Casting ?

At the end of every cast stroke there is a stop. When you make this stop and as the rod unloads, the shaking of the rod tip, I believe this is called dampening, yes? At any rate, If at the the stop in your cast, as the rod is unloading, if it shakes more, will it cost you distance, or just accuracy. The reason I ask, is that it seems to me that every time the rod tip quivers its going to send tremors down the line. To me, it seems like this would hamper a tight loop, or even a smooth more open loop, in effect causing lost accuracy and distance. Am I far off base here? If I am on track then it stands to reason that a stiffer rod, or one that returns to its original form faster, will be a much more accurate fishing tool, as well as allow the angler to possibly reach out and touch someone a little better?

JC,
Does this have to do with the quality of the graphite used to make the blank, or is it a problem caused by the one casting the rod?

Jeff

I call the rod tip shaking "tip bounce". Usually I can reduce tip bounce by changing line brands, or increasing the line weight.
To my mind dampening is how fast the rod returns to its straight position the faster the dampening the faster the rod.
"Tip bounce" is more of a line problem than a manufacturing or design flaw but some rods are more prone to tip bounce than others.

[Bruce Norikane]

For most flyrods that I've watched, the tip shaking is not that big a deal. Unless you're going for ultimate distance, I wouldn't worry about it. The tip vibrations get smaller fairly quickly. The very first bounce up probably slows the line a bit, though.

I think this may affect shooting line more than loop shape.

Dampening is everything that slows the vibration. The weight of the line has a dampening effect. Air friction, the caster's grip and friction within the rod itself all dissipate the vibrational energy.

A faster rod does not necessarily damp more than a soft rod. In fact the opposite may be true.

JC,
Please explain. Maybe I haven't been stopping correctly. I did notice that my form has gotten pretty sloppy.

Buzz,
What do you mean by it is usually more of a line problem, than anything else. I don't understand.

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Jeff

[Hans Weilenmann]

fishin' fool,

To make a positive stop you have to squeeze down on the handle. To reduce the 'bounce' following, you have to relax your grip immediately following the stop. Maintaing the tight hold on the grip after the stop pretty much guarantees shockwaves in the line.

Cheers,
Hans W

[BigFlatBrook]

Aha! On the squeeze, now a casting demo I saw a couple of months ago mankes sense (by Joe Humphries).

[Jackster]

It might be the rod itself. Some rods seem to make this bounce more pronounced and for many more cycles.

Someone put a Trident in his hands! A true test!

[waltwalton]

I have this oscillation happen to me when I am saltwater fishing. In my case it is when I grip the handle too tight at the end of the stop rather than relaxing the grip and dropping the rod slighty. It's when I am trying to get the extra distance and sometimes have a jerky stop or think that the haarder I hold the rod the further the line will go. Have not expericenced when fresh water fishing. Walt

JC,
I wish I could make the Rosco fish-in. Unfortunatley my calendar won't allow it. Thanks though.

Hans,
I had never really thought about the tightness of my grip being a problem. If I do remember correctly, I think I was holding the rod a little tighter than normal, due to frustrations and other factors. I'll try what you suggest. Thanks!

Tight lines
Jeff