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February 9th, 1998
"Take A Stab At It"
In "Elbow Bending" I talked
about raising your elbow after the stop on the backcast to
take the slack out of the fly line. I also said
there are more elements to the cast. Here is yet another, the
STAB.
Again, this is only for long line, double-haul casting. Not the
two-hop creek stuff. Since one of the main objects on the backcast
is to remove all slack from the line before starting forward, the
'stab' removes even more.
The 'stab' happens immediately after the elbow-raise. You drop
the casting shoulder and extend the casting arm full length straight
back. The reel should at this time be on top of your fly rod, not
swung out to the side. This is very important. Without the reel on
top of the rod you will have a inefficient, elliptical shape in your
back-cast.
The next part is tricky to accomplish and also to learn. But, it
will pay off when you get it right. When starting the forward stroke
of the forward cast make the turn of your wrist as SOON as
possible. To do so will load the rod to it's maximum depth. Tell
yourself things like, "bend the cork," and "stab" the rod forward!
Do not make a normal forward cast ... 'stab' the rod forward like a
fencer. Thrust it as if it were a sword!
By using the stab in the backcast you have removed the last
possible amount of slack. By thrusting forward with the rod you
have loaded it to it's maximum. The results will depend on the
amount of power in the cast, the strength and timing of the
double-haul, and where you stop on the forward cast.
~ JC
Till next week, remember ...
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