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Chris;
I wish all these guys could have been at the Eagle Village Fish-In! We needed a lot of one on one instruction/support!
One of the girls asked if she could put on my waders for a photo. There she was in my size 10 waders which came to her armpits but game for it. so I had her get a rod and wade out from the beach for the photo.
I told her to go ahead and fish as long as she was out there. Now this youngster was not at all interested in flyfishing and my casting skill leave a lot to be desired so I just sort of stood back and watched. She kept getting caught in the tall reeds behind her. Not wanting to be the adult/teacher/drill sargent at this stage I suggested she cast parallel to the shore. Then I started with the slow down a bit, (she was overpowering) just wiggle the spider, hey you got one!! Now cast back to the same spot, Wow you got another one. When she caught one she would run up on shore (God I wish I could move that fast in waders!) so I showed her how to bring in a fish while in the water.
This was one smart girl, let me tell you! She figured it out on her own that she must keep the back cast high and went on to catch a lot of Gills.
When she came ashore I showed her the 12 o:clock, 2 o:clock and lay the line down on the water. I did this with several people sitting at the picnic table directly behind me and never hooked a one!! She was already thrilled with flyfishing and now she was thrilled with how much she had to learn. Just wish I was better at it!
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I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!
Cactus AKA "Lucky Dog (Pirate Name)"
[This message has been edited by Jack Hise (edited 09 July 2005).]
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JC,
Never had a shooting instructor either,Do have and know alot of good ppl who Cast and or Shoot Extremely well,I do take a pointer now and then, Such as Pointing ones feet where they plan on placeing the shot. It is always the little things is'nt it.... Can't say as that I'm a perfect caster or shot,I do well,Place my casts where I need them 99% of time and Have no trouble with any distances/Obsticles.Mostly in part to a good brushy upbringing,Lucky enough to seem to be blessed with a knack for many things.
Did not say Instructors were'nt a good thing, for those who can afford such luxeries,and any "Habits" I've taken too.
I have no desire to get rid of now,Not that it would be possible,I've taken my set and am happy with life as it is....well more time on the water would be my only want...
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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best
"Wish ya great fishing"
Bill
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Jack,
Sounds as thoe there is deffinitely another Joining the ranks with her,Glad she was able and willing to give it a shot,sometimes we are all better when left to explore on our own,with a little pointing in the right directions....
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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best
"Wish ya great fishing"
Bill
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 09 July 2005).]
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Jack !!
Wonderful.
IMHO, ... just goes, to once again prove, that youngsters (often) just need the opportunity to do (constructive) things. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif
(I wonder if you have "condemned" the poor gal to a life long pursuit) http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif
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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
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Bill,
I another life when I used to shoot some, ... the "shot" was about 1.76 seconds of work. The scouting, ingress and egress could take days (or weeks http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/frown.gif ).
My best "instructors" never taught shooting, ... but rather reading the water http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif
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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
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some can walk and chew gum at the same time too!...
Seriously folks,We all learn as we go, No matter how we start off is that guru going to be at your side "every" time you are near water?
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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best
"Wish ya great fishing"
Bill
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FWIW, i'd say
For the intermediate caster, 2nd most common mistake is using too short a stroke for the length of line being cast. Christopher, I'd guess you might be ranking tailing loops as #1. But then tails are symptom, not problem. And the too short stroke may be #1, as it causes some/most of the tails. (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this one)
For the beginner, almost certainly the opposite is #1 - too long a stroke for the length of line.
With the intermediate, the too-short stroke is often what causes tailing loops. And while "improper application of power" is often pretty hard to get a student to correct, it's much easier to get them adjusting their stroke length. Which often fixes the power app problem.
I enjoy intermediate casters. For me the key is (after diagnosing problem) to work around their habits, muscle memory, perceptions, etc. Get `em doing/thinking about something different.
A few years ago, Lefty yanked a rod from my hand saying "Gimme that d@#$#@ thing - you're overpowering it." He took it apart and gave me the 3' tip section & said "Now cast that." For those that have tried it, you know that power doesn't work with a 3-fter. I began to concentrate on power app, stroke & timing. `Helped my casting more in 3 minutes than anything ever had.
I saw another good trick a few weeks ago. A student just could not get the timing down. The instructor got him to walk as he cast. The instructor walked alongside and would speed up and slow down, not talking about anything in particular. The student sub-consciously adjusted his stroke to the walking speed and improved 200% in a 100' stroll. When he got to the end of the casting field, he was feeling the rod.
JC, I think maybe this is one of the reasons instructors get better with experience - they have more tools in their "bag of tricks." Every student is different.
Kent
[url=http://www.flyfishga.com:548cb]www.flyfishga.com[/url:548cb]
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Kent,
Wow, ... thanks for the tips.
As for trailing loops, ... I realise that a t-loop isn't a problem, ... its A SIGN of a problem. ... I only recently found out how to fix it http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif
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Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
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When I am coaching (and getting coached) at the casting club I often tell novices who have a good false cast to make their SECOND LAST cast their real cast - if they just stopped then everything would be fine. So I think the #1 problem is tipping the wrist/rod back on the backcast (like ALL other throwing motions, but not good for casting). The #2 problem is extending the arm too far in front on the final cast and keeping the arm too low in the process, this induces more (bad) wrist action. When I begin coaching someone I ask first if I am allowed to touch them. The answer is usually 'yes'. Thus I am permitted to put my hand over theirs on the rod handle to give them the feel of the timing, and also allows me to just snatch their (low and out-front & bent) wrist on a bad cast so that they really look at it. I guess a video would be more civil, but grasping a wrist at waist height when the caster thought it was at least at bicep/shoulder height is a revelation to the caster.
[This message has been edited by Greg H (edited 11 July 2005).]
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My casting instructor and shooting instructor are the same guy! I get a tune-up with both at least twice a year.
[This message has been edited by Ray (edited 11 July 2005).]