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Walter & Group...
[GH] From Gary Eaton :
Gordy,
Reviewing Ally's fine diagrams - In my exam I got the impression that a much sharper, yet symmetrical "tooth" was expected of the mend. Think "isosceles triangle" with a height in excess of three feet and a base smaller than height. The reduced line speed, or low casting height are needed to keep the momentum of the line from pulling the base too wide regardless of the quickness of the side-and-back movement.
In practice, I teach that one should develop the capacity to make these "saw tooth", "tiger fang", or "mound" at will. Perhaps a bit of overtraining impetus derived from my surprise at the exam compared to what I had been advised to prepare for. My terrific mentors all had best of intentions, just exhibits variable expectations that arise with unclear descriptions absent diagrams of layout.
Gary Eaton
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[GH] Of course, this speaks to the great value of these layout diagrams.
I have not previously come across any discussion or recommendations on the shape of the mends..."Mound", "tiger fang", "saw tooth" or other... just hadn't occurred to me. Glad you thought to bring it up.
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[GH] The next two messages come from members of the MCI Testing Committee . I DO appreciate their input as we try to clarify these issues and put misunderstandings to the scrap heap.
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[GH] Dusty Sprague helps us with some more specific measurement ranges for task 4 :
Gordy,
To be more specific, lengths of the mended portion of the line should not exceed approx. 20 feet - 10 feet on each side of the target mend distances. Depths of the mends should be approx. 2 feet to 4 feet for the 15 foot and 25 foot mend distances and approx.1 foot to 2 feet for the 35 foot target mend distance.
Dusty
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[GH] From Joe Libeu :
I agree, this is perhaps the most difficult task. Regarding the size of mends at the 35ft, I do not expect a 3-4 mend at this point a 2-3 ft mend is fine. Those of you that have worked on it have found it difficult to make a 4 ft mend.
In testing, I would most likely ask for a mend to one side of the 1st target and on target 2 to the other side and on the last target I will let the individual do what they would like.
As far as shooting line and picking up line. Yes, you can strip in and then work line out, however, if you don't have the 55 ft of line out, and this can be difficult to measure in the air, you make the task harder with a shorter amount of line. The individual needs to carry 55 ft of line in the air, if this is the case, why would you shoot more line on the lay down? When you shoot line you risk reducing the mend size or taking the mend out of the line. In essence, you could loose some line control. I prefer to see the individual pick up 55 ft and do the task.
Joe Libeu
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[GH] Joe,
I probably shouldn't have brought up the shooting of the mend in the first place. It isn't required, is difficult to do, and carries the liability of straightening out the intended mend.
Tom White had taught me to do that. He did it to "wow the troops" during his casting demonstrations at shows as he shot a neat mend around a target at least 40' out. Should be relegated to the realm of trick casting.
I've never seen the need to do it when actually fishing.
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[GH] From ckling Ling,
Hi Gordy,
The reason this test is so difficult to perform is because it is a hit and miss affair in the beginning until you get the knack of it with a lot of trial and error practice. Surely there must be an easier way to approach this test.
With 55 feet of line and leader to caster's feet, there is 46ft of line and leader outside the rod. The travel distance of the mend depends on how long the fly leg and leader length there is when you make the mend.
Working backward we can work out where the loop has reached when the fly leg is of the required length before we mend.
Example, when the fly leg is 15ft the loop from rod tip would have reached 46-15 -1(for loop size) equals 30ft length. This 30ft plus vertical drop down arc length of 5ft is 35ft. A blip here should reach exactly the the 15ft cone. But of course the curve/mend has a length say 4th. So if we start our mend when the loop has reached approximately 33ft which we can see because of the 35ft cone, we should get our mend right around the 15ft cone!
To reach around the 25ft cone start mend when loop reaches approximately 23ft.
To mend around the 35ft cone start when the loop is 13ft length from caster that is 2ft before first cone.
Of course you still need to practice and fine tune it to your casting stroke until it is perfect. At least we have a reference point on when to start a mend for the target we want to achieve.
Do you think this makes sense?
Regards
Ling
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[GH] Ling,
The timing principle does make sense. You have provided an algorithm which just might work.
For placing each mend out at its target, timing of of the mend move is everything.
Perhaps there are some casters who can cast and do these approximations as they practice the mends. I'll have to go out and actually try it before commenting further on its self teaching value.
One thing I'll certainly agree with..... one way or the other, this task will take lots of practice.
Exceptions might include stream fishers who make these timed-to-distance mends on an almost every day they are on the water, because for them, the mends at unspecified distances are a way of life.
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[GH] From Walter Simbirski :
Gordy -
One of the other things I find that examiners look for in this task is that the line does not cross
the center line between you and the fly (or intended target). I have been asked to make my cast
such that the line (except for the mended portion) lands along the tape measure (or reasonably
close to the tape measure). The expectation is that the line does not cross the tape measure.
I think this is quite a reasonable request and expectation so when practicing for this task I
think it's a good idea to have some sort of reference line set up to ensure that you aren't inadvertently
introducing a curve or extra mend into the line layout.
Thanks
Walter
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[GH] Walter,
Good advice. Thanks.
Not stated that way in the Expectations part of the task description.
However, the Expectations include the statement : " The line should land on the surface relatively straight, other than at the mend point."
A few years ago, I gave a casting demonstration at a Conclave on curve casts and mends. I placed cone targets at various distances and not in line with one another... then placed mends at each one. More like what one does when actually fishing. The straight line layout other than at the mend was the same; just no tape.
For the caster who isn't practicing for an exam, that just might be a better way to do it .... also, with various targets at distances other than the ones stated on the test description.
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