ermin, I understand completely!
You know, the hardest part of practicing in a group was getting the nerve to cast when I knew someone was watching me. It turned out being one of best things I've done for my casting, but it was hard to get started. When I watched some of the other people out there, I figured out that a lot of other people are as bad as I am.
Rex
I have a friend (who owns almost as many cameras as I do fly rods), and who a few years back took some footage of me, using a movie camera, while I was casting a line with my fly rod. Really do believe that piece of film (my friend copied it onto a videotape for me), has helped me with my casting technique (just short of lots of practice) than anything else I've ever tried. Being able to see exactly how I was casting has worked wonders on making improvements.
Dale
[This message has been edited by DaleW (edited 29 March 2005).]
Went to the Lake on my way to work today. Had over two hours of casting pratice. One small gill and a sore shoulder to show for it. But what the heck, the sun was shineing, and the world was quiet and serene for two hours. WONDERFUL
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Every day that I wake up and everything still works. Is a good day.
Though I do practice alone, frequently, I prefer to practice wiht other people.......
Robert, I'm one of the ones that got to CCI this year, NTM, who's the other??
Dave, congratulations. Ol' Al helped me prepare for the test several years ago before I took it and passed it in Mt Home. Where did you take the test? Who were your testers? What problems did you have?
Robert
Robert, when did you do it in Mt. Home? I took it there last Oct but failed on a couple of items.
This second time I was very relaxed and to be honest I only had one problem... one I did not expect... I did a lousy job on the 75' distance cast. I didn't expect it because I never had a problem laying out a nice, long, straight cast in practice (90+ feet measured). I didn't have any problems with it on my first test. But for whatever reason, when I took it a month ago, it took me all my attempts... I dumped the line the first couple of times, laying the "fly" 20 feet behind the forward loop.
A few years ago I joined a casting club that meets once a week in a school gym. We help each other although of course the better casters do most of the coaching. I have really improved. Not only is it a benefit to have someone tell you how to improve, but you can also learn by watching others (both better than you and worse than you). The learning curve accelerates when you are in company. After the casting we then remove to a pub where the learning continues through discussion.
Dave,
I think it was 3 years ago in October at the Conclave. Might have been 2 years ago. I looked on my Certificate and it doesn't say. Getting old is Hell. I know what you mean about how casting for distance can be tough under pressure. I think it's because one is so tense. Example: Often when I go out to practice my longest cast will be one of my warm-up casts before I get "serious" and really start "trying". At any rate, congrats on your accomplishment. Your instructors certification and the knowledge that goes with it should serve you well in your guiding business. It was a fun journey for me and I learned a lot about the mechanics of flycasting.
Howdy Gang
Boy you sure know how to butter the teacher.
Thanks for the flowers,Dave and Bob.
Dave got tenses and short stroked the back cast. That happens when you are underpressure.
If you live where there is not a casting group. Start one. If you can not find two other casters Buy a tripod and set up your old video camera You will be surprized at what other see.
I was on the Texas Coast at a casting school where they had a video set up. Boy was I hammering my forward cast.Ilet up the hammer and it flew out another 20 ft.
I could not see it with out a side view or what every one else saw.
You might try casting straight at the camera to check your tracking Also
ol Al
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Ol' Flysoup
Flycasting is as easy as flysoup
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