Comp distance casting

[Zulu]

Hi there, Been following topics on the board for a while but the my first time I’ve asked a question. I live and fish in Tasmania. About 18 months ago I got interested in competition distance casting. Unfortunately there are no competitions here in Tas that I know of so my journey has been a solo one. I’v modelled (tried to) my stroke on Paul’s, having seen him cast in situ but predominantly from the casting video here on Sexyloops. Obviously I’m using the 170 technique. I don’t know anyone here who is interested in it so my journey has been trial and lots of error. But I’ve had some respectable casts- a few into the 130+’- and I’m consistently casting into the high teens (115-120’). I’m no physicist so go easy on me.
Question- i watch videos of different distance casting styles and I have tried a few but I’ve settled on Paul’s style because it suits me. I’ve noticed some European casters take the rod tip way past horizontal on the backcast, some almost touch the ground behind the. This doesn’t seem to have anything to do with drifting after the stop but rather a follow through from beginning to the end of the backcast stroke. When I’ve attempted this I don’t seem to get any advantage, nor more line speed etc etc, yet the line still straightens with a nice loop. So my question is, is this just a stylistic element or is there some advantage in taking the tip way past horizontal? Excuse my ignorance and go easy on the physics. cheers Zuie

[Paul Arden]

This is a very good question Zuie. I used to quite literally throw the rod tip into the ground on the backcast from time to time to make sure I was casting the fullest arc possible. And I most probably still would if rods were restricted to what we would normally use for fishing with a 5 or 6WT line.

However since the move to stiffer rods I don’t find the benefit to this technique of such a wide stopless arc. In fact for many of my backcasts I now use pull-back to set a tight loop (with the HT10 or similar stiffness).

So for me the difference has been rod stiffness. I can’t speak for others though

Sounds like you are doing incredibly well by the way. Those are seriously long casts my friend. Particularly since I know where you cast, no wind to speak of, difficult backcast, moving cars. Those are very impressive distances.

When I first got into the 5WT distance, I threw one 120ft cast in the first year and three on the second year. Then the doors started to open up. I always find it interesting how we throw for example lots of 110-115’ and then suddenly one pops out to mid 120s. And so you know there is more. And then when you start consistently throwing into the 120s out goes a 130!

No wonder we are obsessed

Cheers, Paul

[John Waters]

Hi Zuie,

If you are interested, send me an email at castclin@gmail.com. I am President of the Australian Casting Federation (ACF) and an ICSF Fly Casting Commissioner and would be happy to help you progress your tournament casting objectives. I will be in Tasmania in November, after I return from the World Championships, for some Casting Clinics and we could catch up then if you wished. However, the Australian casting season starts on 7th March and comprises 19 accuracy and distance casting competitions between March and August and you are more than welcome to attend any ACF 2020 event. The competitions are all in Melbourne unfortunately, but if interest existed in a Tasmanian event, the Australian Casting Federation would be more than happy to assist in the organisation and running of a Tasmanian event.
I agree with Paul, well done on your distances achieved,

John Waters

[Zulu]

Thanks John and much appreciated. I’ll send you an email. I have a grandson in Melbourne and visit regularly so I would be interested in having at a go at competing. My distance casting is still very much a work in progress but I’m getting some reasonable distances in training. Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it. Kind Regards, Zuie

[Zulu]

Cheers Paul, beautifully summed up. I’m exactly at that place you mentioned- consistent between 110-120’ and then bang out goes one into the mid 120’s. But I’m can’t get into the 120’s consistently. Not yet. I’m still coming to terms with the HT Comp v2. And obviously I’m still working on some technique issues. But obsessed I am. Thanks for the response and it’s very useful. Pull-back is interesting.
Another thing to consider. Cheers master and thanks again, Zuie

[John Waters]

No worries Zuie, if you have time on a visit to Melbourne we can catch up for a cast and a chat even if you can't get to a tournament.

John

[Paul Arden]

I think that the difference for me to go from 110/115 to 120+ was to intentionally dome the power late in the final part of the stroke as opposed to driving straight through. Everything has to happen after the rod butt passes the perpendicular, and then it’s force around and not straight. Of course it’s a given that you are tracking straight, long carry, and proper trajectories at 110/115.

Sometimes I imagine I’m drawing a straight line vertically down with the rod tip from above and just in front of me down to the target. And I do this by turning the hand over. Everything feels late, late, late. The cradle/finger grip, like clicking your fingers at the end of the stroke, applying force through rotation - these are the keys... and there is time... it’s not a rush from this point but a deliberate “late” application of force.

*of course it’s not really late, it’s perfectly on time! It’s only that late is often the best way to describe it. Almost no one applies the force too late

Anyway when we finally are fishing together in the jungle Zuie, we will have time to throw distance from the roof of the Battleship

Cheers, Paul