Fly Casting Sport Competition Training

[Lee Cummings]

Any time spent (moving line around) whether purposely towards a structured programme - or not, can't be a bad thing right?

How many hours per day / week /month do you train?

I learn over time that some dont train (except an hour here or there shortly before a comp)
While others....(whether they compete in the sport or not), cast daily as a simple outlet of a good crack with friends (which sounds like a great place !)

Cheers
Lee

[Boisker]

Hey lee.... I can’t say I practice for comps as I have never enetered one, but I do practice regularly...
Tricky this time of year as it’s bloody dark or I’m at work, but i’ll Normally get one session in the week and one on the weekend, as it lightens up and we approach the rivers and brown trout season opening i’ll get out probably 5 times a week, this tails off through early season, pretty much stops in May, June July and then increases backup to the dark nights.... i’ll cast anything from 30mins to over an hour, so at the least 30 mins a week upto 6 hrs in early March...
I practice on my own, can’t say I know anyone nearby to sling a line with.... I’m the random nutter on the field

[bartdezwaan]

Hi Lee,

After the worlds till the first BFCC meeting I trained every day.
It was a long time ago that I had trained so intensively. Maybe 12 years ago, when I was still at school, around the time I first met you guys at Paul's. There was a long period in between of about 8-10years when I did not train at all.

If it wasn't for my tennis elbow, I would be casting almost everyday. I live near a small harbor and, although sub-optimal, can cast instantly when I step outside.
When training, I have to force myself to stop. If my arm would allow me, I would cast 6 hours straight, without eating or drinking. Believe me, it happened more than once. It is an addiction.

I guess I am training between 20-30 hours a month now.

Cheers, Bart

[VGB]

I’m out 3-4 times a week but mostly short sessions to clear my head, no more than an hour, I use it like some people use Tai Chi and mainly focus on control and presentation. I rarely take the tape out to go for distance, other than looking at controlled carry because every time I do a lot of that I injure myself. I do swap and change outfits about from #2-9 to stop myself getting stale and I deliberately mismatch outfits to force conscious stroke changes.

Regards

Vince

[Paul Arden]

I separate casting sport training from fishing casting practise from rod testing from fishing. Out of those four fishing obviously has massively more hours involved than the others! If they are not separated then I cast almost every day. Occasionally while flying and travelling I miss a day.

I spend a little bit of time each day working on my fishing shots. Leading up to a comp I do daily 2x2hr seasons.

I do plan to stay more on top of the comp side which is one reason I’ve got the Malaysian sport casting club going. One comp every two years is like one Ironman every two years and not enough

Cheers, Paul

[John Waters]

I cast for 2020 5 days a week, in sessions lasting between 1 hour and 6 hours when on one day per week I train with Philip Smith. I am lucky that I am retired and have permission from the boss. When I was a lot younger and working I would cast as often as I could. Bart is right it is addictive.

John

[Lee Cummings]

Hey lee.... I can’t say I practice for comps as I have never enetered one, but I do practice regularly...
Tricky this time of year as it’s bloody dark or I’m at work, but i’ll Normally get one session in the week and one on the weekend, as it lightens up and we approach the rivers and brown trout season opening i’ll get out probably 5 times a week, this tails off through early season, pretty much stops in May, June July and then increases backup to the dark nights.... i’ll cast anything from 30mins to over an hour, so at the least 30 mins a week upto 6 hrs in early March...
I practice on my own, can’t say I know anyone nearby to sling a line with.... I’m the random nutter on the field

Hi Boisker

What outfits do you train with? Do you have a specific drill for the sessions or just you just enjoy moving line around & being out on different days.
I hear you about the dark nights and work

Cheers
Lee

[Lee Cummings]

Hi Lee,

After the worlds till the first BFCC meeting I trained every day.
It was a long time ago that I had trained so intensively. Maybe 12 years ago, when I was still at school, around the time I first met you guys at Paul's. There was a long period in between of about 8-10years when I did not train at all.

If it wasn't for my tennis elbow, I would be casting almost everyday. I live near a small harbor and, although sub-optimal, can cast instantly when I step outside.
When training, I have to force myself to stop. If my arm would allow me, I would cast 6 hours straight, without eating or drinking. Believe me, it happened more than once. It is an addiction.

I guess I am training between 20-30 hours a month now.

Cheers, Bart

Hi Bart
I’m glad whatever brought this on has got you out regularly again!
So good to have a venue so close to hand, is it normally windy where you are?

Cheers
Lee

[Boisker]

Hey lee.... I can’t say I practice for comps as I have never enetered one, but I do practice regularly...
Tricky this time of year as it’s bloody dark or I’m at work, but i’ll Normally get one session in the week and one on the weekend, as it lightens up and we approach the rivers and brown trout season opening i’ll get out probably 5 times a week, this tails off through early season, pretty much stops in May, June July and then increases backup to the dark nights.... i’ll cast anything from 30mins to over an hour, so at the least 30 mins a week upto 6 hrs in early March...
I practice on my own, can’t say I know anyone nearby to sling a line with.... I’m the random nutter on the field

Hi Boisker

What outfits do you train with? Do you have a specific drill for the sessions or just you just enjoy moving line around & being out on different days.
I hear you about the dark nights and work

Cheers
Lee

Hi Lee
I practice with an 9’4w and 8’4” 4w most often (I fish with these 90% of the time, rivers)...6w less frequently.
I’m not great at following a specific drill, but always practice accuracy at targets from about 20-50’. I then tend to be a bit random and practice different things, normally for a few sessions on the run. I always practice elements of presentation casts, predominantly introducing slack. I pretty much always do puald out to 50’, longer if casting with the 6w.
I always finish picking up and casting to different legs on the picknic benches, under and through the picnic benches.
I guess I pretty much always practice similar elements just not in the same order or very structured, sometimes I don’t focus in that much and just enjoy playing around with the line.

I also have bouts of casting the 6w a bit more and trying to improve my distance, but I have to be careful with that as my shoulder plays up if I do too much.... and in sexyloops terms I say distance in the loosest sense of the word, as I am generally around 90-95’... 103 measured the furthest. I don’t really practice distance with the intention of getting out to 120’ plus, i just like the idea of being able to consistently cast 100’

[Paul Arden]

I enjoy casting in the dark but only if it’s warm! To be consistent at 100 you need to be popping the odd cast to 110-115. I would imagine that working on straight tracking combined with a faster, more efficient haul would see you complete your next jump, Matt. Do you haul from a bent elbow to a straight arm away from the rod hand? Increasing the haul speed and possibly making it happen slightly later would be something to try. The casting stroke can still be relatively compact.

Generally speaking compact flip-flop style goes 105’. Rajeff style open stance goes 110-115’. 170/Stopless 120’+ It’s possible to get very good at one and make it go further but that’s the style structure I look at.

What I would actually suggest here is that you start playing with two styles. Use the compact closed stance style and work on a faster haul. And then switch to open and try some body shift. Switching between the two will make it more fun as well!

Cheers, Paul