Walter & Group......
From Capt. Greg Rahe (Who is in the Turks & Caicos running a bonefish lodge there) :-
Gordy,
Completely agree with
you on tension (feeling the rod load and unload), those who argue, have not
learned to dissect the casting stroke. The human hand can do only what it
‘feels’ during the casting stroke. You can fill your head, but the hand don’t
listen.
In taking decent casters in saltwater who are struggling and making them digress to one handed tip casting at 40 feet, I most often find them naturally drifting back a little after stop from the sheer force of “tension.” From that position they easily understand and adopt the “Belgian” and your and mine permit delivery.
(1.) Technically, I think you are correct in that there is tension with both straight line casts and elliptical casts including the kinds of, "Belgian" casts which I described. This is denied by some who may not have thought it through.)
Hi
Gordy,
I will attempt to
answer and still make sense – not easy!
The burning question of
tension.
The so-called,
"Belgian" cast can be done in several ways. When permit fishing, I
sometimes use a modification where the back cast is done using a different rod
(casting) plane than the forward cast..... sometimes with a very brief pause
after the back cast stop and more often by having no real, "stop" on the back
cast, but moving the rod tip around in an elliptical fashion smoothly to morph
into my forward cast. I start the back cast in the almost horizontal
plane, then bring the rod around to an off vertical plane for the forward cast.
This example is in my
opinion a combination of two casts because you made a back cast and stopped (or
significantly changed acceleration) to project the line backwards but during the
normal pause time you drifted elliptically instead of straight and kept tension
on the line at that time and then continued forward. You made a back cast
because the fly went behind you – we measure casting distance from the caster to
the fly. Incidentally the weight of the fly in relation to the line can have a
considerable influence on how the cast behaves. With a spinning rod an
elliptical movement in the back swing is a Belgian cast type with the lure/line
mass relationship being reversed compared to fly casting. In fly casting it is
assumed that the fly is carried by the line but we know from practice that a
heavy fly acts like a projectile and can straighten out the end of the line too,
so we can have a bit of both worlds.
The points up to which
I was leading are these:-
1.) Technically, I
think you are correct in that there is tension with both
straight line casts and elliptical casts including the kinds of, "Belgian" casts
which I described. This is denied by some who may not have thought it
through. If you accelerate the
rod tip and pull the line there has to be tension.
2.) With straight
line casts tension lessens dramatically after the stop on the back cast
during the pause.....especially when drifting. Yes and this was the
reason that long ago with slow rods of hickory, lancewood, greenheart and the
like and square plait silk lines the guides folded against the rod during the
pause to stop the line running back down the rod whilst it was close to the
vertical position. Some members of the
Group in the past have thought that it is eliminated at that point. It is
NOT ..... for if so, the loop would travel back, then fall to the ground without
having unfurled. At least some
tension between the traveling loop and the rod tip being needed for it to
unroll. Very little or non I
suspect during part of the movement but certainly tension builds up and causes
the line to straighten if the line loop has sufficient energy. If not the cast
falls slack at the end. Just thinking a little more about this, the rod
energises the line which is practically straight somewhere behind the rod tip.
So this line is now hurtling in the direction that it was sent whilst the rod
tip has ducked away from it. A loop forms at the rod tip as the line is folded
whilst passing the rod, the loop at this time has very little tension. The
energy is in the following line that is trying to pass the rod. Hence we see the
curious line loop shape traced by the movement of the rod tip immediately after
the stop. The line continues to pass the rod tip and as it does so the tension
builds up and the loop shape changes to reflect the tension in the line and the
direction of the line. Granted
that drift back drift of the rod tip at near the speed of the travel of the
loop, there is precious little. Even then, some exists because the drift
of the rod tip would rarely be at the same velocity as that of the
loop.
Proof for skeptics lies
in the simple experiment done by cutting the running line, then making an
overhead backcast. Tension is eliminated as the cut line leaves the rod
tip. The loop never completely unrolls and falls to the ground.
To straighten a line you
must have tension and in the case of the fly line that tension is between the
rod and the loop and between the loop and the fly.
3.) With true
elliptical casts, as I consider the, "European continuous tension casts" to
be along with one of the methods of making the, "Belgian" cast which I
described , there is tension as well .....the difference being that with these
casts the tension is maintained to a much greater degree almost (though not
quite) as "continuous" or, "constant". This is maintained as the casting
arm is smoothly repositioned for the forward cast. No actual, "stop" or
pause being employed. Of
course this will vary with each caster and each cast. If there is no stop or
significant change in acceleration the line will not project into a “back cast”.
If the line forms a travelling loop and the fly is projected behind the angler
there was certainly a back cast. I think what you are doing here is maintaining
tension between two casts rather than making one continuous cast. This cast
belongs to the “straight line family”.
4.) I look at the Spey
casts as forms of elliptical casting. As I marvel at the smooth appearance
of continuous tension as you make your D-loops and continue into your forward
stroke; there appears to be little or no pause and no defined stop. The
continued rod bend is evidence of this continued tension. Ah here we are using
true elliptical casts. There is no back cast, the fly never moves behind the rod
tip to form the D loop and the D loop shape is determined by the rod pulling the
line around and then accelerating away from the mass of the loop. Tension should
be maintained in the line at all times. The rod must not stop, in fact it
accelerates all the way through the cast, it’s just that the acceleration is
elliptical rather than straight. Acceleration remember is the rate of change of
velocity which is a vector quantity so even apparent slowing down whilst
changing direction can produce positive acceleration. Look it that more simply
in this case by accepting that increasing tension in the line exhibits
acceleration, no tension and the line will slacken. Slack line is not allowed in
any cast! Simply put for true elliptical casts – if you stop – the line will
drop – the cast will flop! Actually if you stop midway through any cast it
will flop, same rules again!
I sincerely hope
that this makes sense and suspect that it will raise a few
eyebrows!
Ally Gowans
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Ally ... Your comments make good sense to me. Especially when I consider that most of us have considered that a back cast has taken place any time the LINE is projected behind the rod tip.
We have been teaching that even with a static roll cast, the loop lying on the ground where it was placed behind the rod tip or, for short roll casts, where it hangs from the rod tip behind the caster is a, "back cast". I realize that is stretching a point.
Using our definition, even the D-loops of true Spey casts are seen as, "back casts".
Your definition of a back cast, I see, is that the FLY must be projected behind the rod tIp. SUDDENLY A LIGHT GOES ON !
Once we understand these basic differences, all this becomes much easier to understand. Reminds me of the "definition" of a mend among the few salt water fly fishermen years ago being the stripping of unwanted slack after the cast. Had nothing to do with repositioning the line the way trout fishermen looked at it. Now we're all on the same page with that one.
Perhaps we'll visit these definitions with our Glossary Committee.
I am in full agreement with your comments on the heavily weighted fly.
This discussion represents the power of COMMUNICATION to yield understanding as we converse with our fly casting instructors across oceans.
Gordy