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    • FW: Re: STOP?






     

    From: Jeff Wagner <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
    To: Paul Arden <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
    CC: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
    Subject: Re: STOP?
    Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 10:47:31 -0700
    I think we are saying the exact same thing.  Power application is energy
    transfer. If the power application is over a longer period of time then it is 
    a longer energy dissipation.  Power application and energy go hand in
hand. The pooint of a power application is to transfer energy from our
body to the
    rod and to the fly line. If we are talking specifically about rod unload the 
    energy is being transfered to the fly line from the rod.  If we are talking
about a classic power application meaning the speed up to a stop we are
    applying energy. But in a lazy stop the dissipation is occuring over a longer period of time. To this I mean that there is only so much energy that will be transfered to the fly line as the rod unflexes. If this happens quick a great deal of energy will be transfered to the line in an effective instant when the line is begining to move beyond the rod. If I were to exagerate this movement 
    by decelerating slowly the fly line could continue to move forward
while I move
the rod down or to the side slightly, with a short cast the line could
completely unroll before I have stopped the rod fully.  If the line unrolls
fully and then I fully stop by a continual deceleration no effective energy
would be transfered.  In which my timing sucks.  If I would have stopped the
rod more abruptly then the energy would have been used more effectively.

I am not sure how you can say power application is the problem.  In the
classic
    sense of the word the power application is getting the rod to bend. If we are taling about a deceleration (lazy stop) then the power application is already over. However, since power application is such a broad term it could be used 
    to describe the power applied to create the stop.  As could energy, we could
say energy has to be applied to the rod to make it stop.

I am not sure where we are going with this?

--
Jeff Wagner

Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Federation of Fly Fishers
Fly Fishing Buyer, Jax Outdoor Gear
Fly Fishing Guide, Jax Outdoor Gear
Redington Pro Staff
970-481-5887
jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.dhflyfishing.com


Quoting Paul Arden <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


    Hi Jeff,
I disagree that the "problem" with a lazy stop is energy transfer.
It may be power application, it may be tip path, but it is not
energy transfer.

"A very rapid
    deceleration more effectively transfers the energy into the fly line, because 
    it is a over a short period of time."

    
The transfer of energy is not time dependent.

Cheers,
Paul

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Wagner" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: STOP?



    Paul,
    The enregy that is transfered anytime very rarely stays in one from. While a great deal of energy would be a movement a kinetic energy as most know it. It will still produce some heat and some sound (possibly) although they may be very minimal the transfer is not 100% motion. Friction between the fibers, much like friction between uscle fibers, will create some heat. You asked what 
    type of energy I guess I misread the problem.
    What I was trying to convey is that wether a very long deceleration or a very short deceleration (stop as we think of it), energy is still transfered from the flexed rod to the fly line as the rod unflexes propelling the line forward. The difference between these decelerations is how much of the energy would be 
    usable to efficiently propelling the fly line forward.  A very rapid
    deceleration more effectively transfers the energy into the fly line, because it is a over a short period of time. This concept is similar to the timig of the release of the haul. I will not describe as I think we could get off on 
    another tangent as that is another greatly debated topic.  But it is more
    effective releasing at one time during the stroke. The same could be said for 
    the stop and the transfer of energy from  the rod to the fly line.  A slow
    deceleration releases the energy over a longer period of time with less energy being trasnfered at any one instant, thus transfering less energy into the fly 
    line at any one instance.

--
Jeff Wagner

Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Federation of Fly Fishers
Fly Fishing Buyer, Jax Outdoor Gear
Fly Fishing Guide, Jax Outdoor Gear
Redington Pro Staff
970-481-5887
jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.dhflyfishing.com


Quoting Paul Arden <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


    Hi Jeff,

"The energy would be in the form of heat, movemenet, sound (very

    little)."

    
Are you saying the rod gets hotter with a lazy stop?

Movement I can understand, the energy is dissipated from rod to line
or better stated, transferred.

That's how I understand it anyway.

Cheers,
Paul

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Wagner" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 1:48 AM
Subject: Re: STOP?



    Paul,
    Eergy dissipated on a lazy stop is simply dissipated over a longer period of time and less of the energy would be transfered and used in prepolling the line. The energy would be in the form of heat, movemenet, sound (very little). But to me its not what it is transferred as but when, it is the timing. If I cast 40 feet of line and make two consecutive casts 1 with a solid stop and the other with a longer stop a wider loop would form and less line speed would be achieved. I think this can be shown definitely through casting, but also through the casting analyzer which measures those variables. Of course it is possible to cast 40 feet with with no actual stop and a very long decelerationa dn get good results because it is very easy to achieve that much power on such a 
    short line, but that is not the point of the exercise.
    On your second poit that a decleration occurs before a stop. Of course that is true. I dont think that is a revelation! You have to decelerate to stop. A car doesnt just cese to move some energy must be put into making it slow down 
    to a stop.  The same is true of the casting arm and fly rod.
    When I mentioned maximum tip velocity below it was a maximum tip velocity before any sort of deceleration had occured to make the rod unflex. Which has to happen. There is no cast where a cast is made with no help from the fly rod by going from a flexed state to an unflexed state. The deceleration may be very 
    slow and add very little but it still happens.
    In the swoop it may all be one fluid motion and it may not have a solid stop. But, in order for a RSP to occur a deceleration of the hand must occur which allows the rod tip a nd fly line to begint overcome the lower section of the rod and the hand. The hand may not be stopped, or the butt for that matter, 
    but a deceleration has occured.
    When you say butt, do you mean the very bottom of the rod below the hand. I know this sounds stupid. But if that is the case then I would say that the stop is almost imperceptable and we are seeing a follow through. Similar to a motion in a drift. I think this happens almost every great casters cast. However, a massive deceleration has occured to allow the ro to get to RSP then 
    a follow through.

--
Jeff Wagner

Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Federation of Fly Fishers
Fly Fishing Buyer, Jax Outdoor Gear
Fly Fishing Guide, Jax Outdoor Gear
Redington Pro Staff
970-481-5887
jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.dhflyfishing.com


Quoting Paul Arden <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


    Hi Jeff,
There are a couple of things I don't agree with below:

" quicker
    deceleration means a greater amount of energy would be transferred more quickly into the flyline and less of it would be dissipated after its effectiveness in 
    the cast."
    How do you see energy being dissipated on a "lazy stop"? And in what form? 
    
"But the
    stop IS the point of energy transfer from rod to line and does impart more energy into the cast than would be lost from counterflex or other ineffective 
    motions associated with the stop when done properly.

    "
    When the rod is unbending it is transferring energy from rod to line, this begins when the rod butt is being decelerated/angle of line to rod becomes acute. 
    This *always* occurs prior to butt stop.

"The deceleration would be after a

    maximum tip velocity and the inability of the caster to maintain an
    acceleration, an action caused by the caster intentionally slowing the rod 
    (stopping) or unintentionally from running out of arm"

    
Maximum tip velocity occurs at Rod Straight Position which normally
occurs after the stop, but in some cases can occur during the stroke
(making the stop a non-essential)..

The swoop stroke I am thinking of, pulls down with no butt rotation,
rotates the butt around a fixed point and then drives upward,
pointing the rod in the direction of the cast.
It's all one fluid motion. RSP occurs before butt stop.

I know the recognised theory, Jeff, but I don't think it's complete.

Cheers,
Paul
    ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Wagner" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
    To: "Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 4:49 AM
Subject: Re: STOP?



    Paul,

A minor point.  You can have a stopless cast.  But every cast has a
    deceleration. even if that deceleration is over a long period of time or large 
    distance.
    IF I understand your description properly there is still a deceleration in the rod at the end of the stroke or in this case when 170 degrees is attained. Any deceleration from a maximum tip velocity will cause the tip to straighten. And consequently energy to transfer from the rod to the fly line. Since it is the tip that is unbending and has the motion most of the energy would be expelled through the tip. The amount of energy that would go into the cast would depend 
    on several variables including the time of the deceleration, a quicker
    deceleration means a greater amount of energy would be transfered more quickly into the flyline and less of it would be dissipated after its effectiveness in 
    the cast.  Timing!

If your debate is when is the rod straightening it is during/after a
    deceleration, not necessarily a stop. The deceleration would be after a 
    maximum tip velocity and the inability of the caster to maintain an
    acceleration, an action caused by the caster intentionally slowing the rod 
    (stopping) or unintentionally from running out of arm.  Both have a
    deceleration. I would call attention to Steve Rajeff and other tournament style casters where the the stop is the defining mark between a good caster and great caster. Again, timing of the release would have something to do with this but also energy transfer. A longer stop has more time to transfer energy and 
    losing its effective timing.
    If you are contending that the majority of the energy has been transfered before the stop. I would say that definitely some of the energy has been imparted to the rod as the line is pulled through the air, if this were not the case the line would not be moving. Once the line is in motion it will continue at the speed of the tip, decreasing after energy is no longer being imparted to the line in which case it is effected by gravity, air resistance, etc. But the stop IS the point of energy transfer from rod to line and does impart more energy into the cast than would be lost from counterflex or other ineffective 
    motions associated with the stop when done properly.
    As for the swoop. I dont doubt that it can be a very effective technique. However, that doesnt mean anything about the rod not stopping or decelerating. If we are using the same term for swoop, meaning a dipped down path to the hand in the middle of the stroke to ensure a straight path to the tip of the rod. A maximum deceleration would occur at the end of the stroke and energy transfered to the fly line. I dont think that this is the most effective technique as it means less bend in the rod is happening than for a caster that is moving the hand in a arcing motion or even a straight line (if both casters are using the same rod and similar stroke length). But, if it works for the guy who cares. As I said in an earlier e-mail style is very individual and there is more than one to get the job done. I have been told recently that my style is not appropriate either but I get decent results. Just not in pesky comps!!
    I think I understand your discussion. The way I would break it down would be in two parts. The old lever and spring concept (lever and flexiable lever).
    1. Lever (non-flexiable as an example) energy is imparted directly to the line as the line is pulled through the air. The line will continue regarless of stop. The line will keep moving only slowing as the line is acted on by air resistance, friction, etc. This could happen regarless of the means of the line being pulled, this is true since a flexed rod as it moves through the air is being flexed and is for this purpose not moving. The same could be true for 
    a broomstick or even hand casting.
    2. Spring. The point where the flexiable lever, the rod, is unflexing and transfering the energy to fly line, propelling it forward. The rod must flex and unflex to do this. I think this can be shown to be very effective by having a flexed lever and unflexable lever cast next to each other. The efficiency of the flexiable lever imparting energy to the fly line depends on 
    many factors is effecient enough to have a net increase in energy.

Let me know if I am missing your point.

--
Jeff Wagner
--
Jeff Wagner

Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Federation of Fly Fishers
Fly Fishing Buyer, Jax Outdoor Gear
Fly Fishing Guide, Jax Outdoor Gear
Redington Pro Staff
970-481-5887
jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.dhflyfishing.com


Quoting Paul Arden <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


    
Hi Jeff,
    my thoughts on this is that in a 170 degree "stopless" arc the rod will straighten as theangle between the flyline and the rod butt becomes acute. 
    The loop is still top pointed so I assume this to be true. The energy
stored in the bend rod has to go somewhere, either through the tip
    or through the butt. If you're rotating the rod through 170 while it's 
    unbending the energy is going to go through the tip without the need
for an abrupt stop. At least this is what I *think* is happening.
    What we really need is a high speed camera. I hope to have access to one 
    before I leave NZ.
    Incidentally I know of a Spanish distance caster who uses the swoop to 
    cast into the mid 120s.

Cheers,
Paul




    Jeff....

You bring up some interesting points.
    I'll pass this on to the Group with the suggestion that it may help to print this out and study it at leisure. There is a lot of thought going into this message. 
    

Gordy









------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 From: Jeff Wagner <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 To: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
 Subject: STOP?
 Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:49:34 -0700
 Gordy,
    This thread is very interesting. Hope you dont mind if I put in a word. 
    
 I agree with Paul on a a few issues and you on others.
    When casting, any speed that is directly applied to the rod is also applied to the fly line. In which case the line will continue forward whether the rod stops or slows or just gets out of the way. We can see this when we do a thrust cast as paul notes. However is this the most efficient cast? I will suggest no, and state that it is possible to perform this cast with an unflexible lever by simply slinging the line. Any more distance is achieved by the energy imparted to the fly line by the flexing (unflexing) of a fly rod.
    However, energy from the cast by a fly rod is imparted at some point in the cast. Where? It can only be during a deceleration after a maximum velocity is achieved. In other words for the distance caster after the loading move the speed up and the wrist flip we achieve maximum velocity. At this point we could maintain this velocity however we usually run out of arm. In which case we decelerate and the rod unflexs and imparts energy into the fly line. Again evidence for this can be seen in casting a unflexible lever versus casting a 
     fly rod. We cast farther with a fly rod.
    The rate of deceleration I think is the key. As can be seen in Bruce's fly casting analyzer. The faster the deceleration the more quickly the energy is transfered to the rod and the more efficient the energy transfer is as the energy is not wasted over a long period of time. This quick deceleration is the difference between great casters like Rajeff and a beginner cast.
    As you and Jeff noted it is possible to make to abrupt of a stop without taking proper measures and shock the rod. However if you watch Rajeff and others like him they do take measures after a VERY abrupt stop often tilting the tip of the rod down and lifting the butt of the rod up (usually with very stiff rods that rebound very quickly) to move the tip of the rod out of the way of the oncoming fly line. An action needed because of the abrupt stop teamed with a very narrow 
     casting arc.
    I have attemped to demonstrate this when casting. I will first carry a good amount of line and on the final forward stroke continue forward and lay the rod down without really stopping the rod, simply continuing the motion only changing direction toward the ground with the rod while the fly line continues to unroll. Second, I cast normal and stop the rod abruptly causing counterflex in the rod. The normal casts with a stop and subsuquently a counterflex always go farther. The cast which has no defined stop as in a thrust cast still has a deceleration and energy transfered to the fly line this is unavoidable as the rod straightens. However, a very long deceleration or lack of a stop as we are 
     calling it here would transfer less energy.
    i would also note that at the veolcity reached by many great distance casters it may be very difficult to bring the rod to a full instantaneous stop. Instead the rod would continue forward and actually soften the stop slightly.
    Still a defined quick deceleration of the rod after maximum velocity of the tip will offer the best transfer of energy, the best case scenario for distance 
     casting.

 --
 Jeff Wagner

 Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor, Federation of Fly Fishers
 Fly Fishing Buyer, Jax Outdoor Gear
 Fly Fishing Guide, Jax Outdoor Gear
 Redington Pro Staff
 970-481-5887
 jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 www.dhflyfishing.com


 Quoting Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx>:

 >
 >
 > Paul... We are getting a little complicated for many in our
>Group, here. My brief comments in your text in BOLD CAPS. > Gordy
 >
 >-------------------------
 >
 > From: /"Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>/
 >Reply-To: /"Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>/
 >To: /"Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>/
 >Subject: /Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS/
 >Date: /Fri, 13 Jan 2006 23:32:15 -0000/
 >Hi Gordy,
 >
    >The reason I'd like to see casting arc included in (3) is because it >deals with progressive >rod bending and is quite specific. It's possible to make a long cast >a short stroke length, 
     >underhand casting styles for example. Bruce Richards reckons drag
>[translational rod movement
    >pre-butt rotation] removes slack, Bill Gammel thinks it removes sag, >I think it adds Kinetic 
     >Energy. It probably does all three. But I don't think increasing
>stroke length is an essential
 >whereas widening the casting arc most certainly is. I AGREE THAT,
>\"STROKE LENGTH\" DOESN'T COVER IT ALL. AS I LOOK AT IT , TIP
    TRAVEL IS >MOST IMPORTANT......A COMBINATION OF STROKE LENGTH, ROD (CASTING) ARC, >AND ANY OTHER TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENTS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CAST. (WE >MUST REMEMBER THAT BACK WHEN THESE WERE WRITTEN, MANY WERE USING THE >TERM, \"STROKE LENGTH\" TO MEAN WHAT WE >NOW CALL, \"TIP TRAVEL\".) PRE-BUTT ROTATION, \"PULL\", \"DRAG\" OR >ANY TRANSLATIONAL MOTION IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CAST PROBABLY 
    >_DOES_ REMOVE SLACK AND SAG AND ADDS KINETIC ENERGY.......ALL
THREE (AS >I SEE IT.)
 >
    >(6) is very interesting. Something I teach, is to say "stop harder". >What is someone >doing when they think "stop harder"? Hopefully they're squeezing the >hand, which 
     >results in rotating the butt at the end of the stroke, which is
>"proper power application". I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. FLOYD FRANKE
    PUTS IT >THIS WAY WHEN HE TEACHES THIS : \"SQUEEZE TO A STOP\". HELPS A LOT WITH >ACCURACY CASTING, TOO. 
     >
 >I'd like to say I knew the answer here, but I don't. The argument
>for an abrupt
    >stop is that it gives a more efficient transfer of energy from rod 
    >to line, but on a
    >170 casting arc I reckon that most of that energy has already been >transferred 
     >before the stop. Where's the stop on a swoop or a thrust, for
>example?
 >If it's at the end of thrust the rod's hit RSP, energy's been
>transferred and you may as
    >well drop the rod. YES. THIS IS GROUND UPON WHICH FEW DARE TO TROD >!.......WE RISK BEING CALLED HERETICS. ON THE SO-CALLED, \"THRUST 
    >CAST\" AS WELL AS THE, \"SWOOP\" IT DOES APPEAR THAT YOU'VE
    ALREADY >GONE PAST RSP. HERE, THE TRUE STOP IS WHEN, \"YOU RUN OUT OF ARM\". OF >COURSE THE ROD IS STRAIGHT AT THE END OF THE THRUST.....BUT THAT MAY >HAVE OCCURRED A SPLIT SECOND EARLIER. I'VE SEEN LEFTY DEMO THIS AND >LITERALLY DROP THE ROD ON THE GROUND AFTER THE THRUST. THE LOOP SHOOTS >OUT WITH TREMENDOUS SPEED AND ITS DIRECTION IS UNCHANGED. BEST NOT TO >TEACH THAT THRUST WIND CAST EXCEPT TO ADVANCED CASTERS WHO HAVE ENOUGH 
    >CONTROL TO AVOID ELBOW INJURY.
 >
    >Sorry I know this is not very good teaching for a study group. Some >day we'll 
     >know everything and then we'll try our best to forget it all.
 >
 >Incidentally I find emphasising "power application" as opposed to
>"stop" can have
 >a more positive effect. Just a different way of getting the same
>stroke nailed. I HOPE WE NEVER DO KNOW EVERYTHING ! IT WOULD BE
    LIKE >FINDING THE, \"NEVER-FAIL\" FLY. I DO SO LOVE GETTING INTO SUPER >DETAIL....BUT I DON'T WANT OUR GROUP TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FOREST FOR >SAKE OF TOO MANY TREES. > GORDY 
     >
 >Cheers,
 >Paul
 >
    >PS I can't believe Tip Travel has already been invented; we'll have >to come 
     >up with something different.
 >
 >PPS I shouldn't have eaten beans last night.
 >
 >Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 7:13 PM
 >Subject: Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
 >
 >>Paul....
 >>
 >>Interesting points.
 >>
    >>On 3.)....."Short cast: short stroke, Long cast: long stroke" is, 
    >>as we both know, a gross oversimplification. For the long cast,
    we >>need a long distance travel for the rod tip. We don't need it for the >>short cast. Of course, this is tip travel is produced by the >>combination of many things, including rod arc (casting arc), stroke >>length (as defined by the distance moved by the hand) and, with >>very long casts, the caster's body motion. Even a step forward >>during the delivery stroke adds to that tip travel. 
     >>
 >>(Incidentally, the first reference in the casting literature I
    >>could find was in J.C. Mottram's book, FLY CASTING, originally >>published in 1921. So the term is a resurrection not a new 
    coining.)
 >>
 >>On 6.) One can have a whimpy stop (a mush) and still get the fly
>>out there on target......but is that the most efficient way to
do it >>?......I think not.
 >>
    >>I simply can't make anywhere near the distance on my distance cast >>with a soft stop. Just can't do it ! 
     >>
 >>You call attention to the concept of crisp application of power.
>>Now if we have that anywhere in the stroke except in
    juxtaposition to >>the stop, we have a spike of power.......high liklihood of a tailing >>loop. 
     >>
    >>Having said that, I realize fully that there are many casts which 
    >>are done well with hardly a stop, or even no real stop. These
    include >>certain curve casts such as the corkscrew cast, the helicopter cast, >>and other decelerating curve casts....in fact, any >>purposely decelerated cast. It certainly includes the, "no stop" of >>the back cast during what has been called the, "European continuous >>tension cast" as well as other elliptical casts including the >>so-called, "Belgian cast". 
     >>
 >>As I happen to look at it, a crisp stop is an essential for
>>so-labelled, "straight line overhead casting"......NOT ALL
    CASTING, >>BY ANY MEANS. If we look at it that way, you are absolutely >>CORRECT. 
     >>
 >>
 >>Gordy
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>


>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 >>From: "Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 >>Reply-To: "Paul Arden" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 >>To: "Gordon Hill" <hillshead@xxxxxxx>
 >>Subject: Re: Actual demo of ESSENTIALS
 >>Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 05:19:38 -0000
 >>Hi Gordy,
 >>I've been thinking about the essentials listed below and I don't
>>agree that [6] is an essential.
 >>I think what's really happening when a caster is thinking about
>>making an abrupt stop
    >>is that he's really making a crisp power application [5]. There are >>quite a few "stopless" casting styles 
     >>including the TLT and Austrian style - which as you know is how
>>most Continental Europeans cast.
 >>I know that runs contrary to much of what we teach but many
>>distance casters don't use an
    >>abrupt stop either but integrate drift/swoop into their stroke. I >>just sort of flop the rod over 
     >>and hope.
 >>I used to think that the stop was the most important thing in
>>flycasting, I now think it restricts
 >>distance.
 >>
 >>I think [3] should be or include proper casting arc.
 >>
 >>I hope you're getting some good fishing.
 >>Cheers,
 >>Paul
 >>
 >>
 >> > Group...
 >> >
 >> > Following a suggestion by Molly Semenik, I have one more >>
>question on the 5 (or 6) ESSENTIALS.
 >> >
 >> > In your own words, describe what you would do to demonstrate
>>  >clearly to a group of fly casting students, each essential.
You may >>  >use a fly outfit or any other teaching prop or tool.
 >> >
 >> > 1.) Straight Line Path of Rod Tip - I have a short (one foot)
>>  >section of a rod tip complete with tip top guide. It enables
    me to >> >hold the short section up to eye level and while moving it back >>and >forth as per casting strokes, I can use the other hand to >>clearly >demonstrate the straight line path by accompanying the rod >>tip with >the flat palm of my other hand. 
     >> >
    >> > 2.) Eliminate Slack - When teaching, I always stress this very 
    >>  >early in the lesson. I have always liked and used Lefty's way
    of >> >putting this. With the line laying out about 30' with a bit of >> >slack, he points to the fly and leader and states: "Ain't nothing >> >gonna happen until that fly starts to move." After stating that >> >fact, I demonstrate how much of the back stroke is wasted pulling >> >out slack that was not removed. I also, to indicate the >>uselessness >of slack in casting and to interject a little levity >>as a bit of an >ice breaker, use the analogy of a drunk pulling a >>chain down the 
    >street, when asked by a very proper lady, why he is  >>pulling
    a chain, >he replies, "Lady, did you ever try pushing one >>of these things?" 
     >> >
    >> > 3.) Short Line - Short Stroke, Long Line - Long Stroke - I use 
    >>  >analogies here also. To indicate proper stroke length, I
    pantomine >> >throwing a line-drive baseball, which requires a short straight line >> >throw/stroke for a close throw and a longer straight >>stroke for a >longer ball. I also have the student watch the rod as >>I make longer >strokes while adding line. 
     >> >
 >> > 4.) Pause - I like to use the term -Timely Pause - With >>
>beginners I try to have them temporarily adapt to a 90% stance
>>and  >watch their back cast straighten (almost straighten). This
    has >>a >dual-fold purpose, as it allows them to see the line trajectory >>and >often helps to keep their back casts up where they belong. If >>the >individual has trouble watching their back cast, I revert >>again to >one of Lefty's old methods. I ask them where they are >>from, and I >instruct them to make a back cast while pausing long >>enough to state >their name and where they are from. It works like >>a charm on a 30' >cast. 
     >> >
 >> > 5.) Proper Application of Power. - When explaining power and
    >> >how to apply it, I have started to use a term that I believe our 
    >>own >Gordy has coined, and that is "An accelerated acceleration
    to a >> >stop", I have never heard it explained better. For this all >> 
    >important step I also use hands on guidance with permission.
>>There >are many analogies for this also, such as driving in low
gear >>then >shifting to second and finally high.
    >> > 6.) Abrupt Stop - When trying to explain the importance of the 
    >>  >stop, I allude to the elite distance caster's (Steve Rajeff)
words, >>  >when he was asked: What do the best casters do that
other's >>fail to  >do? And he replied; "They stop the rod." As to
>>demonstrating this, I  >again like to, with permission of
    course, use >>hands on. It is a >wonderful way to have the student actually feel >>the abruptness of >the required stop. Here again there are many visual >>aids we can >apply, throwing water at a wall off of a paint brush, >>slinging an >apple from a dowel rod and so on. 
     >> > Since I have a plethora of beginners here in the Catskills, I
>>  >have printed out little cards (laminated) with the
    essentials >> listed >and hand them out at the end of a one day lesson. I tell >> them to put >them in their wallet or purse and refer to them if >> necessary when >they are practicing, and then I always add; "You 
    do >>plan to >practice, don't you?"
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