Re: RE: Smoothness

Tom...

I figured that's what you meant......I'll pass on your editing.

Your ceiling demo is a good one. I did it using an old slow action rod blank with no guides or tip top. I put the tip of that rod in my fly vise, and tied on a piece of white felt so as not to make a mark on the ceiling. Worked well.

Gordy

From: "North Fork Flies - Tom Cooper" <cooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: "North Fork Flies - Tom Cooper" <cooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: RE: Smoothness
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 17:35:17 -0500

Gordy

In the fourth paragraph of my post the line "with so little effort they don't think the line will fall short and collapse" should read, "with so little effort they think the line will fall short and collapse" The don't shouldn't be in there. Poor editing on my part, and the airplane method depends on your ability to fold a quality plane.

When we get to a session on teaching aids I have a bag full of them. Save this for a post when we get to that topic. One I call the Paint-O. It is perfect for showing rod loading and unloading, Rod tip path versus the hand path among other things. I took an eight foot whip antenna ( purchased for $2 at a yard sale), cut it to length for a seated position to a nine foot ceiling, and epoxyed a short section of a threaded end broom handle to the tip. This allowed me to screw on a 3" paint roller that would roll easily on the ceiling. You can stop anywhere on the stroke to show the rod load, and as you come to the end of the stroke students will see the rod unload and spring forward. Rolling along the ceiling students see the SLP of the rod tip and compare it to the curved path of the rod hand. It is a great visual aid.

Tom Cooper

----- Original Message -----

From: Gordon Hill

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Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 1:53 PM

Subject: Re: RE: Smoothness

Tom....

Some great additions to our bags of teaching tricks, here ! I love that airplane trick.

I'll pass this on to the Group.

Gordy

From: "North Fork Flies - Tom Cooper" <cooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: "North Fork Flies - Tom Cooper" <cooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: RE: Smoothness
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 10:53:08 -0500

Gordy,

I have found that smoothness generally comes with the student's epiphany that power/force doesn't mean putting enough effort into the cast to get 30 feet of line to reach the far side of the casting pool. The male of our species is genetically skewed to use force to its maximum to achieve the smallest movement. This mind set is the root of most casting evils. Years ago this underlying philosophy change was pounded into me while attending the Wulff Casting School. Joan, frustrated with my unwillingness to give up overpowering my cast, excised that mind set by driving her index finger into my sternum with each word of the repeated mantra, "Do it with grace not with power... Do it with grace not with power... Do it with grace not with power..." Over and over. I got the point.

I do a few things to help a student realize the epiphany that grace is the answer. First, I avoid using words like power and force and substitute kinder, gentler words like effort and energy. The connotation of the word power only feeds the student's tendency to use excessive force. It is like serving all-you-can-eat donuts at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting.

Next, after introducing the basic cast and having the student practice for awhile, I have them do a hands-on demonstration using a paper airplane. Yes, a paper airplane. Having the student follow the basic elements of the forward cast - slow acceleration to a dead stop - I have them throw the airplane as hard as they can. Invariably it will take a nose dive. I then have them repeatedly reduce the energy of each toss making sure they mirror the forward cast. Soon the student will see how little effort it takes to make the airplane sail. I immediately have them put their hand out and place the airplane in their palm so they can feel its weight. I then replace it with a line that has the running line removed leaving only the first 30 to 35'. They can feel the line is not much heavier than the airplane and I explain the should remember they are launching the line from a 9 foot lever. Ah, the epiphany begins.

After the airplane exercise I have the student begin practicing again. This time, hopefully with less power and more grace. I make sure all the elements of the stroke are in place then ask the student to cast, maintaining all the elements, with so little effort they don't think the line will fall short and collapse. Usually the line will unfurl perfectly. I have the student repeat this, using less energy each time until the line does collapse and have them step up their application of energy until the line again unfurls to a perfect presentation. Epiphany achieved!

By approaching my lessons this way changing the mind set from power to grace eliminates many issues, like over wristing, without directly addressing them and smoothness becomes an easy refinement. Once the power mind set is eliminated, students grasp the mechanics of the flycast with ease.

Do it with grace not with power

Tom Cooper