Walter & Group:
Read these two messages. I agree with Bruce Richards' answer.
Gordy
From Troy Miller....(ol Al's Group) :
Hmmmm, this becomes a chicken/egg discussion. There are two most basic
elements that determine rod tip path. Everything else is a subset of these
two. First, the path that the hands takes, and second, the bending of the
rod with time. Now, within each of these two elements, we have a number of
variables which we can play with, which results in "style". When I’m
teaching a beginner or a student that really needs to work on fundamentals,
I consider it my job to help him establish a perfect foundation stroke as
easily and quickly as possible. So if I can "fix" some of the variables
for him, then he’ll have fewer to be confused over.
For me, that means that I ask him to move his hand (actually, concentrating
specifically on his thumbnail) in the straightest line possible. I tell
him that I really don’t want him to concentrate on "not using his wrist",
or not over-rotating at the shoulder, or… I just want him to move all of
his joints and bones in such a way that his thumb stays in this pipe with a
slot cut in it (which I’ve already described to him). Now that the thumb
path is fixed (with all the input variables that go into it), all I have to
do is have him learn the relationship between the amount and application
rate of the speed/power for the amount of line out, rod/line designation,
flex characteristics of the rod, amount of wind/resistance, rod blank
inertia, parachute effect of the fly, etc. Of course, I don’t go into all
that detail about what they’re tuning the power to – I just have them cast
it and feel it and then ask them if they think it feels right. If the loop
doesn’t turn over, or the shape is poor (big loop or tail), or if they are
casting 600 mph loops, or…. I have them adjust to what makes more sense.
The SLP of the rod tip will be achieved more easily if they only have to
tune the input power, but never mess with the hand path. I know this
doesn’t work 100% of the time, but it’s VERY effective in my experience.
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Bruce Richards' answer:
Troy, I have to argue your point just slightly.... If you are to pick 2
things that most affect tip path they would have to be rod bend and rod
arc. It is very possible to make great casts using only wrist, no hand
path...... Matching rod arc to rod bend is what makes a straight path,
with hand translation or not.....
Bruce