The Board

Paul

In reviewing "The Essentials" (always good to go back to basics) I was wondering what your reasoning and rationale is for "Circle, Eights and Straights" exercise. Is this for improving line control?

Regards,

Rob Mellors

For me its teaching tension changes, from the complete circle, through the change with oval. And then tight loops.

That's a good point. It can also help fix wrist control problems because it's hard to draw a circle from the wrist. Haysie first noticed this.

But mostly for me it's about tension and how it can increase with loops. Or at least that's how it "feels".

Cheers, Paul

I'm going to write a mobile page for each cast and link it after the clip. There I'll write about why, how, when, where. Key points. Exercises. And then link to more info and here to the Board.

I'm going to do this before I die.

Cheers, Paul

Thanks Paul. That makes total sense for mastering tension changes and great if it can help wrist control. I'll try it out on a guy I'm teaching, who casts nice loops, but a bit wide and see if it helps.

Don't go dying too soon, like to see the "linked pages" for the mobile app :-) That would be a nice upgrade! I like your app a lot, it's a great piece of work.

Cheers,


Rob.

Thank you!

UPDATE!

It's one of those things that either works or it doesn't, Rob. When it works it gives more line control, the hand motion is more fluid and the loops are tighter. I think it also helps remove excess force. But when it doesn't work it's just crap

One of the main reasons for including it originally in this sequence was (is) to give the student greater confidence in keeping the line aerialised, prior to the next step.

When I'm teaching in person I usually only introduce this exercise either in an attempt to solve too much wrist or to give greater line control. I probably use it only in about 10% of beginner's lessons. However being in the field gives us a considerable advantage and we can improve students with greater ease*, consequently, because I'm not there, I feel that it's a worthy inclusion in these Lessons.

What I don't think we've had yet, is total beginners learning flycasting solely through these lessons - plenty of advanced students yes! It will be interesting to see how the results go because this will undoubtedly happen now. Something I will do is for my next student, instead of me teaching him or her, is to simply give them access to the video tutorials and then to watch. That should prove quite fascinating actually.

Two and a half years later, the linked pages are coming!

Cheers, Paul

*In particular we can cast with them, either by guiding their hands and giving them the feel of us casting, or by mirrored casting with two rods casting simultaneously. Neither of which are currently possible via the Internet

Paul,
Should this drill be practiced in both directions (clockwise and counterclockwise). Just asking from a beginner's stand point since there are others that are practiced both left and right (reach cast, wind on the casting side, etc.)

Regards Charles

Hi Charles,

Believe it or not, I've never thought of that. It certainly won't hurt!

James points out they are infinities and not no.8s

Cheers, Paul