Shoulder handicap/casting....Al Crise

Message from Al Crise on teaching casting for folks with shoulder problems. My comments follow ..

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I can no longer reply to the group I lost all the addresses. Gordy Forward please. Might send me the address list.

On the Pulling. Here is one for those of you that have students with handicaps. Most often rotator Cuff problems.

We all know we need stroke to get the line moving in the right direction. The stroke must be equal to the length of the line being cast. long cast longer stroke.

If your student can not make the upper shoulder move due to lack of rotation of the joint. How can he cast?

Have him place the off side foot ahead. The rod side back still facing forward. Have the elbow bent at 90 Degrees. Start with the body weight forward. Shifting the weight to the back foot. As the rod hand is passing over the back foot add the Wrist rotation to a stop. Pause

Shift the body forward holding the wrist cocked back. Keep it there until the rod hand is above the forward foot. Now rotate the wrist. What you have done is replace the rotating of the shoulder with body movement.

Try it you will be surprised. The Action of the Body will take the place of the arm. Is this Style OR Substance?

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The use of the right length of casting stroke and degree of rod arc for the amount of line carried is substance. How the caster does this is STYLE.

This method works well for most casts. You changed the caster's style to suit his/her disability.

Another change in style which works for many with shoulder problems, is to go to vertical rod plane/elbow forward casting. A combination of the two changes is sometimes a good idea.

Lefty teaches to go to much lighter systems to help solve problems of that sort. We do that with folks who have tennis elbow (or, "casting elbow") pain and it really makes a big difference. As Lee Wulff taught and demonstrated years ago, it's amazing how large a fish one can land on a short, light rod !

When shoulder disability includes more severe pain or significant paresis (muscle weakness such as after stroke, etc.), then one might consider teaching the caster to switch casting arms.

Al....I've sent you a copy of the Group roster. You and Jerry Puckett have been very helpful in the past to keep things going for us when I'm away from my MailList Controller. Many thanks for that to both of you !!!