Thank you for accepting my application

[Sash]

Delighted to have joined: I have been fly fishing for years, and bought my first SWFF rod (an Orvis 9-weight) in the mid-nineties.
I now split my time between fly fishing for sewin (sea-run Browns) on the Cleddau in west Wales, and (European) Bass on the nearby surf beaches.
Plus the occasional overseas trip, Covid-19 permitting.

Personal bests (all the from the shore, on the fly):
- a c.9lbs Bass
- a 30-40lbs Milkfish
- several self-found/self-taught/self-taught Roosterfish

At the other end of the scale, I get increasing pleasure each year from catching ever-smaller wild Brown Trout on 3-weights and below!

[James9118]

Hello Sash, welcome to Sexyloops. I'm up the road from you in north Wales. I'm interested to hear about your milkfish from the shore - that must have been a fight an a half?

All the best, James.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Sash, welcome to the Board - great to have you here! Fantastic catches. Was the bass caught locally? (Not asking for specific marks )

Cheers, Paul

[Sash]

James, Paul,
Thanks for your welcomes.

The bass was indeed local, in Pembrokeshire this year. I have learned in recent years that the bass fishery runs at least to the end of the year, and the bigger fish come in close to shore when the weather is filthy! So I typically fish a 10-weight in the surf, and a 350 grain Depth Charge line, plus large Half & Halfs to get down deep. It seems to work!

The Milkfish was in the Seychelles, and caught on a small green fly. I will try to dig out a photo, because it is a great imitation of algae and weed that the fish were taking. Classic swinging fishing to fish that were holding in the current, a bit like salmon fishing, but they were larger, and FAR stronger: the longest run was well over 100 yards; I broke a few rods that week!

[Paul Arden]

That sounds like interesting fun! Are they (the Bass) in the breakers? I’ve fished for Queenfish that I’ve sighted in the waves

Cheers, Paul

[Phil Blackmar]

I am excited to be a new member. I'm a little different, in more than a few ways , than most on the board. I live in south Texas, Corpus Christi, USA. I like to sight fish the shallow water flats in the area for redfish, saltwater trout and the nearshore oil/gas rigs for Cobia when migrating thru. I have fly fished for bonefish in the Florida Keys, Bahamas and even Hawaii. I played professional golf on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions for over 20 years and have caught largemouth bass on more lakes on golf courses than I can count. I have even caught tarpon and snook on a golf course in Puerto Rico. I am a frustrated decent fly caster with a passion for getting better. For some sadistic reason, I want to throw well over 100', just because. Right now I'm stuck in the 95-105 area but just started practicing Paul's video recommendations. I fearful I am too old and out of shape to achieve this goal. I look forward to reading everyone's posts and even sharing a little of my own with everyone...Thanks for having me.

[James9118]

Hi Phil,

Welcome to Sexyloops. I don't think you should see age as a barrier to casting well (bearing in mind I don't know the toll that years of golf has taken on your body ) . I'm a member of a casting club in the UK and we have a number of 70+ year old members who are capable of casting over 120ft, in fact until last year the #7 record was held by one of these with a cast of over 140ft.

I suspect during your golfing career you've done a lot of analysis of your swing. Casting far with a fly rod is going to take a similar approach. If you can cast straight (forward and backwards) then 100ft should become relatively easy. Try casting at targets on your forward and back casts. Also, try setting up a camera to video you from directly in front (rather than side on), then check whether you keep the rod in the same plane during the cast.

Good luck, James.

[Paul Arden]

I’m quite sure we will be competitive in our 70s. I throw further now at 50, with more control, than at any other point in my life. So don’t see age as a barrier, Phil. First thing you should probably do is learn to throw the same distance as now but with as little force as possible. Then when you add force it’s about learning to control it.

I’ve spent the last three nights carrying 100’ of DT6 lumiline off the boat roof. I would suggest to forget at first about worrying about the longest cast and work instead on your longest carry.

More later!

Cheers, Paul

[Phil Blackmar]

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to write back...thank you......I can cast 95-100 ft no problem, its just carrying enough line on the back cast and transferring enough energy on the forward cast with that amount of line in the air that has me stuck at the moment....I can't imagine carrying 100 ft, incredible....

In the meantime, I am at a friends house in Phoenix AZ and was out practicing my casting when a roadrunner came up...I have a really funny video to post but don't have a clue how to post a video....Help please...I've looked at the help on the site but have had no success...thx again

[Paul Arden]

Hi Phil, what lines are you practising with? Short head WF lines are difficult to make any substantial carry. Not impossible! But very difficult and have a clunky feel. Longer belly or even DT lines lend themselves very well to longer carry. A favourite here is the SA Mastery Expert Distance 5WT which is the line used in the world championships. Indeed it’s the original line that ultimately created the interest that resulted in the WCs happening in the first place! This line has a 72’ head, a long rear taper, and is best carried to around the 90’ mark (give or take a couple of feet) to be competitive.

I do spend a lot of time practising with this one because it’s the official line. But I also use DTs (we have a luminous 6 DT on SL, although waiting for new stock at the moment ). Those two are my most used for distance practise. I do throw shorter belly lines around but that’s more for hitting targets and using the lines I fish with here in the jungle. (The MED5 is also the official accuracy line).

For the distance carry try reaching your maximum carry and then mark the line (or strip measure it to the backing knot - this should be easy to do with a 90’ or 100’ line!). Remember what it is and then next day try again. Conditions vary of course, but you should gradually see an increase.

Long carry is about tracking first and foremost, line speed (delayed rotation and fast effective haul), tracking, loop shape helps (but also that takes care of itself) trajectories and of course tracking.

You’ll be used to starting the movement from your feet so you have a real advantage there. Place your feet apart (most use open stance for distance), bend your knees, and rock from front foot to back foot, turn slightly and cast, then rock from back foot to front foot, turn slightly and cast.

And then of course you need to relax. I focus mostly on targets, which are way off at the horizon or lifted above, 15 degrees or so. Targets, body shift and force application, speed, the late hit. Hit everything after the rod butt passes the perpendicular on a smooth long stroke, and then hit that force through a rotation.

I can’t stress this enough. Often less power is more. And then sometimes we can add power and get more.

It’s a long term game by the way! I’ve been competing for just over 20 years and I’m still figuring it out. That’s the fun part!

Cheers, Paul