[First_Name & Group....
From Ally Gowans:-
Hi
Gordy,
Wow! The marked lines
query certainly got attention. Thanks for that and thanks to Dusty, Chuck and
Guy for their comments. My opinion is that instructors should be capable of
taking the tests without additional aids and I view marked lines as such. There
is nothing in the rules that allows marked lines either.
This brings me to
another matter which I hope Dusty and Chuck may consider. I do a lot of teaching
and it is rare for me to use my own rods, of course if a client needs to borrow
a rod or a line I have them available. It is important to teach with the
student’s own equipment and so it is important that an instructor be able to
pick up any reasonably balanced outfit and demonstrate and teach with it. It is
also important that an instructor be able to identify deficiencies in tackle.
When I was involved compiling instructor’s exams for other organisations I tried
hard to get agreement to all or part of the exam being done with equipment
supplied by the organisation. The equipment may not be handed over properly
balanced and the student would have the opportunity to object and have it
altered before proceeding. I think that this would introduce more reality into
the tests and encourage candidates to learn how to “feel” rods and find the
sweet spots quickly.
Most of the published
answers to the Spey casting questions displayed good understanding so just a few
additional comments from me.
Spey cast – Means of
changing direction employing a roll cast.
Single Spey cast – This
is a true continuous motion change of direction dynamic roll cast, ideally the
line and the rod will move throughout the process.
Double Spey
cast – This is really a means of achieving a line layout to allow a
significant change of direction by utilising a basic roll
cast.
Anchor – Ideally the
minimum amount of fly/leader/line in contact with the water and in front of the
casters shoulder required to stabilise the D loop.
D loop – A “D”
shaped loop of line suspended from the rod tip to a point in front of the
casters shoulder and aligned with the intended forward cast
direction.
L bank downstream
wind – My downstream snap also works well.
D loop on windward
side – When the wind is light and non-threatening. Stronger winds can be coped
with if almost horizontal planes are used for the
cast.
Dominant hands –
Spey casters should not have a dominant hand! (Backhanded versions of double
handed casts are awkward but some students may insist in using them and we
should be able to teach them).
White mouse – A common
pet!
Best
wishes,
Ally Gowans
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COMMENTS : Ally uses refreshingly different language and some alternative points of view in answering the Spey questions.
As for using different tackle combos: Several years ago, I took Joan Wulff's Instructor Course. She had 8 very different rod/line combinations .... one for each of us. None of us had ever used any of them. We made many casts with the rod given us, then placed it down and moved to the next outfit and repeated the casts..... continued this as a, "round robin" until all had used each outfit. Detailed critique followed.
I always examine the outfit a candidate brings to a test ..... and cast with it.
Gordy
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From Pete Humphreyes:-
Hello Gordy,
I liked Rick's answers to the spey quiz - short and concise. Your question regarding the two minute pause before delivering the cast - I would definitely say that you have made a spey cast. Andy Murray and Simon G both do a deadline roll cast to start their presentations to demonstrate that the mechanics of a roll cast are the same as a spey cast in the fact that you have a D loop and a anchor. With the deadline roll the D loop is very small and soft but it still fits the description of "a belly or loop of line below and behind the rod tip". Both Andy and Simon draw the rod back to past vertical and let a D loop slowly form behind the tip then they pause for a long time and often crack a joke about "we have time to drink a glass of scotch". Then they apply smooth power to a abrupt stop and out goes the cast.
Tight fishing situations with trees or high cliffs behind you and a very limited back cast space require a very soft D loop with little more than a deadline roll cast to present the fly. You can still use the spey moves to reposition the anchor but the final delivery is done with a dead line roll cast because there is no room to put a dynamic loop behind the rod tip.
Pete
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COMMENT: Pete, Ally, Rick, Andy Murray, Dereck Brown and Simon Gawesworth apparently all agree that one can make a Spey cast as a roll cast with a dead line back cast. I remember well, taking lessons on Spey casting from Mike and Denise Maxwell who took the opposite position. Mike used to say that a Spey cast done poorly could, "degenerate into a roll cast." He took umbrage with the very idea that a Spey cast was a type of roll cast. (" Different strokes for different folks !"). Good to know these different views.
I'd also like to hear from Dennis Grant re his view on this.
Gordy
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To you Spey experts, I'll now pose the question: Does the roll cast with a, "dead line back cast" and a definite stop prior to the forward cast belong in the family of elliptical casts ?
Gordy
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Rick Whorwood comes in with his, "Long answer" in defense of his position:
Rick Whorwood on marked lines (Counterpoint):-