Loops - teaching / Fly line backing

Seeing Tom White's masterful statement made me think on his videos and teaching. The topic brought to mind is the candy cane shaped loop as an indicator to tell your body to initiate change of direction.

When the unrolling loop has consumed so much fly leg that the fly line (not leader) imitates a candy cane or letter "J" lying on its side, the caster needs to see and recognize this visual picture. Assuming that it takes a small amount of time from initiating the brain command to causing the motion intended, the attempt to initiate motion needs to be triggered before it would ideally start. Hence the candy cane.

When one recognizes the candy cane, the brain triggers a smooth transfer from RSP/STOP to translational pull into the opposite casting motion. By the time the brain conveys this to the hand and the hand secures the grip and body weight shifts to the point of initiating rod tip movement that affects line - the fly line and leader may have nearly straightened. This is an ideal place to reverse the cast.

Bruce might tell us this is 0.02 seconds or something. I suspect there is considerable variation between individuals. But, recognizing a prescribed shape of loop evolution is key to perfecting timing. When we recognize this, we may choose to trust some intuitive timing or sensation factor and not watch the loop. For learning and understanding this element, watching the loop is a basic step. Bill Gammel's video Teaching Yourself to Fly Cast purports watching this loop, too.

My dentist gives out candy-cane shaped ball point pens as a promotion. I have collected several of them. The first shopping day after Christmas, I go to the big chain store,or a dollar store, and buy a few candy cane yard ornaments to use as visual aids in my teaching. They are incredibly inexpensive after Christmas!

For the group class or rod-in-hand demo, I use the bigger yard ornament version. After the demo, I have the pen in my pocket to to hold up against the back cast unrolling as a model for the student to mimic. My usual advisories include, "longer short part" or "before the short part is that short". I also make comparisons to a shepherd's crook, the letter "J", and umbrella handle, a walking cane, etc.

The same retail outlets are good places to pick-up hoola-hoops, flying discs, etc. If there are any laying around when the snow flies, after Christmas, they can be pretty inexpensive. I provided my casting partner a "teaching kit" of hoops, clipboard, anchor post, cones, tape measure, etc when he passed his CCI. I also gave him a CCI pin from the Federation.

One can buy a 50-meter tape measure or a 100-foot version from discount tool outlets for a good price compared to name brand stores. I have found that using a "J" shaped tent stake (from camping department) as an anchor gives the caster one less thing to kick or wrap line around, compared to a stake or screwdriver that protrudes above the ground. These "J" stakes can also stabilize the tape straight on the ground as they are wide enough to wrap around the 1/2 inch wide fiberglass or metal measuring tapes. If placed at proper intervals, a piece of fluorescent surveyor's ribbon, yarn, or Teflon thread seal tape can be an effective target marker when pinned by these stakes. An "O"-ring attached to any target can make it secured more easily by this method. The mouse trap also makes an effective anchoring clamp.

Tip for Teaching

I have a 5 ft 5 wt rod (It was made for my Great grand son when he was 4 he out grew it) that I use for demo while talking indoors.

I often have room for this rod where a 9 ft rod would hit the ceiling.

I have orange line on it to be easy to see but the Bright hot yellow works just as well.

This way I have a large Crayon to color with. Keep my hands busy. stroke, rotation, and Trajectory can all be shown.

On the folding rule. I carry one in my teaching bag for demos of Trajectory, Arc and Dome.

As many of you know I have a Hat with flies on it. No not just from poor casting did I get them, but it is great to have several types to show and tell. Clouser,hairbugs. Nymphs, emergers etc.

I have a 3X2 dry erase board and colored markers that I carry with me for drawing on. Some need to see it in stop action.

This I can do with the drawings.

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Al... I remember your 1 foot long rod that you brought to a SE Council meeting several years ago. As I recall, somebody stole it during the festivities.

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Note on learning from Tony Loader :

Hi Gordy,

I'd love to participate in such a conclave workshop but I'm not likely to be able to get there. May I instead endorse the comments from Tom Bell and John MacDiarmid. I've learned a lot from books and web sites but needed to process a lot of dross in order to find the pearls. Application and experiment provided more epiphanies but re-inventing the wheel is a slow process. Here, thanks to the generosity of all who contribute and especially your good self, wisdom comes unadulterated and specifically targeted. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate.

Regards,

Tony.

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Tony ... I realize, it's a long and expensive trip from Australia to Loveland, Colorado ! As the FFF grows with more members and certified instructors, I wonder if we'll someday have an Australian Council with meetings similar to ours in the USA...???

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Line ... Fly line backings

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From Bob Rumph on an old time fly line backing ....CUTTYHUNK :-

Hi Gordy,

You frequently mention Cuttyhunk, I also remember this line from when I was a very young angler fishing bait casting reels. One of the things I remember, is how it rotted on the spool. Anyway, here is a picture that should bring back some memories for you. This company also made silk lines and I have an original unopened silk line as part of my collection.

Regards,

Bob

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Bob, Cuttyhunk and silk were used for years for bait casting as well as fly line backings. We used nothing but these when fly fishing back in the 1930's and 40's until nylon was invented. Cuttyhunk was used as big game trolling line, too. Both were strong when new and had good knot strength. Both would rot if put away damp ... especially Cuttyhunk and MOST especially if wet with salt water ! Testing didn't do much good, because most of the backing might be just fine..... but there could (and often was) one spot of rot which served as the weakest link in the "chain" !

When Tom White and I gave our MCCI prep courses, under the general catagory of FLY TACKLE, we included discussions on the pro's and con's of various modern available backing materials. I gave Peter Minnick the task of tabulating the whole thing and he did a fine job.

In line with that, let's have a little quiz:

LIST THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE FOLLOWING FLY LINE BACKING MATERIALS:

BRIEF ANSWERS ! Follow each answer with a more detailed one only if needed for clarity.

1.) Nylon monofilament, standard cylindrical cross section.

2.) Nylon monofilament, flat or oval.

3.) Braided nylon multifilament.

4.) Braided nylon monofilament.

5.) Braided Dacron.

6.) Braided Kevlar.

7.) Braided Spectra.

8.) Combined sections of braided Spectra and Nylon monofilament.

Gordy