Filming yourself casting

[Johan]

Your motion looks great. I can clearly see a difference between your rod and mine. My rod oscillates and throws small waves in to my MED 5 line.

My rod is an old Loop BlueLine Salt 8'8 #7. Will now look for something more suited for distance. I have a bunch rods but no heavier single handed one. Conclusion: I found a gap in my arsenal. And this mean I can go shopping a new rod without feeling bad about it

[Johan]

Filming in slow-motion using a mobile phone.

The IPHONE 11 can film at high frame rates. Both in 240 fps and 120 fps. In the system settings you select what speed you prefer. High frame rates results in slow-motion shots. The default setting is 240fps.

I tested this setup and posted a short film on the Youtube using one clip, first shown at natural speed and then in 1/4–speed slow-motion equals around 100fps? The 240 fps frame rate result in a much slower motion. I used Premiere for the editing.
My background is terrible. Sorry for this! I will look for a nicer backdrop. This is outside my apartment in Stockholm and this was only a tech-test.

Advice?
I wonder if anyone can give some advice on what I must include in a film like this to learn the most from it. Loop ends? What to look for?
Yes, yes, yes, I can see many faults and it hurts badly placing this video here. But the aim is to get better so I guess it must hurt.

Line: Guideline Fario Distance WF5. A 14 meter head. Next time I will use my MED 5. Rod: Loop Blue Line Salt 8´8 #7. Will look for a beefier rod.

[Lasse Karlsson]

Thats great Johan!

Normal framerate is 30fps, so 120fps is slowed down 4 times. Thats the usual slomo I post. Lots to see and learn from that.
Is your MED orange? If so it might show up even better.

If you want more of the loops unrolling, camera needs to be further away, and then using thin lines will make it harder to see and needs higher contrast to the background.

Rods plenty beefy

Cheers
Lasse

[Johan]

Good morning Lasse,

A stiffer rod and sporting the right trousers will probably help tightening my front loop. Must find my old yellow chamois tights.

Filming in the shadow surprisingly offered best lighting conditions. The fly line showed up more evenly. I will spend more time on comparing light settings. My orange MED may stand out better. Will compare.

Casting at this spot meant casting absolutely straight into foilage so I have every reason for finding a better spot for filming.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Johan,

Personally for filming I’m much more interested in what the body does, so I like to see that filling the frame. I think on the backcast you are holding the rod as opposed to having it tucked against the forearm?

Carry is short, but I’m guessing that might be the line? I would try starting with much less force and apply the force later in rotation. This will tighten the loop.

With 70% of effort you should be able to cast 90% of distance (or something like that).

Cheers, Paul

[Johan]

Filling more of the frame with the body. This advice is interesting to me. And thinking of this I understand I have seen lots of closer footage. A blind spot in the middle of my vision. An eye opener. Thank you!


The arm –I will try to understand this advice/comment. By looking and comparing to videos by others. (like your 170) I think I will sort it out. Carry is certainly longer with a MED. This line has a 12 m/40 ft head.

Start with much less force –thank you!
I remember from the videos you made with Nick that this is a very common mistake.

I think I make nothing but mistakes, but maybe one day I will see light in my sometimes seemingly endless tunnel. The challenges are very much like the degree of difficulty swinging a long golf golf club. Very interesting work indeed.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Johan,

A 40’ head is relatively short but it gives you a chance to play with overhang! I always have a problem with short heads, as Nick and I discussed in the last video. I start with around 6’ of overhang and increase quite rapidly. It depends on the line but for max distance with a shortish WF, I find I need significantly more than 3’ of overhang at RSP. Usually it’s 20-30’ for my longest casts.

I don’t know this fly line and have never cast it. We used to cast TTs this way and that can be pretty unstable. Even with the instability, 3’ of overhang will not beat a longer carry. Practising max carry with an “unstable” line is also good training.

Cheers, Paul

[Lasse Karlsson]

Good morning Lasse,

A stiffer rod and sporting the right trousers will probably help tightening my front loop. Must find my old yellow chamois tights.

Filming in the shadow surprisingly offered best lighting conditions. The fly line showed up more evenly. I will spend more time on comparing light settings. My orange MED may stand out better. Will compare.

Hi Johan

Even though Vince is convinced the colour of the pants matter, I can confirm it doesn't
Same with rod and loops

Here's the difference between a noodle and a broomstick (not literally, but close in the rod world)



And here's my front loop for a 130 footer with a rod that says 6 above the handle



And standing, so the foliage is in shade, but the line is lit up by sun, is a great way to get loops on film!

And I agree with Paul, which means I either have to go lay down, or I have said it a couple of years ago

Cheers
Lasse

[Johan]

Oh no! I was desperately hoping for that colour–effect to come into play


Genius! Bold thing casting two rods –not just superimposing footage. The result is impressive. I expected the broomstick to produce a more different result than the "noodle". Maybe I'm disappointing you now? I hope not.

I often have casting sessions. Today it was in the morning, at lunch and after work. Kit: MED 5, Loop #7. I slowed down the initiation of the cast. Listening to Pauls words. Changed the angle of my right arm, hoping for the best. There are som many movements that one can tweak. I also filmed my self closer as Paul recommended me to. It is very interesting looking at and comparing both slow–motion and natural speed. Wish I started earlier with filming.

Question:
Would casting my DT3 on my Loop #7 be like a simulation of a MED5/#10 setup? What do you think?
(As I wait for that 10–broomstick to materialise).

[VGB]

Even though Vince is convinced the colour of the pants matter, I can confirm it doesn't

You do seem more elegant in your cargo shorts with the pipe cleaners sticking out the bottom than the mustard trousers. Corduroy is about as useful for sartorial matters as it is for building fly rods