Elbow Out Style

[Thomas]

Hi,

This is Morsie demonstrating elbow out style. It starts at 3:40.



/Thomas

[John Waters]

OK I agree that there are times when we cannot make the perfect cast. There are brambles in every direction, we are swimming down the river trying to make a shot, laying in the bottom of the boat hiding under the seat, possibly we have dug ourselves into a rabbit burrow with only our wrist appearing...

If elbow out is “kayak” or “float tube” style, then why isn’t the guy in the photo sitting in a kayak? (I’ve fished in kayaks a lot by the way but no one told me I should be casting like this and so I cast normally). This restrictive, limited, uncoordinated-looking style, is being used as a default style for every casting circumstance, from short accurate casts to long distance shots. So if your not sitting in a kayak or wading up to your neck – or even if you just don’t know it – then I think there are better techniques.

I’m going fishing

Agree Paul, it should be viewed as a variation only, not a basic of casting technique. It limits both accuracy and distance and when compared to the range of benefits available from the alternative, it is often an eye opening moment for many students.

John

[Morsie]

All styles become techniques when we are advanced enough casters. This demo was given to a bunch of students who ranged from experienced to beginner, and it was done in tropical Queensland where the average rod in use is a #9, the flies are big and often heavy, or small and even heavier. It was also given to a group of people who ranged in age from 14 to 60. Some fished on boats, some in kayaks, and some just waded. The nails that have been whacked on the head here are; self taught, kayak, heavy flies, strong winds, wading deep etc etc etc. It might not fit all of the criteria of being technically perfect but it means people can fish in circumstances that would have many casting pond fluff chuckers ducking for cover. In time, hopefully they will develop subtleties and more advanced techniques...... From elbow out its pretty easy to get someone to go 170 or to go Lefty. But you need to grasp that they exist to even begin teaching them.

[Morsie]

The big issue with elbow out style as I see it is hand height creep. As the self taught caster wants to go longer their hand height begins to climb and they increase the arc rather than the stroke length, and of course this becomes very inefficient. I encourage them to learn to keep their hand at shoulder height and to move their hand further. The elbow out evolves into Lefty style with the elbow staying on the shelf. Elbow out also leads to shoulder issues. The next style is the oval cast which opens up a lot of options for them. I don't teach that as a fundamental style or it runs the risk of becoming their default style with its attendant distance issues, its a special circumstances style. I can tell you that standing on boat with a 20 knot wind and a 3.5 gram crab fly casting accurately and quickly to fish that can appear anywhere, and with all the delicacy you can muster, and with JUST enough line speed to do the job is a challenge, because when those flies hit, they really hurt.

[John Waters]

Hi Paul,

Hope you, or someone else, can assist. I wish to upload a video to this thread but keep getting the message "Invalid file extension Fly Accuracy.mov". Same thing happens with a ".mpg" and a ".m4v" version of the same file.
It is a video I showed at the Australian Gathering some years back, so you have seen it but I would love to post it here and add some comments.
As I have stated here on a number of occasions, I am technically illiterate, some may say comprehensively illiterate, but hope you can assist me. I can view it on my MacBook but can't upload it

Thanks in advance,

John

[Paul Arden]

Hi John, it has to go via YouTube and then embed it here. Alternatively you can send to me and I can do it. We do have a Sexyloops YouTube account for this. I can send you the details tomorrow.


Cheers, Paul

[John Waters]

Thanks Paul, please appreciated. I'll update it to the Sexyloops account.

John

[Paul Arden]

Thanks John. I’ll get this over to you pronto!!

[John Waters]

Thanks Paul, got your email, much appreciated.

I have some editing to do but will post and comment when completed.

John