Essential Level Challenge

[Boisker]

Paul.... having had a play at most of the tasks I reckon 2m is very generous, to be honest unecessarily so. Some of the casts, such as backhanded curve cast at 30’, are at a level that probably means the PUALD and others at 40’ don’t need a target greater than 1m.
Saying all that.. it doesn’t really matter as you have it as the essential challenge.

There are a couple of interesting aspects to the tasks... the PUALD is pretty straight forward with 2m target, but I hadn’t initially picked up on the fly first, fly/line together and line first aspect... the fly first isn’t something i’ve ever really practiced at 40’- especially backhanded...I do use fly first quite a bit at my more usual fishing distance of 20-30’.... a new and useful thing to practice.

I’ll probably use the same list of tasks for my 8’ rod but bring the PUALD /mend distances down to 30’ as that is a more useful distance for me to focus on with that length rod.

[Paul Arden]

That’s great feedback Matt - thanks. And yes I practise with much smaller hoops too, But I don’t want to make the challenge too difficult as an entry level exercise. I can assure you that the hoops will be smaller for the Advanced Level!

Cheers, Paul

[Boisker]

Just out of interest... do you guys mostly practice with the same rod or do you vary a lot... and is the rod you practice with most the one you also fish with the most?
I fish mostly with an 8’4” 4w or a 9’ 4w, but probably 90% this season with the 8’4”... I went out to practice with a 9’6w earlier and I have to be honest i’d forgotten just how different it feels and actually is to cast... definitely no where near as delicate in feel... but it sure does easily zip out a line, the first time i’d cast a whole line all summer


But as I never really fish with the 6w I wonder just how useful practicing with it is for my actual fishing. The one obvious thing was it is probably easier to feel the timing on distance casts, so I probably will use the other rods for more obvious fishing related practice and use the 6w if I get around to focussing on distance.

[Paul Arden]

It depends

I normally practise with the Instructor HT6 and either a 5 or 6 wt line. If I’m practising distance however I’ll use comp tackle. Most of my other rods are always set up for fishing and a casting practise session would mean a new leader. However if the 4WT is your go-to outfit then I would practise with this.

Cheers, Paul

[Michal Duzynski]

As Paul said before it is not competition accuracy.
I thought as well that 2m in diameter is a huge target, but then changed my perception of it.
Thinking of a tennis ball, or a cone in the middle as a fish, then you want to present the fly 2-3 feet in front of it, not to hit it in a head, so now 2m in diameter works well as you look at it from a fishing point of view.
cheers
mike

[Graeme H]

Just out of interest... do you guys mostly practice with the same rod or do you vary a lot... and is the rod you practice with most the one you also fish with the most?

No, I mostly fish with an 8 foot 10wt 'glass rod.

At the moment, I mainly practice with a 6wt Hot Torpedo Instructor rod because I have an exam in a couple of weeks.

When I don't have a highly focussed goal in mind (like passing my MCI) I practice with all sorts of rods, from 4wt 'glass to 10wt carbon fibre rods and even double-handed rods. I think being adaptable for lines, rods and styles is a skill worth practicing all on its own.

I generally would not recommend practicing for long sessions with heavy gear (9wt and above) because it can lead to injuries. Fishing is a bit different because we aren't casting non-stop when fishing (most of the time). However, if you're expecting to go on a trip where you're casting heavy gear for extended periods, I think it would be wise to build up strength before going, some of which will be by casting.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Boisker]

As Paul said before it is not competition accuracy.
I thought as well that 2m in diameter is a huge target, but then changed my perception of it.
Thinking of a tennis ball, or a cone in the middle as a fish, then you want to present the fly 2-3 feet in front of it, not to hit it in a head, so now 2m in diameter works well as you look at it from a fishing point of view.
cheers
mike

Hi Mike
Not sure I follow....
using your ‘fish’ is in the centre of the 2m ring.... are you aiming at the ‘fish’ or are you aiming at the edge of the ring?

If your aiming at the fish and miss by 1m you won’t necessarily be 1m past the fish, you could just as easily be 1m short, to the right or in a tree to the left.
If you are intentionally aiming to put the fly 1m past the fish... then realistically you’ve just moved where you are aiming for and might as well have aimed at the centre of the ring (or ‘fish’) in the first place?

It’s all a bit of a moot point anyway.... I wasn’t really commenting that the 2m target was too easy, rather that a backhanded curve cast was a way harder skill than the 2m ring... not a criticism just an observation

[Michal Duzynski]

You are absolutly right mate.
I have to think twice now before posting.

If I want to cast 3ft in front of the fish, the point 3ft in front of the fish would be my aiming point - my tennis ball, my cone...
mike

[Paul Arden]

Yes bending the line off a backcast is a challenge, but also it’s not into a target, just around a post! The hoop sizes had a lot of discussion and practise. Within 1m of a target I think is about right, especially when you start collapsing the line. With the B&A cast is was too big!

If you are an experienced caster it should be straight forward. It’s really pitched to give a keen caster some goals that will make him or her a more rounded caster and angler. The tough stuff is coming!!

Cheers, Paul

[Boisker]

Yeah... I agree Paul... even at 1m they aren’t all that straight forward, i’m generally fine on my natural casting side, but on the backcast it’s trickier. That’s what makes it useful to me, I’d never really practiced fly first and rarely the slack cast on the backside, I’ve generally just practiced the cast with ‘no frills’
I actually find the fly first the trickiest out of the three on the backcast, must be the change in trajectory.

... I guess that is what you are looking for in the fly first.... a steeper angle of trajectory so the leader straightens just above the water, so the fly lands first, followed by leader and then line?


I shouldn’t worry about it Mike... I rarely make sense