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I am going to try this without pictures to protect the
innocent and the guilty. And in this there are no innocent.
We are all guilty because it is so darn easy and natural
to make this mistake. I think it is a bit like throwing
a baseball. A lot of guys cast a fly rod like that. Think
of it. The same motion you use going back with your rod is
the same one as you use when you grip and rear back to pitch
a 'high hard one'. We naturally seem to twist the wrist a bit
on the way back and then come over the top with the forward
motion.
This is not the best way. Now before you inform me of the cast
which is started side-arm and brought forward overhead, let me
say, yes I know of it and of a few of it's names. That is not
what I am talking about here. This is when you want to make a
more efficient cast. In other words, the same distance with
less effort, or more distance with the same effort.
When you first pull on the rod to start back the rod bends
down. Your reel is hanging down, the guides are on the bottom
of the rod. As you get about to your shoulder you start to
'swing your reel out' on the way back. What does this do?
Well, I showed a group at the latest 'Fish-In's' what it
does. Standing in front and casting straight at them, when
I twisted the reel out on the back-cast they could see the
line form a twisted loop off to the side. When I did not
twist it out, the line formed a tight wedge going back.
Here is what is going on. Don't blame me, it's just physics.
The rod is bent down, you come back and now the rod is twisted
and the guides are not down anymore, they are ninety degrees
off to the side putting torque on the rod on every cast and
just before you stop, it tries to unload sideways.
I know this is a little thing, but these are the parts of
casting that can be important to you. It is a hard habit
to break. I know several who just can not seem to remember
to try to keep the reel on the same plane. That is, when
going into the back-cast, the reel should go up on top and
the rod comes by your shoulder. One way to try to correct
this is to grip and twist and the cork toward you as you
start back. This can help the rod to turn a bit to the left
and keep you from swinging your reel out.
I know most of you only cast short distances and might think
this is just for those who want to cast the whole line. It
is not. It is for anyone who wants to be a more efficient
caster.
And, oh well, here's just one picture.
~ JC
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