Tracking ... tracking ... tracking

[Phil Blackmar]

What about a two piece rod?

Thanks

Ordering silicon now

[Phil Blackmar]

How long until silicon is available again?

Cheers
Phil

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

sort of a test...

Phil,

This fly I commonly throw with a 10.

[John Waters]

Hi Phil,

Agree with Paul, a dirty, sticky line kills distance. My MED 5 weight lines have cracks all along the line, with dirt lodged in each one, however, cleaning and dressing even helps these lines to cast further. I want to enter the PULD challenge with new lines because my lines are old versions and do not have the line number tattooed on the tip, but I still clean and dress my lines before each training session. You can see the impact of a sticky running line on the delivery cast very clearly. Your delivery loop may be tight and fast, but the drag very quickly stops the turnover and distance suffers.

Your comment about rotation is correct. In an arm centric technique the rod hand is the driver. For short distances, the primary rotation is the elbow and wrist joints, supported by the shoulder. No need for other body segments to be activated at all. I would only add that for accuracy, square your hips and shoulders to the casting direction by placing both feet on the same line, not have one foot in front of the other. I used to always cast accuracy with the right foot forward, but no longer think that is preferable to a fully squared stance.

John

[Phil Blackmar]

Hi John-

How do you rotate your shoulders and keep from tracking outward when using 170 and standing open? Also, how open do your shoulders get on your back stroke?

Thx

Cheers
Phil

[John Waters]

Hi Phil, just so I understand your question, when you refer to "open", is that with your shoulders parallel to the casting direction, or perpendicular to the casting direction? I suspect it is the former given your second question but just want to make sure before I answer your two very valid questions. I think there is a bit of a fallacy about body, hand movement and the consequential tracking and just want to make sure I can respond directly to your questions.

John

[Phil Blackmar]

Hi John-

Perpendicular to the target is what I refer to as square. Right foot back would be an open stance. If your shoulders start square and rotate to where your chest is pointed to the right, assuming you are a right handed caster, then I would call that open. To rotate, you would need to be open at the end of the backcast so you can rotate back to square at acceleration, I would think. The problem for me comes when my shoulders start rotating back to square. my elbow and hand also move out and off a straight line. How are you able to get past this....thanks John

Cheers

[Paul Arden]

How long until silicon is available again?

Cheers
Phil

I’m not sure Phil. The original supply doesn’t exist any more. I spent a couple of years experimenting with various silicone-based oils from China with mixed success (some dried out the line quicker than without!). I’m having a friend’s laboratory look at what we used to sell. But even then I really need the country to reopen its borders before I buy a “drum” of silicone.

There are others on the market. There is a product called “Teflon” that is excellent albeit rather expensive.

In any case, even with Shoot I find it important to twist the rings. I would imagine that the majority of competitive casters do here, if not all.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

What about a two piece rod?

Very difficult. For fishing casts I hold the reel out at 90 degrees. Nick calls this the “Chinese grip”. I don’t know why because they certainly don’t do it in China For Shootouts, when they appear in competition, I hold them at 45 degrees. If I owned a two piece rod I would whip the rings on the lower section out at 45 degrees.

But I experience something called “haul lock-up” when I have them aligned straight and find them impossible to cast otherwise. The exception to this is lined rings such as Fuji SICs, which I can align straight - the fly line doesn’t rub the blank with these rings.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Hi Phil,

It’s a very interesting question you have asked John. The question I would pose, is if you start with your hand in front of your shoulder at the beginning of the forward cast, then how can you bring the rod butt straight through past the shoulder, if you don’t move your shoulder out of the way?

Cheers, Paul