Because We Can
By Captain Paul Darby (QRRFISH1), Shalimar, FL
Why is it that we so often overpower the rod
and sabotage our own efforts? Well the short
answer is, because we can. Then too, part of
it is because we don't often consider how to
not overpower and the consequences that come
from it.
Being human and all, we often come to a truce
with our lack of understandings and just lump
them under the general heading of "Bad habits."
I guess a definition of bad habits is somewhat
in order in this context.
Let's see now, I know I wrote something down, it
was on the back of a box of fried chicken. Oh here
it is, bad habits come from a lack of information,
not understanding the information available, eleven
herbs and spices or lack of motivation.
Personally I don't feel there's a lack of information
out there, and motivation is often suppressed by
frustration. Therefore only the herbs and spices
and lack of understanding is left. Spices are not
at issue here, so lack of understanding is the thing
to look at.
Have you ever considered that almost nobody ever
throws a tailing loop on his or her rearward
projection of the line? So why does the tailing
loop seem to only occur on the forward projection
of the line?
Frankly, it goes to the basic makeup of the human
body. We are a forward fashioned instrument, where
as our movements are quite wide of range in the front.
Hand and arm movements are far more restricted in the
rearward direction. That very restriction is part of
the reason we make better projections to the rear than
in the front. We simply don't have the mobility to
foul it up so badly in the back. Throwing the line
to the rear is out of our comfort zone of operation.
Plus having almost no points of reference or preconceived
notions to guide us without thought or conditioned actions
it's far easier to get it right.
Now in the reverse or forward direction there are
unlimited combinations of movements at our disposal,
not to mention all the preconceived notions programmed
into our conscious awareness. The tailing loop is a
simple case of self-sabotage. We throw tailing loops
because we can, because everything we read and hear
tells us to. More is better. If I throw harder, it
will go farther. Plus on the forward stroke I'm in
my comfort zone, I know what to do here, I have
unlimited movement and power and I'm going to use
them.
Thus we overpower by nature, by design, by insistence
of our instructor who is trying to teach us to 'cast'
a fly rod. Ah, but take heart, there is a time to
celebrate the tailing loop. Now you just got to know
that's a hook. What kind of protracted thinking does
it take to hail the tailing loop? ~ Capt. Paul
Have a question? Email me!
captpaul462@aol.com
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