Curves / Yarn "flies" /

Walter & Group...

Mack Martin suggests a leader for curve cast practice:

Gordy:

 

I find that using a stiff butt 6 to 7.5 foot leader works quite well for teaching curve casts (particularly with modified partial mass flies). Frog Hair (among others) makes a 6' pocket water leader that does a fine job for this application.

 

Mack Martin

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                                                       Mac's book - CASTING ANGLES

                                                                  Mac on special curves

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From David Lambert:

Gordy, hey:

Mac has plenty of books available for sale.  His email is Mac Brown <mcleods63@xxxxxxxxx>.  He's got a new mailing address, having just finished building his own house in the NC Mountains.  Hope this helps.

David

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From Mac Brown:

Hi Gordy,

The only thing different for my mailing address is the road name.

Mac Brown

779 West Deep Creek

Bryson City, NC 28713

(828) 488-8975

 

As to the snap curves, the same principals still apply as you said for the curves to occur. The best way to teach others this is to have them snap the small U shape pattern in a multitude of rod planes (which will directly influence loop planes). There are many to play around with, here is one example that comes to mind.

 

Here is one that comes to mind. Have the line out in front and begin the the slow sweep of the U on the bottom and finish fast over the top portion of the U. This will send the curve in back of the caster with a pronounced 90* curve which goes around the caster. Do the same motion from resting downstream on the dangle and in one simple U motion you have your pickup and presentation cast to the front with a 90* angle ready to fish. This leads to a very efficient presentation on the stream.

 

The tails is a bit more complicated to explain in a short answer. The positive tail from a horizontal rod plane (casters rod hand side of body) leads to the same layout result as the negative cast (also done on the same side). The added advantage is that now it can be used for presentations where you want to turn the corner to the right when you must use only the limited casting space at hand which happens to be low and on the right. If the canopy, wind, etc... did not always dictate this to the angler then sure, we could have made a corkscrew, hookcast, positive cast, etc... to accomplish the same thing. For that perfect situation on stream, it can become invaluable.

 

The key to making the tail never collide with the fly line during the cast in the example above is to pronate the rod hand upon completion of the stroke. I like Al Buhr's definition of torque twist which encompasses all wrist rotations into one. This causes the fly leg to always cross over the top of the rod leg. Without pronation it can become an ugly mess rather quickly. The tail is easiest to accomplish by stabbing the rod tip out of SLP (similar to fencing) and quickly back followed by pronation. This is among the most difficult to teach or convey so it is an advanced cast not targeted for budding casters.

 

Gordy, now that I realize the original question was targeted toward teaching a begineer disregard my original post. I get excited discussing curves and have very much enjoyed all of the responses thus far. Short answer for teaching newbies would be positive and negative curves.

 

Cheers, Mac

 

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                                                              Yarn for practice "flies"

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From Lefty :

Gordy-

I am not sure you want to put this one the site--but I do not like

yarn tied to leaders when instructing casting.

Yarn to me acts like a miniature "sea anchor" or a parachute--and

doesn't represent at all how a fly would act on the leader. I would

be interested in how other instructors feel.

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Comment: 

 My position.......  I agree that yarn tied to the end of the tippet doesn't act like a real fly.  This becomes important when practicing various casts including accuracy as well as casting when windy.  Some tie a piece of yarn at 90 degees to the tippet.  That one can be a real problem.

Several years ago, Rick Whorwood taught me a way of getting around this.  He took a 1" piece of package yarn and literally used it to make a fly.... tying it in simple streamer fashion to a light-wire # 12 or # 14 hook.  He then cut off the hook shank and bight just behind the "head" leaving a tiny bit of shank and eye.

I've used this for practice and teaching.  When giving a workshop at a conclave, I'll tie up a bunch of them and give them out to the students who wish to try this.  They love them. (I can tie one up in about a minute.)  I've found that when the students tie on their own yarn, that all sorts of things happen including the yarn slipping off, etc., etc.

I prefer bright yellow or white .... especially if casting on grass.  I used to use bright red, but found that when it's cloudy, I can't see it quite as well when I need to for accuracy events.

As most of you know, the ACA requires the use of flies which are officially designated for each event.  That way, each contestant is using the same thing.  Of course, for the dry fly events a yellow sparsly tied true dry fly is used .... important that it not "drown".  The tiers for these "official" flies make them so they are identical in every way.

LET'S SEE HOW SOME OF YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS.

Gordy

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