Teaching Youngsters (2 attachments) / Line management

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Hi Gordy,

Ah! The reason why we don’t hold consecutively smaller loops of running line on the river is that the towards the end of the shoot the energy available to pull out the running line is diminished and if the longest loop is at the back it either sticks in the water and reduces the distance or worse still snatches from the water and destroys the cast. Making ever smaller loops as you retrieve may reduce the tangles (I don’t know if that’s true or of any way to eliminate them completely especially with monofilament running lines) but it does not produce the longest reliable shoots. Salmon fishing on the R Tay we would be shooting 90ft of line (with 60 ft shooting heads and 8ft leaders and fairly substantial flies) using the multi-fingered method which evolved from necessity to make these casts. The other essentials for making these long casts are overhang as much as practical (up to 6ft in favourable conditions), plenty of drift, long straight stroke reasonably high delivery and keep the tip up to allow the shooting line to go. Rod lengths vary between 16 and 18 ft and line ratings are usually #12 or larger and lines are commonly made by joining two ST lines together or by cutting DT lines although these are now hard to find in the correct sizes. The same gear would be perfect for long distance surf casting for stripers etc. Hope that this is of interest.

Best wishes,

Ally Gowans

New – DVD video “Spey Casting Made Easy” by Ally details http://www.letsflyfish.com/spey_casting_dvd.htm

See my web sites http://www.letsflyfish.com and http://www.flyfish-scotland.com

Spey School dates for 2008 are March 14/15/16 & April 11/12/13 see details on the web sites.

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