Wide Loop Practice Aid Question

[RexW]

I am working on a lesson plan for a "Loop Control" class for the local fly fishing club. It would be group class.

My thought is to cover the "how to" of the various skills and then have something similar to an "obstacle course" setup where the participants could practice the skills. The topics would include skills such as casting a narrow loop, casting under a tree limb/boat dock, casting a controlled wide loop (i.e. casting multiple flies, weight, and indicator), casting a low, narrow loop for casting into a headwind, etc.

I know how to setup a practice station for most of these skills, but I need help with a practice station for wide loops.

Here are some of my ideas for some of the other skills:
- For narrow loops, a hoop can be hung vertically on a pole and the caster attempts to cast through the hoop.
- Casting under a tree limb can be practiced using a plastic pipe set horizontally about meter off the ground.
- Casting to a target that has a narrow opening (i.e. a gap in the vegetation along a shoreline) could be practiced using two boxes about a half meter apart with a target about a meter behind them. The goal is to hit the target without touching either box.
- Also, I'm thinking the casting distance from the caster to the obstacle would be in the 8 meter range (25 feet).

Does anyone have any suggestions for something similar that could be used to practice a controlled wide loop casting skill?

The only idea that I have would be to use a small hoop for the narrow loop practice session and a larger hoop to practice wide loops. Anyone have a better suggestion?

I welcome other suggestions or advice anyone has that would help this class topic a success.

Thanks!

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

Rex,

Our once active but now defunct local fly club had an annual picnic with a flycasting challenge course that was a big hit.

Instead of making a hanging "wide loop target", we just used a standard hoop on the ground, but put the challenge on the end of the leader. I don't remember the manufacturer, but we chose a very large store-bought pre-made floating indicator (made of a chunk of poly yarn and an O ring). To make it heavy we just attached a big split shot ahead of it on the tippet. To get it to the target you had to be able to cast (flop?) it with a large loop.

It really separated the men from the boys, as they say.

You could probably just use a large heavy weighted Clouser with the hook cut off too, but rod replacement costs have to be considered! The weighted indicator "fly" did not result in any rod damage.

[RexW]

Thank you. I have done something similar in the past and it does work, but I am hoping to avoid using some type of weighted fly. I want everyone to be able to use their own rods rather than me needing to provide the equipment.