(Not) watching the backcast

[jarmo]

If I watch my backcast, it inevitably affects my casting style and stroke. I would like to watch my backcast, I think I should watch it, but I do not like the end result.

My neck is almost as stiff as my behaviour. If I try to keep a relatively vertical rod plane, I need to have an extremely open stance, and in addition must rotate my body to see the backcast. This quickly becomes a demo of tracking problems.

If I tilt the rod plane considerably, watching the backcast is naturally easier. But this lowers the trajectory of the cast, and at longer distances increases the possibility of ticking.

Some of you have probably had inflexible people like me as students. What do you tell them?

[John Waters]

Don't watch it. If you block the rod correctly on the backcast and use the thumbnail as the indicator your back trajectory and tracking will be correct, then count down and replicate the unfolding time of your forward loop to determine the time it takes your back loop to unfurl, that will ensure your back cast elapsed time is correct. Learn with a fixed length of line and trajectory, tracking and timing will improve very quickly. I use the front loop as the indicator of the health of the back loop. If the forward loop has the correct shape, speed and trajectory, the backcast will also have had the right shape, speed and trajectory.

John

[jarmo]

I use the front loop as the indicator of the health of the back loop. If the forward loop has the correct shape, speed and trajectory, the backcast will also have had the right shape, speed and trajectory.

Yes, in my case, problems almost always happen at the back.

Don't watch it. If you block the rod correctly on the backcast and use the thumbnail as the indicator your back trajectory and tracking will be correct, then count down and replicate the unfolding time of your forward loop to determine the time it takes your back loop to unfurl, that will ensure your back cast elapsed time is correct. Learn with a fixed length of line and trajectory, tracking and timing will improve very quickly.

I will give this a try. The challenge I see is knowing what exactly went wrong if a problem appears: sudden change in tracking, application of power or timing; gradual degradation; or a gust of wind. When fishing this would not be an issue. In a test, much more uncomfortable.

I made significant advances in the alternative today. I was able to rotate my torso and maintain tracking by limiting the amount of movement coming from my arm and shoulder. This also had the unexpected advantage of providing a really smooth way to pull on the backcast. I have not been a big fan of body rotation so far, this might have just changed.

I will experiment with your suggestion. That is what I am doing right now, just trying everything and anything.

Thanks!

[clayed21085]

I've produced the best results for myself by "not" watching the backcast, I have a closed stance even when I'm trying for distance. I have a similar problem if I turn my head, it throws everything off for me, when I check for tracking issues I just let the line fall behind me and work from there, I do occasionally look back in practice to see what the back loop is doing though, but don't attempt a forward cast.
It gives you a kind of sixth sense casting this way, but I also "feel" for the backcast with the rod tip as I drift back maintaining tension
May I add this is how I cast fishing or on grass, for me at the moment there's no change in style, when fishing I'm focusing on what is in front of me and that's how I practice.

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

Of course, using the timing of the unrolling presentation cast is only applicable for the timing of the back cast if the wind is negligible or at 90 degrees. A front or rear wind will assist one and retard the other.

Instead of using your vision to determine your "timing", concentrate more on feeling for tension, not just in the rod hand, but even better in the line hand. Tension will tell you when its time to start the presentation stroke.

I can often be an avid bc watcher when practicing, but when I get things right (loop shape, trajectory, etc) I will stop watching.

Turning to watch can negatively affect my tracking. So I have found that a tall limbless tree (in my case tall pines) can help. Once I get things working how I like, I then position myself so that the bc must stay between me and the tree if I am to stay close to 180 degrees in tracking. If the bc falls out of line, the error is audible if minor or completely devastating if major.

[John Waters]

Gents,

I find that if wind is impacting timing, it will also impact feel. In such cases, turn around and cast into the wind so that you experience the power to apply to the backcast when you turn around again and cast with the wind. That is a much more valuable learning tool than watching the backcast if you want to use “feel” as your indicator.

John