Stance while casting 2

Walter & Group...

[GH] From Allan Dozier:

I understand what Ernie was saying about open and closed stances in baseball. Here is how I would explain the differences.

In most sports opening your stance means that you face your body more in the center of the intended move so in baseball you would face your sternum toward the oncoming ball and towards the center of the playing field (second base). In fly casting the center of the intended move is halfway between the forward cast and the backcast. In baseball there is no backcast. Opening the stance in baseball makes it easier to reach toward either the first base line or third base line. In flycasting opening the stance makes it easier to reach toward either the forward cast or back cast.

Allan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GH] Rick Whorwood tells us how he teaches stance :

Hi Gordy

I teach that a Closed Stance: (has both feet together facing the target) Open Stance: (for Spey; right hand up right foot back, left hand up left foot back, both of the R/L feet back are turned slightly towards a ninety).

I teach this to beginners so they can easily look at their D-Loop and anchor placement without rotating their shoulders (rotating their shoulder to see their D-loop could cause the rod tip and D-loop to go behind the their back, dangerous). I teach basically the same for single hand. There are a lot of really excellent Spey Casters that have the right foot forward or left foot forward, I'm not sure what they would call that stance, my guess would be open also.

I also explain that if you can see your D-Loop and anchor there isn't much chance you'll get hit by the line (fly). A lot of very good single casters have a habit when they start Spey casting to rotate once in the D-loop position to a direct over the shoulder cast (which in many cases cause the D-Loop to go behind them). Having them cast off the side and watching the anchor and D-loop seems to help eliminate this problem.

Rick Whorwood

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GH] Rick,

When you teach distance casting to single handed casters, to you recommend an open stance ?

Gordy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GH] From Jeff Wagner:

Gordy, I define style as:

Style: anything that does not impact the desired outcome of the cast.

This is more relative and loose but seems to be accurate. Describing casting stance is good so describe general categories of stances and to help beginning students. But beyond that we should be careful not to bring people to the conclusion there are the only stances one can use. The variety of stances is almost infinite.

Jeff

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GH] Jeff,

That is the way I see it. Stance as STYLE.

Whatever stance is safe, comfortable, and doesn't adversely effect the cast. This will depend upon the body build of the caster, the fishing and casting circumstances, and the objectives of the cast.

I like your statement, "The variety of stances is almost infinite."

On the other hand, I think we do need to start beginners out with what works for most casters... and then let them gravitate to what works best for them.

Gordy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GH] From Ally Gowans:

Hi Gordy,

Attached shows my understanding of relative hand and foot positions described as open and closed stances. You will note that the uses stated are non-prescriptive and although this slide from my beginners course additionally mentions only sitting and kneeling in general I recommend that a caster should be able to perform adequately from any other feasible position.

Ted Rogowski took some hilarious pictures of me demonstrating false casting whilst moving from a standing position to a prone position on the ground and returning to an upright stance again. Casting from a prone position is interesting the first time it is attempted for most people!

Best regards,

Ally Gowans

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~