On the Orvis website under Casting and Fishing Tips appears the following
"Where do I stop the rod on the back cast?
As more line is picked up off the water, the casting arc needs to get wider to maintain straight rod-tip travel and a good loop. So, when do you stop the rod on the backcast? The simple answer is, “as soon as your fly leaves the water.” Regardless of whether you are picking up 20 or 50 feet of line, stop the rod when the fly leaves the water. The rod will no longer load at this point because it is no longer pulling the line against the surface tension of the water. "
Do you folks agree that the rod will no longer load once it it is no longer pulling against the surface tension of the water? I thought the weight of the line was sufficient to load the rod.
Blue,
Don’t get into the trap of over-analyzing the cast.
Begin with the line straight out on the water (grass works just fine for us rookies) and the rod tip pointing at it.
Then do your pickup, gently at first then accelerating to a SHARP, FULL STOP at around 1 0’clock.
Think of your backcast as an “upcast” (cast it just past 45 degrees up and back)and when your rod “loads”, the line will become parallel to the ground as you proceed with the forward cast.
If it sinks past parallel, you’re loosing rod load. It just is that way!!
See how this gets wordy explaining? Just do it…
Ask what JC puts forth every time he logs on…some of the most important info online…
Something about “…keeping thy ‘backcathst’ uppeth”…I always bite my tongue reciting it…Grins
False casts (most of the time) lol dont hit the water and I do my best to stop in the same spot. What this person it aluding too I think is that when you establis a casting V or stroke The distance of the stroke in back travel stops as soon as the line breaks free of the surface and will ajust it self as you add or subtract line. Hence longer line wider V shorter line narrower V I am not sure everyone will agree (I am not sure I do) but it is a Therory.
What I asked was "Do you folks agree that the rod will no longer load once it it is no longer pulling against the surface tension of the water?. Everyone except JC seemed to have missed the question. It had nothing to do with elegant casting or over analyzing anything.
[This message has been edited by bluehackle (edited 07 January 2006).]
I’m certainly no expert, but I believe that if you’re casting on the water that’s true. The rod is loaded by the weight of the line being pulled against the surface tension. The fly breaking free from the surface tension is going to create a slight “pop” and your casting stroke will not be accelerating fast enough to continue loading the rod.
On the lawn the rod is loaded only by the weight of the line with no surface tension to assist. Did you ever notice how much softer your casting stroke needs to be on the river vs. the lawn to avoid overpowering the rod?
Bluehackle, I have to disagree with this analogy. Yes the rod will continue to load (bend) as long as the the line weight creates resistence even without surface tension. This is why rods are designed to handle a certain line weight.
If your theory held true then I do not think there would be a need for multiple line weights.
I do agree that surface tension of the water obviously will have some minimal impact on rod load, but once the line is in the air this becomes less apparent. Rob
Who cares where the fly is. Stop the rod after the power stroke. Where ever the fly is (on, above or under the water) doesn’t matter, your not casting the fly, your casting the line. Start your backcast as soon as the tip of the line is moving, open your wrist to execute your power stroke, then stop the rod.
What I do is stop the backcast when I feel the line starting to load in the guides,especially the last guide just up from the reel. I can hear this as well as feel it with my hand that is holding the rod. It works for me, may not be technically correct, and I learned by watching other fisherman doing their thing. That is my 2 cents.
I don’t think it’s wrong but this scenario only applies to the first backcast when the line is in water and not false casting or lawn casting.
You stop loading the rod when you stop the rod in the backcast, or in the cast for that matter. That can very well be when the fly leaves the water in the backcast.
The rod is loaded by a combination of the opposing weight of the line and the speed the caster accelerates the rod. The friction of water certainly adds to the opposition of the line but it’s absence doesn’t keep the rod from loading.
Far be it for any one of us to doubt Orvis… but I do… and I agree with Mr. Castwell.
The Orvis explantion would have you believe it is impossible to cast on dry land.
Ray: >>>Start your backcast as soon as the tip of the line is moving, open your wrist to execute your power stroke, then stop the rod<<
I’m having a hard time interpreting what you’re saying about the wrist here. Surly you’re not suggesting a windshield wiper type motion.
