|
Yes, it was a grand time and I think we had the most registered ever,
who actually showed up - 61. The dates are already set for next year,
hope you can join us. The fishing was top notch, some even catching
the first trout of their lives. The ladies were more involved then
last year, thanks to Vicki and all of her prior planning. There will
be a few reports on here about the details, but I thought I might
give a view from my perspective.
I think I learn from every one of these events and still have a long
way to go. Some time ago I took a bit of pride in my talents as a
casting instructor. I seem to have been effective and have had more
than a few others agree with me on this. I am a fair caster but have
thought of myself as a better coach. What is it, "If you cant do it,
teach it?" I am beginning to think I have been more than a little
guilty on this score.
I will start by mentioning to any who may have missed me around the
last campfires and the other evening events that somewhere on the
first day, Tuesday I guess it would be, I did something to my back,
still have not got it straightened out. It was fun helping those of
you who came over to cast some rods and work on what ever glitches,
real or imagined, you may have perceived in your casting. I think
we made some progress.
Wednesday was fun too. Superman made an appearance and was truly a
sight to behold. Is there no limit to this mans talent. Amazing,
even with a bit of a sore back. Here is a picture.
So much for that. Let me move on to something actually important.
Casting. Style. Like I said, I think I may have learned something
again. Let me try to explain what I am talking about. We have had
several Fish In's in Idaho and I have had to opportunity to help
quite a few guys with fly casting. Now, over the years, I have rather
firmly maintained that most guys don't have a 'style' of casting.
I see guys write that a certain brand of rods does not suite their
style of casting, they don't like any of them. Or the opposite, they
might like them all because they are designed well and just right
for their style.
I have seen guys learn how to form better and more controlled loops
at a fish-in and the very next year have to learn them all over. Go
figure. I had been patting myself on my back at how well I had done
and then a year later see that I did not get the job done. Or did I?
I am starting to believe that a person may have a certain style after
all. And no amount of improving or changing of the casting stroke will
ever stick. I see them change, see the casts improve and then a year
later, it's back to where they came in. Now, this is not necessarily
a bad thing, I hope. A person can learn many of the small events of
fly casting, recoil casts, slack line casts, line mends and all sorts
of maneuvers. These he can hang onto from one year to the next, but
the co-operation between the line hand and the casting hand may be
something else. The double-haul, the little tugs and pulls of the off
hand are where style is also created. These can, and do change. And
those are the little things we may need to refresh from year to year.
You add the size of the casting arc, the stopping points and quality
of the stroke and you can come up with several different ways to
fling a fly line. Somehow, we all are unique. No one does it the
same, I know that for sure. Proof? Just watch at the next show or
fish in. No matter how hard I try, none of you cast like me.
Thankfully! ~ James Castwell
|
