Quiz / Lefty on Dan's questions

Lefty (I hope I may be so informal),

Thank you for your email. I know you must be very busy, so I very much appreciate your responses.

First, I think my problem with the pick-up was exactly as you prescribed - keeping the rod hand rising (not just going back). It seems to be significantly better now.

Regarding the second question (actually the first from my original note), I actually meant that my loop seems to curve to the left during the presentation. This doesn't seem to happen when I keep the cast completely vertical. There seems to be something wrong with my tracking when I move out to the side. I'm not following a straight line path, and it would appear that this is occuring early in the stroke, since the effect is not seen until the very end of the unfurling of the loop during the delivery. Any suggestions here?

Two additional questions I was wondering if you might comment on (if/when you have time):

When casting short distances (30-40 feet) my casts are damn near perfect (if I do say so myself), but the problem for me begins when I attempt to make longer distance casts - 60/70/80 foot range. I seem to try to accelerate and stop the rod too abruptly. The result is a loop that looks like the first attached picture I sent (dans_cast.gif) - a tailing (or very close to tailing) loop which occurs out at the end of the cast. If I attempt to 'smooth' out the cast by not shocking the rod so much, I just don't have the power. Hauling seems to exacerbate this. Any recommendations?

The second question is more of a general casting question and in this case a picture is worth 1000 words (see stroke.gif). I'm always being instructed to stop the rod earlier in my forward stroke because the loop will travel forward (as in the second figure), but it would appear that much of the stroke is wasted during what I have labeled the drift portion. How does one utilize this (as in the first figure) without driving the loop downward?. I was wondering your thoughts.

Finally, I just wanted to let you know how much of an impact your books and instructional videos have had on budding casters such as myself. I've never met you personally, but I have a few friends who have - namely my casting instructor Bob Rumpf and the president of my fishing club, Bob Reuter of Southern Catskill Anglers. I look forward to meeting you at some fly fishing show in the future and thanking you in person for all you've done for this tremendous sport we love,

Dan Storaska

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Here is Lefty's answer. Lots of information here. Lefty's teaching tricks and "word pictures" are endless. I, for one, will archive this message ! Gordy :-

Hi Dan---I get many e-mails a day--plus I am working on a book--doing regular columns, taking care of my wife and doing seminars and clinics. I was in Bahamas twice recently coaching guys to catch bonefish and at Marriott's Fly Fair in Cal. last weekend and will be at Renzetti's Fly Vise fair in Titusville this Fri--thru this Sun. I only mention this to say when you write me it may be some time before I can get around to answering.

As to you first question (loop to left) I don't know if you have my new casting book. But is is well explained in there that with any side backcast be sure to lay the forearm over at 45 or more degrees before starting and if the elbow tracks back and forth on the shelf and the thumb remains behind the rod handle from the target (NO TWISTING OF THE WRIST) the line will travel straight back.

The reason your vertical cast has no such problem is that your wrist does not twist on the cast and the thumb remains behind the rod handle from the target during the stroke.

One way people can easily correct such a problem is to think about their THUMBNAIL. The cast begins with the thumb behind the handle from the target--and the ELBOW SLIDES ON THE IMAGINARY SHELF. Raising the elbow off the shelf during the cast can create a number of problems.

The cast begin with the angler having a mental picture that THE THUMBNAIL WILL TRAVEL DIRECTLY AWAY FROM THE TARGET THROUGHOUT THE BACKCAST. This would eliminate your problem.

I am sure why your longer cast go badly. You are using extra force with the rod hand--which tends to deteriorate your line loop. NEVER TRAY TO GET ADDITIONAL EFFORT OUT OF THE ROD HAND. In stead--INCREASE THE HAUL SPEED. The book clearly explains this and shows how to make faster hauls without messing the loop.

REMEMBER A DOUBLE HAUL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A GEAR SHIFT AND WHEN EXTRA EFFORT IS NEEDED GETTING FROM THE ROD HAND CREATES PROBLEMS___SIMPLY HAUL FASTER! Most casters use the same haul speed for most cast--a mistake.

Try this---hold the rod WITH ONLY THE THUMB AND FIRST TWO FINGERS. The small and ring finger are pointing away from the hand. You are gripping the rod ONLY with the the thumb and first two fingers.

Now--you can't overpower the rod. To get more distance you need to change--increase--the speed of your haul. When you do this to get extra distance there is a natural inclination to overpower the rod hand--screwing up the loop. By greatly increasing haul speed and accelerating the rod with only the thumb and two fingers you can't overpower the rod. This will teach you that haul speed gets extra distance not how much force you apply with the rod hand.

I am not sure what your last question is--but here is a simple way to learn or teach the proper forward casting stroke. Go to a Target or Wal-Mart store,. They sell little travel bottles of hand lotion, toothpaste, etc--for a $1 each. They also sell a small empty bottle. Buy it, throw away the cap. Attach at LEAST 2 feet of old fly line to the bottle--to the other end attach a fishing snap.

Assemble the butt section and next section of a fly rod--do not put on the two upper sections. Attach the reel and clip the snap to the fly reel.

Place the empty bottle on the end of the rod section. Place the rod back to where a forward cast would begin. Tell the person to throw the bottle straight ahead. If they accelerate to soon or too fast the bottle will fly skyward. Within minutes they realize that the stop if made ONCE THE ROD HAND IS IN FRONT OF THE BODY THE PROPER FORWARD CAST OCCURS. If they accelerate too abruptly in the beginning this will cause the bottle to fly off in the wrong direction. I use 20 feet at least of line--if you use a shorter line the student often can't see the direction of flight,.

Try this and let me know how it works.

All the Best,

Lefty