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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

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aldear
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#1

Post by aldear »

Hey guys.....been a long long time since I last posted on this board, close to 10 years, maybe more I suspect. I worked in the fishing/rod building industry for 13 years, and during that time had the great opportunity to get to know several of the old masters who are no longer with us. I sold my business in 2009, and haven't really been involved much in fishing, or rod building. However my son is now wanting to learn how to flyfish, so I have been going through old equipment and memorabilia from my time in the business, and recently came across an old manuscript that was given to me by a fisherman from Japan that I wanted to share with like minded individuals who would appreciate it. The back story is, between 2001-2004 I was doing a series of interviews/profiles on some of the great old rod designers for RodMaker magazine, and the first person I interviewed was Jimmy Green. Shortly after the article was published I received a package in the mail from a fellow named Hiroyasu Obana. Mr. Obana was a fly fisherman from Japan, who was going to school here in the states and had read my interview with Jimmy. He had been working for a fly fishing publication in Japan who had also done a profile and Jimmy, and was generous enough to send me a copy of the magazine along with the enclosed hand written manuscript. Jimmy and I had several in depth conversations about the nature of the casting stroke, and what I am posting here is pretty much EXACTLY what he verbally related to me in 2002 during the course of several phone conversations. I want to note that I am posting this here not so much for discussion of Jimmy's theory and technique (its pretty basic stuff), but more for historical documentation and posterity. It's in Jimmy's original handwriting, and I felt it important to share, because after all.....he was a world record holder, designed the first commercially available carbon fiber rod at Fenwick, and also did a TON of pioneering work with modern fly lines as well. Anyway, hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I did remembering that I had it in my collection, and thanks so much to Hiroyasu for his generosity in sharing this manuscript. Hiroyasu...if you're out there in Sexyloops land somehwere, hit me up....would LOVE to catch up with you my friend.

Best Regards,

Andy Dear
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aldear
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#2

Post by aldear »

Part Two
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Lowlevell
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#3

Post by Lowlevell »

youtube got a wonderful little movie with Jim Green https://youtu.be/LVGHjL4zRy0 called Secrets of Fly Casting, by Jim Green
aldear
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#4

Post by aldear »

Yes, I am so glad someone put that movie up. I love watching the opening sequence.

Andy
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Paul Arden
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#5

Post by Paul Arden »

Andy, that's awesome and thanks so much for posting. When was this written? I see the positive stop and pull-back both in there. Wonderful.

I know a Hiro in Japan. I wonder if it's the same guy! I find out :)

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

Flycasting Definitions
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Paul Arden
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#6

Post by Paul Arden »

Great video!!!! Yes it's definitely "pull-back". When was this filmed?

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

Flycasting Definitions
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Jason Borger
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#7

Post by Jason Borger »

I grew up watching that film. My father still has a 16mm print floating around somewhere. Back in the 1970's Fenwick Fly fishing School days. Jim was one of my three major mentors in my casting as I grew up. He's still missed....
I grew up surrounded by fish, flies, and water.
aldear
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#8

Post by aldear »

The film had to be done in the early to mid seventies...he's using an HMG graphite rod which was the original graphite rod that came out in the early 1970's. The funny thing about that is that the only other footage I had seen of Jimmy casting prior to this clip was a brief cameo in one of Mel Kreiger's DVD's done in the late 1990's and I swear the loop shape and size had NOT CHANGED ONE BIT....ITS IDENTICAL.

The manuscript was done I believe in 2002, which is when the article was published in the Japanese fly fishing magazine. This would have been around the same time I did my interview with Jimmy for Rodmaker. When I got to be friends with Jimmy, he was in the last year or two of his life, and had emphyszema if I remember correctly. Same with Press Powell who passed away from Cancer shortly after I did my interview with him. Both were wonderful gentleman, who did great things for this sport. And even though those interviews took place almost 15 years ago, and I have been out of the business 8 years, I still think of both of them very often, and am very appreciative of the opportunity they gave me to do those interviews.

Andy
aldear
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#9

Post by aldear »

Jason,
You probably don't remember this, but shortly after I did that interview , you and I had some correspondence regarding Jimmy (late 2003 I believe). I very vividly remember you telling me about an old film you had of Jimmy feeding his pet Trout and doing casting instruction. I have been completely out of fishing for about 6 years pursuing other interests, but when I started back a few months ago, I found this footage on youtube and IMMEDIATELY thought of you.

Really hope your doing well Jason,

Andy
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Merlin
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Jimmy Green Casting Instruction

#10

Post by Merlin »

Hi Paul

I can see a drift but no pullback in the text. Where is it hidden?
There are some similarities with the "bottle exercise" mentionned by Ritz in his book.
Some handwritten words are very difficult to identify (I tried to put the text in a Word file).

Merlin
Fly rods are like women, they won't play if they're maltreated
Charles Ritz, A Flyfisher's Life
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