In a distance casting DVD I’ve been watching there are a couple of things that show up and are mentioned that seem a little different.
One is the tip of the rod does indeed go straight but it is almost always slanted…the path is lower in front and higher in back…this would seem to make the advise of…think of painting a ceiling or bottom of a shelf…a little misleading…probably OK for short casts.
Also it referenced where the stops in the back cast and the forward cast occur as related to the butt of the rod or the rod hand…don’t most of us think in terms of the rod tip?..maybe the hand or butt is easier???
If you were to slant the line of the cast so it was pointed at your target - the angle would be 10 degrees or so from horizontal at 40 feet. But the most important reason to slant it - and one JC always reminds us of - is to “keep thine backcast uppeth.” Truer words were never spoken
Thanks LF… Seems like a good idea, …in fact as I think about it the tip is not easy to see but also if loaded it is bent and not really where the butt is pointing.
Duck - I agree, but after the first false cast, aren’t we usually trying to keep more line out of the water to lengthen our next cast (especially in your distance casting example)? That would require us to elevate the back cast so when we shoot line on the backcast it stays out of the water or above the bank. Also, the fact that we are usually low in the water, grass/weeds on the bank, etc. probably makes us make our false casts more to the 1:30 - 2:00 position than parallel at the 3:00 position (angler facing 9:00). Anyway, on my longer casts, I sometimes bounce the flies off the water well behind me (which I will also demonstrate at the MI FishIn for a nominal fee). My immediate, novice bandaid of a fix is to try and keep my backcast high.
OK, this what I do for distance. I keep both front and back casts level. 180 degrees. Flat. Parallel with the horizon. Horizontal. You got that picture?
Good. Now, on the very last back-cast, the last one before the last forward cast, you got that? The last one? Ok, I do NOT keep it up! Nope. NOT up. What? Yes. Not up.
Just as low as I can get away with! Call it ten degrees maybe less than horizontal. Not level. WHY? Where do I want my forward cast to go? As far as I can get it. Gravity must be dealt with. The forward cast must be released slightly above level. Just a bit over horizontal. Up a bit. To do so requires that the back-cast must be dropped a few degrees. The cast must be at 180 for the most efficiency.
For the front cast to gain distance, the slight elevation will help.
duckster - I was talking about the path of the flyline. I also never take the rod tip back to the 3:00. JC’s response will certainly give me pause for thought.
Bill, just didn’t want confusion…there’s enough of that :roll:
I got that, JC…in fact, it was what I tried to do when fishing for steelhead on the Deschutes…you know the longer the better most of the time…actually we’d imagine we were casting to the cliff tops…Thanks.
Duck,
This is a good post and you have some great answers. I hope you get a lot out of that DVD. I need to buy it after viewing a friends old VHS version. Currently I’m waiting for Joan Wulff’s DVD to arrive per a prior suggestion.
It’s a great game and when you get it you’ll be surprised at how easy things actually are. Yeah, like I even “get it”!! I was over at a friends last night testing a couple “extreme hollow-buit” bamboos. This friend is a wonderful caster, wonderful. It gives me much incentive.
The joy is in the journey, enjoy yourself. Geez, I wish I could cast as well I enjoy talking about it…
Have fun Duck, have fun.
Jeremy…who’s patiently waiting for sub-zero temps to lift!