Michael....
Don't fall on
your sword over the acronym thing. I've done the same many times.
We've both taught ourselves a lesson with Bill Howland's
help.
Now, over the
horizon:
The term,
"greased line" was one we used back in the 30's and 40's to mean a silk line
which was treated with a variety of unctions including petroleum products
to make it float as high as possible. Some still use the term to mean a
floating line even when it is modern Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) coated or
Polyurethane coated line whether or not "treated" with silicone or other
dressings.
The author is
describing a method of striper fishing which I use in the Fall when fishing
tidal creeks running into Peconic Bay on Long Island. It is similar to a
surface dead drift swing used on rivers when salmon fishing.* One difference is that the layout is made at right
angles to the current, then tension is maintained on the line as the current
makes a belly which becomes progressively more narrow as it is
drawn down under tension with the moving tidal water. This yields a
"swing" as the belly in the line straightens as the result of current flow with
no input from the angler.... ie. no retrieve.
As with
salmon, often the striper will be turned on as the swing progresses. I
think the thing which triggers the strike is the fact that the fly accelerates
dramatically on the swing imitating the behavior of quarry trying to
escape.
Authors
writing about stream trout fishing sometimes refer to the "Down and Across
Swing". This is no different, except that instead of aiming the cast at a
downstream angle, it is made at right angles to the current. (A small
variation on a theme.)
This
acceleration as the swing begins can be exaggerated by starting a retrieve or
sweeping the rod tip upstream.
Sometimes I
use an intermediate tip line with a long leader. I make the same
cast. The line sinks a bit ... then I try to judge when the swing is about
to begin at which point I sweep the rod tip vertically and up stream.
This makes the swing occur in an upward direction. As this happens the fly
moves across current and rises. Similar to the use of a Leisenring lift
when trout fishing except for the up stream start.**
* THE ATLANTIC SALMON by Lee Wulff, pp.
118-130.
** PRESENTING THE FLY by Lefty Kreh, p.
227.
** PRESENTATION by Gary Borger, pp. 118,
261.
Gordy