly. I don't have evidence that this actually happens sufficiently to have an effect.

My sidearm curve cast is made by using a horizontal casting plane (horizontal rod plane), overpowering the cast for high line speed, and a very abrupt early stop, (between 45 and 90 degrees). Counterflex swings the tip in the direction I want the fly to go. I can make a second move in that direction to assist counterflex ........ but it is the counterflex which mainly does the job. This is in line with your statements, above.

Now we can get into semantics ..... Yes, counterflex is part of the cast ..... so perhaps we should say that a mend is repositioning of the line after the STOP.

No argument THAT I HAVE NOT MADE a mend when we make the cast including counterflex to effect the layout.

Also, if I make the, "mend" move after rebound, then I agree it is a MEND.

I do think, though, that when I purposefully make a move after the stop & RSP during and in the direction of counterflex, that my move is a MEND.

I do that, for example, when I make a dramatic right angle hook variation of that curve cast. My own way of labeling that is that it is a, CAST-MEND.

Best wishes,

Ally Gowans

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~