Current distance stroke

[John Waters]

Hi Dirk,

I heard it. :-)

John

[John Waters]

Hi Merlin,

I do find the step interesting, any increase in hand speed adds distance.

John

[John Waters]

Hi Nick,

Why do you step with your rod hand side leg?

John

[nicholasfmoore]

Have you tried to film from front view? the reposition also helps with tracking.

I have, it's not my new stepping technique, but it is a nice video to show my tracking

Hi Nick,

Why do you step with your rod hand side leg?

John

Hi John It's very uncomfortable for me to start in open then end up in a closed stance for the back cast, it personally feels awkward for me. I've nearly fallen over a few times, too.

All the best

[John Waters]

Hi Nick,

It was interesting to compare your step cast with your non-step cast. My casts have always been on a 1.5 m x 1.2 m platform but when I started with the 5 weight Trout Distance, I could not control the required carry length without stepping during both forward and back casts. I am now doing that for the Sea Trout and ICSF events, albeit modified for a platform. For what it is worth, I step with both feet now, but block with the left.

John

[Paul Arden]

I don’t know about the step. The fact that the Swedes all do it makes me realise that there is something in it. I used to step closed to closed as many of you will know. However I didn’t like doing this off platforms for the obvious reason and I was more concerned about not stepping over the end than being focused on the target. It’s not something I can practise off the roof of the boat either, not just because I might fall overboard and impale myself on a stump, but also because when I step forward the boat rocks making this more likely.

I think if we were on a flat field we might very well see something different.

Having said that on a long pick up on a PUALD it certainly works. Mikael could pick up 100’ of Redfish line with such a move. More than I could extend to on carry.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Of course the other argument is that I just haven’t learned it yet. And I’m acutely aware of this possibility

[Dirk le Roux]

I found stepping with the casting side's foot most useful when I was working on hitting a 100ft target left-handed.

While working on the 90 foot left-handed carry challenge, though, I realised that I still tried too hard, even as I knew to stay easy and controlled. I stumbled on Dr Dave Alfred's views on the importance of what he calls the pillar, its posture, stability and directional movement while executing a kick/throw/swing. From experimenting, I then found it surprisingly easy to remain in control on long carries when purposely keeping my core/trunk/pillar quite still, not stepping. To boot, not stepping and keeping comfortably balanced is more of a fishing scenario. Wobbly boats and jetties, rocks, logs, freestone riverbeds...

All out distance on stable underfoot conditions though? Stepping works, as Bernt's 45m PUALD shows, if it cleverly aids pillar motion and its blocking without too much gyration or loss of balance.

Thank you Paul and James, and possibly unknown others, for coming up with these challenges. Even though not owning a MED line or similar, they have much expanded my casting.

All the best,
Dirk