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----- Original Message -----
From: WALTER/SUE SIMBIRSKI
To: Gordon Hill
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 11:03 AM
Subject: Re: More tips for practice During the tapering period the athlete will run easy distances or lift easy weights and concentrate on form. People need to burn off a certain amount of nervous energy so complete rest isn't a good idea. Also for something like fly casting, where rhythm/coordination is extremely important, it's probably a good idea to keep doing a moderate amount of practice right up to the day of the test. Short practices concentrating on form and timing would be beneficial. For the last few days leading up to a test Hail Mary casting should be kept to a minimum and practice should be ended if the caster feels any fatigue or notices that his/her casting is losing some of its edge since the start of the practice session. Cheers! Walter ----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx> Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 6:10 am Subject: Re: More tips for practice Walter..... The point raised in your first paragraph is one I hadn't considered......good thought. One thing I will mention, is that I have been guilty of coaching one MCI candidate right up to the last minute before taking the exam. This was a BIG MISTAKE ! He was unsuccessful, and I'm sure my over-working him so late was the main reason for the result. I'll never do that again. A few months later, he passed with strength. I, now, recommend that no hard practice occur within a couple of days of the exam.....maybe just a bit of warm up. Perhaps a few minutes of, "tune up" on any questionable cast. Now for your question on physical training : Years ago, I talked with Steve Rajeff, who had not done as well as he usually does in a particular competition. His comment as to the reason was: "I just wasn't in the buff." While expert fly casting outside of distance competition, isn't considered a physically challenging endeavor, and principally a matter of highly skilled conservation of energy output with the use of sharply honed technique, I can't negate the fact that increased strength and muscle tone has a place. Lefty and I discussed this one day......he pointed out while we were casting on a pond near his home, that as he reached 80 years of age, his distance capability had diminished. I remember Jim Green saying the same thing. I realized, at that point, that I was already in my seventies, and trying to INCREASE my own distance capability. Now, for years, I've made a run every morning (except when fishing at dawn), rain, shine, come "hell or high water". To help negate the ravages of age on my casting ability, I started making that run with a 1 lb lead ball in each hand....working up to 3 lb. balls. Even though I don't enter competitions, I still do this. As I swing my arms during my, "trot" (half run and half a race walk), with each step I fully flex each elbow. Then I use 6lbs. of lead in my casting hand, and extend this arm upward, 100 to 150 times. I do this every morning without fail. After doing this for 3 months, I had a much better and more powerful back cast. That made a tremendous difference in my distance presentation cast ! I've come to the conclusion that while high strength is not necessary for expert casting, that it DOES result in three things: 1. Much greater fatigue resistance for long practice sessions. 2. Easier made specialty casts. (because of greater control) 3. More accurate and longer distance casts. One reason that our "super casters" do so well in competition, I think, is that they can combine a virtually flawless technique with strength. Their perfection is number one in importance.....THEN they add physical strength, and do so without losing any control. I think THAT is what makes champions. Others have pointed out the value of regular exercise to increase casting capability......witness the exercise program described in Joan Wulff's book on accuracy. Dig back into the past and note the references to he value of regular exercise with a Hock wine bottle in Charles Ritz's book, "The Life Of A Fly Fisher." These folks were not large powerful people by any means.....but they go down in history as our Casting Greats ! Gordy ----- Original Message ----- From: WALTER/SUE SIMBIRSKI<mailto:simbirsw@xxxxxxx> To: Gordon Hill<mailto:hillshead@xxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 1:27 PM Subject: Re: More tips for practice Gordy - good point on the training frequency and duration. Again - back to the running/weight training analogy - these athletes plan their training to follow cycles of 3 to 6 months with a peak during competition. The cycles start with informal, low intensity training sessions (e.g. long slow distances) and work up to very specific and intense sessions as peak/competition nears. The cycles help prevent mental and physical burnout. Another question, based on your other life, are there any strength training and flexibility exercises that would be beneficial to improving fly casting abilities? What sort of cross training (golf, tennis, etc.) would be beneficial? For those of us who are noted for a lack of co-ordination and rhythm :) what would be good exercises to improve tempo (e.g. use of a metronome)? Thanks Gordy Walter ----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Hill <hillshead@xxxxxxx<mailto:hillshead@xxxxxxx>> Date: Monday, October 24, 2005 6:47 am Subject: Re: More tips for practice > Walter..... > > I'll answer your questions between your paragraphs in BOLD CAPS. > AS YOU READ, BEAR IN MIND THAT NO TWO OF US HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF > PHYSICAL ENDURANCE OR THE SAME MOTIVATION LEVEL.....SO MY COMMENTS > ARE BASED UPON WHAT I FOUND WORKED. NOT FOR EVERYONE ! > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Walter Simbirski<')" >simbirsw@xxxxxxx> > To: Gordon Hill<')" >hillshead@xxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 10:59 AM > Subject: Re: More tips for practice > > > Hi Gordy - a few questions on practice: > > 1. How often and how long are your practice session? > > I PRACTICE IN BRIEF SEGMENTS.....SAY 20 MINUTES OR SO EARLY IN > THE MORNING, PROVIDED I > AM NOT FISHING EARLY. ON A FISHING DAY, I'LL OFTEN TAKE > ADVANTAGE OF A TIDE CHANGE OR A "NO FISH HOUR" TO PRACTICE WITH AN > EVENT OR PROBLEM IN MIND WHICH INTEREST ME. IT'S RARE FOR MORE > THAN 3 OR 4 DAYS TO GO BY WITHOUT SOME PRACTICE. EVEN ON MORNINGS > WHEN I'M SCHEDULED TO SEE PATIENTS AT 9:00 AM, I'LL GO OUT TO A > LITTLE PARK NEARBY AND PRACTICE AT FIRST LIGHT, THEN COME BACK FOR > BREAKFAST. OFTEN, BOB AND I WILL MEET FOR THESE SESSIONS. > > VERY DIFFERENT, BACK WHEN I WAS PRACTICING TO TAKE THE MCI EXAM > ! THOSE SESSIONS WERE MUCH MORE INTENSE.....SOMETIMES 2 HOURS OR > LONGER. I'D EVEN TAKE MY ROD IN THE CAR ON FAMILY TRIPS AND WHIP > IT OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES PRACTICE IF I COULD FIND SOME GRASS AND > CLEAR AREA WHILE THE FOLKS WERE FINISHING LUNCH OR GASSING UP THE > CAR. SOMETIMES I HAD NOTHING BUT A CONCRETE PARKING LOT......SO > I'D PRACTICE PUTTING LOOPS INTO MY OPEN CAR WINDOW, OR MAKE > REPEATED CURVE CASTS NEVER ALLOWING THE LINE TO HIT THE CONCRETE, > ETC, ETC....... > > 2. Do you plan your practice sessions and, if so, how granular > is your planning? Athletes like runners and weight lifters will > have a firm plan in mind > > YES....OFTEN BOB ANDREAE AND I WOULD START WITH A SPECIFIC GOAL > OR BRIEF SET OF GOALS FOR THE MORNING SESSION. WE DIDN'T STAY, > "LOCKED" TO IT ONCE THE GOALS WERE MET. IN THE EVENT A PARTICULAR > GOAL COULDN'T BE MET, WE DISCUSSED VARIOUS MEANS OF ATTACKING THE > PROBLEM FOR THE NEXT SESSION. SOMETIMES THAT MEANT GOING BACK TO > DO SOME READING....OR CALLING ANOTHER CASTING BUDDY, ETC. > before a work out of which specific exercises they intend to > perform (e.g. 6 quarter miles at 90 seconds or 6 sets of squats > with specific weights). > Or is it less formalized, e.g. "today I'm going to work on my > backcast"? At the very least this would indictate what sort of > equipment you need to > bring along (types of lines, ropes, hoops, etc.). If you have > a bad day in one area, e.g. I wanted to practice distance but the > wind is too strong or > my arm is tired, are you prepared to change the practice > session? GOOD WAY TO DO IT. HAVING A 15 MIN. TO 30 MIN SESSION > ON A SPECIFIC CAST OR PART OF A CAST IS FINE.....PARTICULARLY IF > IT'S ONE WITH WHICH YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY AT ALL. > > I'D WAIT AND PRACTICE WIND CASTS AT A TIME WHEN YOU ACTUALLY > HAVE WIND. THIS GIVES MUCH BETTER FEEDBACK AND A VALUABLE SENSE > OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WHEN YOU DO IT WELL. > > 3. Do you plan practice sessions in terms of time, performance > or repetitions? i.e. I'm going to practice making tight loops for > 10 minutes, until I > get 75% smaller than 1 foot, or 50 repetitions. I'm guessing > the number of reps isn't too useful for a fly caster other than to > provide some feedback > that they may be getting too intense on a given exercise and > risking an injury. AGREE. GOING BACK TO IT IN SUBSEQUENT > SESSIONS, HELPS A LOT. > > 4. You mentioned making notes - what sort of notes do you find > helpful? Again, with the weight lifter analogy they would record > the complete workout > in terms of number of sets and repetitions and weights used > so that next workout they will know if they are ready for heavier > weights or if a certain > order of exercises produced better results for future > reference. A good example for fly casting would be when using > ropes spaced a certain distance > apart for practicing loop width - what would be a good > starting spacing for the ropes and length of line to start with. > If I practice this exercise once > a week I wouldn't have to remember the info I could just > refer to my notes. > > NOTES: FOR ME, FLASH CARD NOTES HELPED A LOT.....PARTICULARLY > WITH THE ALGORITHMS VALUABLE FOR YOUR EXAM. EXAMPLES INCLUDE > SIMPLE LISTS OF THE CASTS YOU WOULD USE FOR WIND FROM YOUR > CASTING ARM SIDE. ANOTHER, FOR THE THINGS YOU WOULD CONSIDER FOR > TARGET ACCURACY PRACTICE, LIKE, 1. TRAJECTORY (LINE PLANE), 2. ROD > LOAD LEVEL ( TIP CASTING FOR CLOSE TARGET; MID TO BUTT LOADING FOR > DISTANCE TARGETS), 3. HOVER IF NO WIND/DRILL INTO TARGET IN HIGH > WINDS, 4. STRICTLY VERTICAL ROD PLANE FOR CLOSE TARGETS / OFF > VERTICAL FOR DISTANCE TARGETS. ANOTHER, IS A LIST OF VARIOUS > CHANGE OF DIRECTION CASTS.......AND SO ON. > > THEN I MADE NOTES ON A LITTLE PAD AS TO WHAT I MIGHT CONCENTRATE > UPON FOR THE NEXT SESSION....HOWEVER SIMPLE. AS I WALKED HOME > FROM MY PRACTICE SITE, I'D THINK OF OTHERS WHICH I'D ADD ONCE BACK > FOR BREAKFAST. > > THE PLACEMENT OF MY PARALLEL ROPES DEPENDED UPON HOW PROFICIENT > I BECAME AT MAKING THESE TIGHT BACK CAST LOOPS. I REMEMBER > STARTING WITH THEM ABOUT 6' APART, THEN BRING THEM EVER CLOSER AS > I GOT BETTER. JUST PRIOR TO TAKING YOUR EXAM, I'D HAVE THEM ABOUT > 18" APART AND NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL I COULD CONSISTENTLY KEEP > THOSE BACK CAST TIGHT LOOPS BETWEEN THEM OUT TO ABOUT 45', FOR > EXAMPLE. > THE NUMBER OF, "SETS AND REPETITIONS" IS A HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL > DECISION.....IT WILL DIFFER WIDELY BETWEEN CANDIDATES. JUST DON'T > DO THESE 'TIL YOU, "BURN OUT", AS YOU WILL REACH THE POINT OF > DIMINISHING IF NOT DAMAGING RETURNS IF YOU DO THAT. ONE EXAMPLE > OF HOW I DID IT : ON PRACTICING DISTANCE CASTS, I'D WORK AT IT > UNTIL I COULD MAKE THREE 90' CASTS IN A ROW WITH A NICE STRAIGHT > LEADER LAYOUT CLOSE TO OR IN A 3' TARGET........I'D THEN STOP AND > GO TO ANOTHER EVENT TO SORT OF LET THAT MUSCLE MEMORY, "BURN IN". > IN THE BEGINNING, I'D DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING AT MORE MODEST > DISTANCES, THEN WORK UP WITH SUBSEQUENT PRACTICE SESSIONS......THE > PRINCIPLE BEING THAT REPEATED SUCCESS MAKES A NICE WARM AND FUZZY > SPOT IN YOUR BRAIN. > > > > > > > > 5. Have you got any more ideas on good feedback mechanisms. > Having a buddy watch, watching your back cast, casting between two > parallel ropes > or a hula hoop, video taping?, sound of the rod/line... > > THERE ARE MANY. SOME DEPEND ON THE PRACTICE CIRCUMSTANCES : > > # THE LEVEL OF CASTING EXPERTISE OF YOUR "BUDDY" CAN MAKE A BIG > DIFFERENCE AS TO THE QUALITY OF THE OBSERVATIONS OF YOUR CASTING, > AND THE SUGGESTIONS WHICH FOLLOW. PRE-TESTING BY A CBOG OR MASTER > WE'VE ALREADY COVERED AS A VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PATH. PRIOR TO > THAT STEP, HOWEVER, IS PRACTICE.....ESPECIALLY OF THE EVENTS WHICH > YOU FIND MOST DIFFICULT WITH ONE OF THESE DEDICATED FOLKS ON AN > INFORMAL BASIS. THIS IS INVALUABLE. REMEMBER, THESE FOLKS ARE > WILLING AND ANXIOUS TO HELP YOU AS PART OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE > FFF PRINCIPLE OF IMPROVING THE VERY TEACHING OF FLY CASTING. IT'S > UP TO YOU, AS A CANDIDATE, TO SEEK THEM OUT. > > # PRACTICE IN THE EVENING, AS THE DUSK APPROACHES IS MY BEST > TRICK TO TAKE THE CASTING EVENTS FROM THE VISUAL TO THE > KINESTHETIC LEVEL. TO BECOME A REALLY ACCOMPLISHED CASTER, YOU > NEED TO REACH THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DISTANCE CASTS > AND SOME SPECIALTY CASTS IN THE PITCH DARK. THESE EFFORTS GIVE > YOU A KEEN SENSE OF THE PART PLAYED BY LISTENING AND FEELING. > IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN USING A BLINDFOLD, BECAUSE IT TAKES YOU FROM > THE VISUAL TO THE "FEEL AND HEAR" SCENARIO, GRADUALLY. > > VIDEO TAPING IS VALUABLE.....BUT DOESN'T GIVE THE INSTANT > FEEDBACK GAINED BY YOUR OWN "REAL TIME" OBSERVATIONS AND THOSE OF > YOUR BUDDIES. IT TAKES TIME TO SET UP, AND THE COST OF EQUIPMENT > IS A STRONG CONSIDERATION. OFTEN ATTENTION IS DIRECTED AT THE > FILMING MORE THAN TO THE CASTING WHICH IS NOT TIME-EFFECTIVE FOR > YOUR LEARNING. > > # TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SITUATIONS AS THEY APPEAR CAN PRESENT > ENDLESS CHALLANGES . FOR EXAMPLE, JOAN WULFF'S, "PICKING LEAVES", > TRYING TO PLACE A TIGHT BACK CAST INTO A HOLE IN THE TREES, > CASTING WITH A HIGH EARTHEN BERM BEHIND YOU (AS BOB ANDREAE AND I > HAD TO DO WHILE TEACHING LADIES TO CAST AT AN IGFA EVENT), USING > SQUIRRELS AS TARGETS AS THEY MOVE ON THE GROUND (I'VE NEVER > ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO HIT ONE WITH THE YARN FLY !), CASTING TO > PLACE THE FLY BENEATH PARK BENCHES, USING THE PARALLEL LINES AT > THE EDGE OF A TENNIS COURT, THREADING THE FLY THROUGH AN EVER > DECREASING OPENING IN A GATE (TIMED TO THE SWINGING OF THE GATE IN > THE WIND). FLOYD FRANKE'S TRICK OF HAVING THE CASTER PLACE TIGHT > ROLL CAST LOOPS BENEATH HIS OUTSTRETCHED ARM........ETC., ETC. > (COULD GO ON FOR PAGES !) > > > GORDY > > Thanks > > Walter > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gordon Hill<')" >hillshead@xxxxxxx> > To: Kirk Eberhard<')" >captkirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Chuck > Easterling<')" >creangler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Lawrence Baggett<')" > >glbaggett@xxxxxxxxx> ; Randy Olson<')" >bigfly@xxxxxxxxx> ; Steve > Jacob<')" >scjacobs@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Rick Whorwood<')" > >whorwood@xxxxxxxxx> ; Dennis Grant<')" >dennisg@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; > John Wilson<')" >flyfishar@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Dan Wright<')" > >dwright@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Bob Andreae<')" >sobbobfish@xxxxxxx> ; > Dusty Sprague<')" >dsprague01@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Peter Minnick<')" > >pminnick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Marty Tannahil<')" >martyt@xxxxxxxxxx> > ; Jim Brady<')" >bradyir@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Tom White<')" > >tomwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Ken Cole<')" >ken.cole@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; > Bruce Chard<')" >CAPTPERMIT@xxxxxxx> ; Roman Glemba<')" > >flycasts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Bob Tabbert<')" >rtab@xxxxxxx> ; Allen > Crise<')" >flysoup@xxxxxxxxxx> ; Dave Rothrock<')" > >daver@xxxxxxxxxx> ; Gary Wood<')" >brushycreekfc@xxxxxxxxx> ; > Jake Jordan<')" >keysjake@xxxxxxx> ; Mark Kreider<')" > >mkreider1@xxxxxxx> ; Jeffery Barefoot<')" >barefootj@xxxxxxx> ; > Tom Harper<')" >tharper@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Nial Logan<')" > >niallogan@xxxxxxxxxx> ; Doug Hart<')" > >captdoug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Sheila Hassan<')" > >sheila@xxxxxxxxxx> ; Floyd Franke<')" >ephemera@xxxxxxx> > Cc: Jerry Iverson<')" >iverson@xxxxxxxxx> ; Gary Meyer<')" > >gladesflybum@xxxxxxxxx> ; Charlie Shedd<')" > >crazycharlie@xxxxxxx> ; Clay Roberts<')" > >croberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Bob Rumph<')" >caddis@xxxxxxx> ; Bill > Howland<')" >mildbill@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Walter Simbirski<')" > >simbirsw@xxxxxxx> ; hillshead@xxxxxxx<'<mailto:hillshead@xxxxxxx<'>)" >hillshead@xxxxxxx> ; > Kathleen Wagner<')" >kathleen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Dermon Sox<')" > >DermSox@xxxxxxx> ; Kim Boal<')" >thedamselfly@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Ray > Rhash<')" >ray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Peter Lami<')" > >plami@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; gavin platz<')" >gavin@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Ron > Kerr<')" >kerrrc@xxxxxxxxx> ; Jerry Puckett<')" > >jerry_puckett2001@xxxxxxxxx> ; Bryan Nims<')" > >Brydnlnims@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Dana Stern<')" > >blacksalmon@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jerry Simons<')" >jfs523@xxxxxxxxxxx> > ; Cezanne Alexander<')" >cezannealexander@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Don > Jackson<')" >donjack@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Michael Gallert<')" > >trallag@xxxxxxx> ; Douglas Swift<')" >douglas.swift@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > ; Cathy Lee Hill<')" >hillcathy@xxxxxxx> ; Jim Valle<')" > >jfv@xxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Ron Pedegana<')" >fraudflies@xxxxxxx> ; Bob > Beanblossom<')" >bobbeanblossom@xxxxxxx> ; Tom Bell<')" > >snowmonkey29@xxxxxxx> ; Frank Ogden<')" >flyfsfrank@xxxxxxx> ; > Jim Phillips<')" >skifishvail@xxxxxxxx> ; Ken Cole<')" > >ken.cole@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jeff Wagner<')" >jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > ; Jim Penrod<')" >t.maltese@xxxxxxxxx> ; gregrahe<')" > >gregrahe@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Molly Semenik<')" > >mollysemenik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Ian Muirhead<')" > >ianmuirhead@xxxxxxx> ; Shane Morrison<')" >shane@xxxxxxxxx> ; > Ernie Maynard<')" >erniemaynard@xxxxxxxxxxx> ; Paul Arden<')" > >paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 9:22 AM > Subject: More tips for practice > > > Hi, Group..... > > Here are a few more tips for practice casting:- > > 1.) Minimize your casting arm fatigue, by placing your > rod/reel under your arm whenever between casts....like when you > are thinking or talking with others. Shake out your casting hand > as you do this. > > 2.) When practicing distance casts, use a 2 handed retrieve > with the rod under your arm. It's also a time saver. > > 3.) Collect your loops of line on the grass in front of your > zero mark....THEN take a step back behind the mark and make your > cast. Getting into this habit will negate the likelihood of > standing on your line while practicing and (especially) while > being tested. > > 4.) When sharpening your loop control skills, do so with > varying amounts of line out of the rod tip. > > 5.) Practice controlled loops using different rod planes. > Note the necessity to increase line (loop) speed as you go more > horizonal. > 6.) Teach yourself to make perfectly controlled loops using no > line hand. > > 7.) Make these controlled loops using ever decreasing line > speed so that they are done very slowly without losing perfection. > THIS ISN'T EASY......BUT MAKES FOR MUCH BETTER DEMONSTRATION, AS > THE LOOPS AND ROD MOTIONS ARE SO MUCH EASIER TO SEE. > > 8.) Practice your tailing loops so that you can do them in a > couple of different ways. DO NOT MAKE THEM BY SHOVING YOUR ROD TIP > UP INTO THE PATH OF THE LINE. (This is a poor demo...because it is > NOT the way your student is likely do do it.) > > Get proficient in doing it the way students do it......either > by the use of a spike of power in the middle of your stroke, or by > making an obvious creep prior to the spike. > > 9.) For MCI candidates, practice your back cast tailing loops > using more line out of your rod tip than is matched by your stroke > length, without changing rod planes. Make sure you can do it > slowly, with an easily seen tail every time. > > 10.) In practicing wind casts, it's best to orient your self > with respect to actual wind conditions, so you actually have the > wind to deal with. Practicing this with no wind is not nearly so > valuable a self teaching tool. Doing this way out in the middle > of a grass field, and turning to a different wind quadrant for > each cast is a good way to do this. > > 11.) Spey casting practice on water is the only way to get the > skill of anchor placement and timing down. > > 12.) Practice on grass can have its problems....especially if > there are weeds and other, "grass cleats". Not a bad idea to take > a large bath or beach towel upon which you can coil your line at > your zero point. > > 13.) Joan Wulff recommends that you always cast to some sort > of target. I think she's right. > > 14.) While practicing distance casting, DON'T MEASURE YOUR > DISTANCE ACHIEVED BY THE MARKS ON YOUR FLY LINE !!!!!! Always > measure by where your fly lands in relation to a measured target > distance. > 15.) With distance practice, be as critical of your leader > layout as with the position of your fly. Proficiency is measured, > not only by the distance traveled by the fly, but by whether you > have a neat turnover of your leader and a reasonably straight > layout. (Remember, a good straight layout is the product of good > controlled casting combined with a properly designed leader assembly.) > > 16.) After pleasing yourself with distance accomplishment, > start working at making the same distance with a LOT less effort. > > 17.) We've emphasized the point that watching your back cast > loops is a good way to improve them. However, there are some > casts which MUST be done by observing the targets....not your back > cast. This is why you must finally get to the point of making > controlled back cast loops while not observing them. For this, > it's important to make them while having a buddy critique them for > you, repeatedly. > > 18.) It's not a bad idea to have some practice sessions in > differing conditions....like fog, wet sticky grass, windy days, > cold days, hot days.....etc. That way you'll feel confident to > test under any conditions. > > 19.) For long practice sessions, it is a good idea to use as > light a reel as possible. A heavy real provides inertia which > makes a crisp STOP more difficult, and it results in greater arm > fatigue. If I have a real problem with a particular cast, I like > to shorten my line, remove the reel (placing it at my feet) and > then make many attempts, until I've solved the problem. > > 20.) Cleaning and lubricating your line prior to your practice > sessions is a very good idea. A dirty line can cause many subtle > casting problems. > > 21.) Choosing a practice site with light and a contrasting > background can make your observations of your line much easier to > see. This is particularly true for critique of your back cast loops. > > 22.) Tom White taught me to LISTEN as I practiced. By > actually hearing the line as it traverses the guides, this may > well be telling you that you are using too much power for the task. > > 23.) In teaching yourself to be good at curve casts to the > right and the left, I found that I could get a lot more casts in a > given period of time and with little arm fatigue, by using only > 30' of line out of the rod tip, and repeatedly making curves to > each side without letting the line fall to the ground. This > doesn't work with the distance corkscrew casts, but it does with > most of the others. > > 24.) While practicing your, "explain and demonstrate" events, > learn to express 2 things: > > a. A statement of the problem. (Such as: The wind is > blowing from my casting arm side and will blow the line into me.) > > b. A statement as to what you are trying to accomplish. > (Such as: I need to place a mend upstream of a tongue of current > in order to have a drag free drift of my fly.) > > 25.) Don't simply practice perfect casts. Take plenty of time > to practice FAULTS. This way, you can demo to students what they > look like, and how they occur. > > 26.) As you make these faulty casts, talk to yourself as you > describe each one in terms of, ERROR, RESULT, and CORRECTION. > > 27.) Another way do do this, is to verbalize Bruce Richards' 6 > step algorithm as you purposely make each faulty cast and then go > on to correction. > > 28.) Those lucky enough to be able to practice with a buddy of > similar or equal casting ability have a real advantage ! When > you help one another, you really increase your learning !!!! > > 29.) Practice sessions done when you are wide awake and full > of energy are much more productive than those done when you are > tired. For me, I find that the first light of morning after a cup > of coffee is best......but that's an individual consideration. > > 30.) Teaching is actually wonderfully good practice. Fishing > is not, because your attention is on the fish....less so on the > casting. > 31.) After completing each practice session, I sometimes make > little notes on a pad as to what I've taught myself....or what I > need to work on at the next session. > > 32.) Bruce Richards makes a point of recommending that you > have an outfit all strung up and ready to go for easier and more > frequent practice sessions. Good idea (if you can) > > > Gordy Walter.....
The point raised in your first paragraph is one I hadn't
considered......good thought. One thing I will mention, is that I have
been guilty of coaching one MCI candidate right up to the last minute before
taking the exam. This was a BIG MISTAKE ! He was unsuccessful, and
I'm sure my over-working him so late was the main reason for the result.
I'll never do that again. A few months later, he passed with
strength.
I, now, recommend that no hard practice occur within a couple of days of
the exam.....maybe just a bit of warm up. Perhaps a few minutes of, "tune
up" on any questionable cast.
Now for your question on physical training :
Years ago, I talked with Steve Rajeff, who had not done as well as he
usually does in a particular competition. His comment as to the reason
was: "I just wasn't in the buff."
While expert fly casting outside of distance competition, isn't considered
a physically challenging endeavor, and principally a matter of highly skilled
conservation of energy output with the use of sharply honed technique, I can't
negate the fact that increased strength and muscle tone has a place.
Lefty and I discussed this one day......he pointed out while we were
casting on a pond near his home, that as he reached 80 years of age, his
distance capability had diminished. I remember Jim Green saying the same
thing. I realized, at that point, that I was already in my seventies, and
trying to INCREASE my own distance capability.
Now, for years, I've made a run every morning (except when fishing at
dawn), rain, shine, come "hell or high water". To help negate the ravages
of age on my casting ability, I started making that run with a 1 lb lead ball in
each hand....working up to 3 lb. balls. Even though I don't enter
competitions, I still do this. As I swing my arms during my, "trot" (half
run and half a race walk), with each step I fully flex each elbow. Then I
use 6lbs. of lead in my casting hand, and extend this arm upward, 100 to 150
times. I do this every morning without fail. After doing this for 3
months, I had a much better and more powerful back cast. That made a
tremendous difference in my distance presentation cast !
I've come to the conclusion that while high strength is not necessary for
expert casting, that it DOES result in three things: 1. Much
greater fatigue resistance for long practice sessions. 2. Easier made
specialty casts. (because of greater control) 3. More accurate and longer
distance casts.
One reason that our "super casters" do so well in competition, I think, is
that they can combine a virtually flawless technique with strength. Their
perfection is number one in importance.....THEN they add physical strength, and
do so without losing any control. I think THAT is what makes
champions.
Others have pointed out the value of regular exercise to increase casting
capability......witness the exercise program described in Joan Wulff's book on
accuracy. Dig back into the past and note the references to he value of
regular exercise with a Hock wine bottle in Charles Ritz's book, "The Life Of A
Fly Fisher." These folks were not large powerful people by any means.....but
they go down in history as our Casting Greats !
Gordy
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