Here is what lefty says about it:
I haven’t had any trouble casting from mine (but I’ve been casting from a belly-boat for a long time, so this is easy). You just have to stop your rod a bit sooner on the backcast to keep the line high…say around 12:00, instead of 1:00.
I’m just trying to learn the paddlestrokes and how to Eskimo-Roll without losing my rod!
Semper Fi!
Gig-A few years ago there was a great series in Sea Kayak Magazine about young Greenland Eskimo Paddlers. RE: Stroke: They learn to release the finger grip on the forward moving paddle blade’s hand. Just open your fingers and push very hard. That is half your power. With the paddle resting in your palm with steady pressure against it, that position allows blood to circulate through your fingers; which enhances performance and stamina. Grasp at the end of the power stroke and pull while relaxing the fingers of the opposite hand forthe push. So the push/pull is augmented with open/closed fists.
Yep! That’s one of the things I’m learning. It’s a whole lot like pedaling a bicycle properly (yeah, I’m a bicycle nut, too). Using clips (or straps) and cleats, you pull up on one pedal while pushing down on the opposite, and pull/push through the ‘dead-spot’ with both feet. Paddilng is the same principle. Boy!, can you ever get up a head of steam this way! I’ve been able to easily keep up with, and sometime over-take boats that were using a trolling motor.
One other tip on casting from a kayak. Let your loose line go into the water, or keep it coiled in your off-hand. It won’t hang up on anything that way.
Semper Fi!
I’m not having much trouble casting from the kayak. Things may be different depending on whether you have a SOT or an SIT. I have an Tarpon 120 (an SOT). I just let the line fall between my legs into the cockpit. That works ok. But another idea is to put a towel over your lap and let the fly line collect there.
I haven’t tried the towel trick but I’m going to see how that works.