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Head length vs head weight

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George C
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Head length vs head weight

#1

Post by George C »

Why does casting a 30 ft head that weighs 300 grains ‘feel’ so much heavier than a 60 ft head that weighs 300 grains?
Should it, or does this reflect a casting flaw?
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James9118
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#2

Post by James9118 »

Hi George,

I believe it's because there's no truly straight lines in fly casting. Take a simple lead 300 gr lead weight - here the caster feels the full inertia of the mass. With a short, 30ft head, it's still relatively easy to get it all aligned during the casting stroke, thus the caster still experiences a high proportion of the inertia. As the head length increases, the proportion that is perfectly aligned, and being accelerated in the direction of the cast, reduces hence the feeling of the inertia is also reduced.

Here's an experiment for you - lay out your 30ft head and 60ft head perfectly on the ground behind you and perform a single forward cast noting the feeling of weight. Then overhead cast each head in turn and see if the feeling of weight changes.

Cheers, James
George C
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#3

Post by George C »

Thanks, James.
I’ll give it try.
G
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Paul Arden
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#4

Post by Paul Arden »

One of my regular drills is to lay a long carry out on the backcast, the head of a MED for example. I haven’t noticed it feeling heavier this way.

Over water is different because I have to unstick it first. If I don’t then catastrophe!

Funny when I was thinking about this topic I was thinking about comparing both lines slid horizontally over a gym floor. That would get rid of a few of the variables. But I don’t have access to this here. It would be interesting to hear from people who do.

Cheers, Paul
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Lasse Karlsson
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#5

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

George C wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:09 am Why does casting a 30 ft head that weighs 300 grains ‘feel’ so much heavier than a 60 ft head that weighs 300 grains?
Should it, or does this reflect a casting flaw?
The 30 feet one is a overweight 10 weight, and the 60 feet one is a 5 weight.

I think James is pretty spot on.

Cheers
Lasse
Your friendly neighbourhood flyslinger

Flycasting, so simple that instructors need to make it complicated since 1685

Got a Q++ at casting school, wearing shorts ;)
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gordonjudd
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#6

Post by gordonjudd »

Why does casting a 30 ft head that weighs 300 grains ‘feel’ so much heavier than a 60 ft head that weighs 300 grains?
George,
Can you measure the angular acceleration profile that is used in those two scenarios?

If the time it takes to make a cast with the shorter head is less than it is for the long one then it is likely you are applying a larger acceleration with the shorter head. Since the amount of mass in motion is the same in those cases you would be applying more bending force to the shorter head and thus it could feel heavier.

Gordy
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VGB
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#7

Post by VGB »

Testing James theory is quite simple. Take a head with an aggressive taper such as a TT and cast is both ways around. I’ve done it and agree with his proposition, it’s very similar in feel to casting in the overhang.

Regards

Vince
Casting instruction - making simple things complicated since 1765

https://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/ ... f-coaching
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Paul Arden
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#8

Post by Paul Arden »

Thanks Vince. I don’t have one here. Do you mean that they feel the same?

Cheers, Paul
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VGB
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#9

Post by VGB »

Paul, they feel very different, you know when the line mass hits the loop.

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Vince
Casting instruction - making simple things complicated since 1765

https://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/ ... f-coaching
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Paul Arden
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Re: Head length vs head weight

#10

Post by Paul Arden »

No I meant during the Casting Stroke.
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