Man, you guys are amazingly helpful! I have plenty of "ammo" to work with! Thanks to all for your advice. I have been practicing everyday after work in the yard and things are starting to fall in place better. I also need to look up a lot of words yall through out like spey casting? Don't have a clue!
Stop and smell the roses!
One must keep in mind that the road to perfect casting is always under construction.
Aaron,
BTW, it's important that when you cast there is no slack in the line between your hands. If there is, when you begin your cast the fly rod will not load until the lack is removed. If you're not hauling, therefore, I'd keep your hands very close together or make sure that you're moving them simultaneously.
Randy
I wasn't going to reply to this thread, as it's hard enough to provide anything of value to someone when they are standing right beside you. A post in a thread like this... well, hopefully you'll find something that helps.
I believe much of what has already been provided to you is very "valid" advice. But I doubt that much of it will truly be very helpful, and some of it, quite honestly, scares me. Not that what was being said isn't valid when you get right down to it. But for someone that has a limited understanding (at best) of what is being said, my fear is that the information will only serve to confuse you in the end.
Please do not take any offense to that comment, as I am only responding to what I perceive from a few posts. But if you need to look up terminology (such as spey casting) then much of what has been said is likely above your understanding. We all started there, and from what I know of this Board's membership, we all want to help, and no one is judging or intentionally trying to mislead you. But the road to (you know where) is often paved with good intentions.
I could also provide you with "helpful advice", but you don't know me, have no idea if I even have a clue, and you may well be a much better caster than I. The point is, you don't know. So should you follow my advice or not?
As such, I believe the best advice that you have received is to find someone local to you, that can truly assist you with some one-on-one. Barring that, the videos (Joan Wulffs Dynamics of Fly Casting for example) are your next best option, as you can clearly see what is being explained, and you know they are knowledgeable. If you don't want to purchase a video, then look to your local libraries. They may already have some, and if not, they may be able to inter-library loan one, or be willing to add one (or more) to their collection. The point is, ask them if they don't have it.
Be cautious of any casting instruction you find in a youtube video (or similar) unless it is an actual segment from an actual video that you know you can trust. There are plenty of really good videos out there on youtube, but again, until you have some knowledge / understanding to work from, you could end up following some pretty bad advice. And while this video (which was also posted under "You can be a guide") (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYdko...layer_embedded) is made as a humorous look at the kinds of "professionals" I'm referring to. I think it clearly illustrates my point.
Good luck and welcome to the wonders of fly fishing. You are in for a wonderful time, so just enjoy the journey in all its' phases.
---David
Last edited by Utah David; 08-31-2012 at 11:43 AM.
I agree that an instructor is the best option. I also agree that casting videos are vary in their quality. I have a list of Youtube videos that are very good and I suggest you start with the ones below.
These videos form a basic series of lessons from one of the best casting instructors, the late Mel Krieger. He was a mentor to Steve Rajeff. Mel teaches the "elbow forward" overhead method of casting which is also taught by Joan Wulff, Gary and Jason Borger.
It teaches you a "foundation cast" which becomes the basis for advanced casting. Here is the basic foundation stroke in stop motion.
Introduction:
Mel Krieger - Fly casting is Rod Loading
From "The Essence of Fly Casting" instruction video by Mel Krieger
The Essence of Fly Casting (1 of 2)
The Essence of Fly Casting (2 of 2)
Mastering the Roll Cast with Mel Krieger
Pick up and Laydown or Watercast
Learning to False Cast with Mel Krieger
Learn the Double Haul Cast with Mel Krieger
In my teaching I have found that the roll cast can be very difficult for beginners to learn. Gary Borger used to teach it as one of the first casts but he teaches it after the student has learned the pick up and lay down cast. I suggest you leave it until you can perform the pick up and lay down and the false cast. Also you should learn it on the water.
The following video is Mel Krieger's student Steve Rajeff who has become one of if not the best tournament caster in the world.
Mel Krieger and Steve Rajeff - The Backcast
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy
Well Dave I'm not sure what you found so scary but I can suspect much. Unlike most I didn't try and answer the questions but rather ask questions, even tho I'm reasonably sure I can answer accurately. Choosing not to was the better way to go precisely because I was not standing next to the person. Have you ever learned from reading a book or watched a video and perhaps thought it would be nice to be able to ask the author a question about something they wrote that wasn't clear in meaning? I can't speak for others but I have worked with a goodly number of people over the internet on fly rodding skills and other related subjects. Fact is if you know were to look you can see the results of my students on this web site. Almost none of which I've ever met in person but that didn't stop me from reaching out to them and offering personal assistance that on occasion ran for many months and long hours into the night. It was all my choice and my pleasure. I bet you might find it a bit odd that I don't employ the word 'casting' when mentoring a fly rod student, you may find that a little "above your understanding". I will say over the last few years its been personally satisfying to see many very well know names coming more around to my way framing the language of instruction. I've heard it spoken "Free advise is worth what you pay for it, but understanding is priceless".Originally Posted by Utah David
Last edited by qrrfish1; 08-31-2012 at 04:53 PM.
Capt. Paul Darby Dont wait to be ask, get out and teach.
No question about it, that one flew right by me. I was (am) clueless as to why that is important. So much so, that I didn't even recognize your use of the term "fly rodding" as anything more than your chosen vocabulary. I could take a guess as to why you believe the use of semantics is important here, and why you believe "rodding" is a better word for imparting an understanding of what is trying to be conveyed. But that is all it would be. A guess.
But even if I did know, that doesn't mean I would adopt it. I may or may not agree with your reasons for doing so, and in the end, if it helps someone, my opinion is of no value one way or the other. If it works for you, who am I to claim otherwise? Regardless, if nothing else, you've helped to illustrate DaleW's comment.
That I heartily agree with. And to that end, rather than hi-jack this thread, if you'd care to "enlighten me" qrrfish1, please PM me with info on where I can find information on your method of instruction, or simply start another thread discussing it.
---David
p.s. Silver: Those are exactly the types of videos I was referring to as being worthy of watching. Thanks for posting the links. And to aaron1956 I say, "Watch them all, but skip trying to double haul until you've got the rest down pat."
Last edited by Utah David; 09-01-2012 at 07:05 AM.
I written on the subject of words and teaching fly fishing students and why to use or not use language a number of times. However as a whole thread that may be of interest to many here I selected one I feel would be most relevant to the over all theme of this thread. The thread contains both insights to fresh students and my thoughts on the word casting to a degree. ref. archive page 15, thread heading, "Casting Basics-part 1" by Oldfrat
Last edited by qrrfish1; 09-02-2012 at 09:33 PM. Reason: spelling error
Capt. Paul Darby Dont wait to be ask, get out and teach.
I think we tend to make this whole thing called casting a fly rod a bit more difficult at times than it needs to be. And many people get themselves twisted about whether or not they are doing it "correctly". It's not done in a lab...it's done on the water. And is a fairly useless issue unless accompanied by the catching of fish....whether done with "correct" technique or not.
What he said! ^
"There's more B.S. in fly fishing than there is in a Kansas feedlot." Lefty Kreh
"Catch and Release,...like Corrections Canada" ~ Rick Mercer
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