# 5 Distance and (many) more questions

[James9118]

Looking at the numbers:

60 carry 93 cast -- shooting 33 or 55% of the carry
65 carry 99 cast -- shooting 34 or 52% of the carry
70 carry 110 cast -- shooting 40 or 57% of the carry

You're numbers aren't quite right - the cast is measured to where the fly lands whereas the carry concerns only the fly line. Therefore if it is assumed Nick is using a 10ft leader then the figures are as follows:

60ft carry - 93ft cast, end of fly line at ~83ft -- shooting 38%
65ft carry - 99ft cast, end of fly line at ~89ft -- shooting 37%
70ft carry - 110ft cast, end of fly line at ~ 100ft -- shooting 43%

These figures represent the relaxed style that Nick employed as such the figures are quite a bit lower than the ones I reported in my FPs linked to in post #32. Here I was seeing shoots typically in the 50-60% and some higher, but I (and Tracy) was trying to maximise things.

If you can't shoot a minimum of 40% as per Nick's figures or 50+% when going for it, I'd suggest that your carry isn't perhaps as good or as controlled as you think.

James

[Lasse Karlsson]

Hi James

You and Tracy also used a line with a shorter head than Nick, if I remember correctly?

Cheers
Lasse

[James9118]

Hi James

You and Tracy also used a line with a shorter head than Nick, if I remember correctly?

Cheers
Lasse

Hi Lasse - yes, but we were still getting 50-60% shoots from a carry as low as 7.5m (so just ~5m outside the tip), well before the running line is used. Tracy's shoots peaked at a carry near the head length - these were nearer 70% on average.

Cheers, James

[RSalar]

Looking at the numbers:

60 carry 93 cast -- shooting 33 or 55% of the carry
65 carry 99 cast -- shooting 34 or 52% of the carry
70 carry 110 cast -- shooting 40 or 57% of the carry

You're numbers aren't quite right - the cast is measured to where the fly lands whereas the carry concerns only the fly line. Therefore if it is assumed Nick is using a 10ft leader then the figures are as follows:

60ft carry - 93ft cast, end of fly line at ~83ft -- shooting 38%
65ft carry - 99ft cast, end of fly line at ~89ft -- shooting 37%
70ft carry - 110ft cast, end of fly line at ~ 100ft -- shooting 43%

These figures represent the relaxed style that Nick employed as such the figures are quite a bit lower than the ones I reported in my FPs linked to in post #32. Here I was seeing shoots typically in the 50-60% and some higher, but I (and Tracy) was trying to maximise things.

If you can't shoot a minimum of 40% as per Nick's figures or 50+% when going for it, I'd suggest that your carry isn't perhaps as good or as controlled as you think.

James

Hi James, Thanks for the explanation. 40 - 50% of line (excluding leader) sounds like a good goal. BTW I know my carry isn’t controlled! That was the reason for my question. Cheers, Ron

[nicholasfmoore]

Thanks Nick,

When you say you are carrying 65" does that mean you can false cast multiple times with 65' out of the rod? The reason I ask is that it is my understanding that on the final back cast, many (most ... all?) good casters shoot line. So now there is maybe 75' out of the rod prior to the delivery cast.

--Ron

Hi Ron,

We measure carry from the hauling hand to the very tip of the fly line. This doesn't include the leader. So something like 57' depending on haul length etc. I can personally false cast with 78' out the rod tip.

I wouldn't say many back shoot, especially in competition. You want the straightest possible back cast that's fast and sharp, some slip some line to alleviate the effects of the boing etc (tucking). If you haven't learnt to carry a certain amount of line and end up shooting line on the final back cast, then you have no way of recovering the cast if you aren't happy with it. Everything has to be absolutely perfect, and that's difficult. I look for the best back cast and let it go.

All I can see written on the rod is Sage -- are you using a standard 9' Sage 5wt or something heavier?

It's a Sage Igniter 990-4. I did the same again with the Igniter 690-4 today, and just for fun hit a 123' cast with the MED5 at the end.

Also, what James said in regards to the figures, 3m leader btw, the Cortland tapered ones are actually longer than 9' which is awesome

All the best

[Paul Arden]

And then, because you want to increase your distance to over 100’, you are going to need to change stance to Open, incorporate weight shift, have an excellent haul and so on.

I'm sure Tracy and others might disagree with you here - great tracking is the key to hitting 100'+ and you can do that closed stance with ease. I agree it's great to have both in your armoury, but I'd go with the style that gives the individual the best tracking every time.

Cheers, James

That’s fair enough James. And if the goal is only to cast 100’ then it can also be done without weight shift. But it’s a hell of a lot easier with weight shift and it’s usually more natural to learn this using open stance. After a caster is reaching 70-80’ I start to teach Open Stance in parallel to Closed Stance. I think there is a lot to be gained from this “two lane highway” both in terms of speed of learning as well as depth of technique.

Both Open and Closed have to be build around straight tracking of course. And that is simply easier with Closed.

Cheers, Paul