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Casting direction

John Waters
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Re: Casting direction

#11

Post by John Waters »

Hi Paul,

Agree with the points you make in your earlier post. Here are some photos from our visit to an Usk Valley Casting Club event a few years ago. This venue has been on my bucket list since I was a lad, after I reading about, and seeing photos, of the event in The Angler's Cast, the best book I have read about casting. The shot of the stone bridge over the Usk was taken at the same spot as the one published in the above referred to book.

Good friends, food, music and casting, the day had it all.

John
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Paul Arden
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Re: Casting direction

#12

Post by Paul Arden »

A band? That’s fantastic. Makes all the difference I think! :) :) Looks like a fun day out!

Andy, when you say they go left or right, do they curve that way or land straight? I’m sure you’ll know it’s normally backcast-forward cast alignment. For anyone who doesn’t know, if the backcast is not directly aligned to the forward target but is off-shoulder then the cast will hook to the left (right hander) - that’s probably 90% of casters. If the backcast target is not straight but instead positioned around the back of the same caster, the fly will hook right - this is pretty rare, maybe 10% of casters.

The same principle applies as to why some tailing loops make collisions and others result in curve casts. (Off-shoulder = collision. behind the back = curve cast).

To fix it lay the rod on the ground. Walk to the tip of the rod trying not to stand on it :p and follow the rod back to find a target 10 miles away in the distance. Look at this target *before* making the casting stroke. And before the loop unrolls look to your forward target (which is also 10 miles away in the distance, directly opposite the back target) and then make your casting stroke.

Without these targets there will always be a tracking problem.

(I know you know that Andy. Just there for anyone who doesn’t :D What surprised me when I first started comp distance was my back target was about 20 degrees off where it should have been. However that appears to be natural amongst most casters. So even when they look they are looking in the wrong place!)

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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John Waters
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Re: Casting direction

#13

Post by John Waters »

Like rods Paul, the music came in different versions. No Stones or AC/DC but a pleasant and gentile addition to the day.

The reason for my question was to get an idea of the direction of the total (final distance backcast and delivey) cast used by most i.e. aligned to, or parallel to the mid-line, or angled across it.

Thanks to all who responded, much appreciated.

John
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Dung Fly
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Re: Casting direction

#14

Post by Dung Fly »

Hi Paul,
I tend to pick an object to make the back cast to (tree or similar) as the basis for any good cast is the back cast.
I believe (my theory) is that Adrenalin kicks in, which in turns adds the ‘throwing’ motion which kicks the forward cast to the left a bit, not by much but it’s enough to make a direction change which results in reduced distance.
The ‘breathing’ routine (3 short hyper breaths followed by 3 long deep breaths) helps me regain composure and concentration. Previously I would just cast, cast, cast and with time it would fall to pieces. Now I find that I can control the cast, my style and more importantly make longer better casts, there is no point in making 8 casts that are 45-48m when you can make 4 casts that are 48-53m.
It’s the difference between thrashing around and being confident And consistent.
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Paul Arden
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Re: Casting direction

#15

Post by Paul Arden »

Hi Andy,

I actually go for the “machine gun approach” :D For 5WT Distance I pick up at around the 17/18m marker, make one backcast with pullback, one forward, another backcast usually with pullback, forward, stopless backcast and launch. I rarely ever make more than 2 false casts - unless there is a real wind problem.

With the three-cycle casting sequence I breathe in, hold, out, in, hold, out. Where I have to remember to breathe, is when stripping in and arranging the line! That’s where I get breathless. Possibly that’s also because I’m talking to myself :D

The reason I think why this works for me, is I’ve ingrained it, so it’s automatic and all I have to think about is targets and the hit, and I think the more casts I can get away the more likely I am to “hook up” a big one. Of course if the wind is blustery I might need to adapt, but usually I still try to go with this approach.

Competition format that I find very hard is the 3 shot format. With 2 minutes however I can usually put down 7-8 shots. I can “relax” and become more fluid with more casts. So I train with 2 minutes on the clock. Even for the worlds where we have three. Then it seems like we have loads of time - unless something goes wrong of course!! :D

What I do think important is that people should practise how they intend to compete. You have 2 or 3 minutes. What’s your game plan? Everyone has nerves so having a game plan helps deal with them. I’m not trying to break records with my first cast. I just want that one to go straight - unless the conditions require that I make the most of that one - but mostly my first few casts are about settling in using a structured plan that I’ve been practising for 2-3 months.

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Dung Fly
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Re: Casting direction

#16

Post by Dung Fly »

For ICSF ev2 I first started like a caster possessed starting off at 100mph and soon ran out of steam with poor distances. The change has helped and still allowed me to get the results that I’m after.

The lighter weights 5&7 are less stressful on the body.
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Paul Arden
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Re: Casting direction

#17

Post by Paul Arden »

I agree. Different game plan for T38! You have 5 minutes and most of that time is spent stripping in. It’s not nearly so wind affected.

If I put put out a bum cast on the 5WT I can be be back in the air a few seconds later, but with T38 I have to strip and carefully organise all the line again.

Very interesting how very similar games - fly distance - have two totally different game plans! One is machine gun (for me) and the other is meticulous attention.

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Dung Fly
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Re: Casting direction

#18

Post by Dung Fly »

Even more so for the Salmon Distance (Ev6), I’ve often thought about taking a coffee with me for a half time break 😎
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Paul Arden
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Re: Casting direction

#19

Post by Paul Arden »

:D :D
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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carlz
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Re: Casting direction

#20

Post by carlz »

Paul Arden wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:51 am We probably need drones or overhead cameras. Action replays. Pompom girls. Free beer. Huge financial rewards just for turning up.
You don't have those? ... I thought we all had those.
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