Walter & Group........
Sample questions III : -
This is the 3rd list of sample questions, one candidate's answers, and comments :-
(Some repetition of questions, here. Remember....these are simply examples of the kinds of questions a candidate might have to answer.)
Gordy
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Your
student is creeping on the forward stroke and throwing tailing loops. How do you
tell the student to fix these problems?
Answer: Explain that
casting arc and / or stroke length is too small because of creep, resulting in
an improper application of power, resulting in the tailing loop. Explain
and demonstrate creep and drift. Practice stop and drift. OK. FIRST,
YOU NEED TO BE SURE THE STUDENT KNOWS WHAT A CASTING STROKE AND ROD ARC
ARE. ALSO JUST WHAT "CREEP" IS AND HOW IT CAN SHORTEN THE AVAILABLE STROKE
LENGTH. DRIFT BACK IS USUALLY EFFECTIVE.
SOMETIMES HAVING THE STUDENT WATCH THE BACK CAST TO AVOID SNEAKING THE ROD TIP
FORWARD WHILE THE LOOP IS STILL UNROLLING
HELPS.
· In
your small class of students you have progressed from explanation and
demonstration of basic mechanics to practicing straight-line casts. All seem to
be progressing except one student who just doesn't get it. What do you do with
that student?
Answer: I would work
with the student having a problem, concentrating on diagnosing it and solving
it. If it is a problem understanding the demonstration and explanation of
the problem I would attempt to convey the meaning using different demos and
verbal queues. I would also use a kinesthetic approach. However, I
would be careful not to allow the student to monopolize my time. If
necessary, I would propose meeting separately for one on one instruction.
GOOD.
· What
do you tell your students with regard to "style"?
Answer: Style consists of grip, stance and body movement, it is personal and should be based on their personal physical strengths and weaknesses. Each style has strengths and weaknesses as well. Two of the most common styles they may be familiar with are the classic competition caster and the saltwater angler. The classic competition style is a very strict, vertical style with a compact stroke associated with accuracy casting. Saltwater style is much more open and side arm in its style. Both are good. The classic competition style allows the user to improve accuracy by restricting extraneous movements which could cause problems; however, it can be difficult to solve timing problems since the caster often will not see their back cast. The saltwater style allows the caster to view their back cast. However, it can result in rotational problems, particularly with the shoulder, body and hand which are difficult to resolve.
IF ASKED FOR MORE
DETAIL, YOU MIGHT GET INTO THE USE OF VARIOUS STYLES TO SOLVE VARIOUS CASTING
AND FISHING PROBLEMS AND SITUATIONS. I LIKE AL BUHR'S CONCEPT AS STYLE
BEING, "SELF OPTIMIZATION".
· How do you motivate your students to continue learning?
Answer: Encouragement,
Stress their successes, remind them of learning new approaches to casting i.e.
Self diagnosis. Challenge them to use targets, games and a measuring tape
to assess their progress. YES.
Additional Dusty
Questions:
· Your student is throwing big wide loops. What would you say to the student to correct the problem?
Answer: Use the Six Step approach. Their rod tip is following a convex path, likely to be too much wrist bend. Possible solution stiffen wrist to achieve a straiter tip path. I LIKE TO GO THE HORIZONTAL "OVER THE GROUND" CASTING, PREFERABLY OVER A STRAIGHT LINE LIKE A TAUGHT ROPE OR EVEN A HIGHLY VISIBLE FLY LINE STRETCHED OUT ON THE GROUND. THIS WAY THE STUDENT CAN SEE THE LOOPS BOTH FORWARD AND ON THE BACK CASTS. ONCE LOOP CONTROL IS GAINED THIS WAY, I HAVE HIM/HER GO TO AN OFF-HORIZONTAL ROD PLANE IN THE AIR, AND THEN TO AN OFF-VERTICAL ROD PLANE, ETC.
· Your student has listened to your explanation of power but doesn’t seem to understand. What would you do differently to get the message across?
Answer: Time for the kinesthetic approach. ALSO, WORD PICTURES .... LIKE, "START SLOW AND END FAST" OR TEACHING LEFTY'S CONCEPT: "YOU ARE NOT THROWING ANYTHING. YOU ARE UNROLLING A LOOP TO A TARGET." AN OCCASIONAL STUDENT WILL RESPOND TO THE, "FEEL" OF PROGRESSIVE ROD LOADING WITH THE USE OF A PRACTICE LINE WHICH OVER-LINES THE ROD. SOMETIMES BEST WITH EYES CLOSED. TOM WHITE'S METHOD OF HAVING THE STUDENT LISTEN FOR THE, "WHOOSH" SOUND OF THE LINE AS IT TRAVERSES THE GUIDES AND TRY TO MAKE A CAST WITH THIS SOUND ELIMINATED, ETC, ETC. AGAIN: YOU NEED LOTS OF PRACTICED TRICKS IN YOUR DEEP "BAG OF TRICKS."
· In your small class of students you have progressed from explanation and demonstration of the basic mechanics to practicing straight-line casts. All seem to be progressing except one student who just doesn’t get it. What do you do with that student?
Answer: I would move back to what the student understands, and then try to move to the next step, if they had difficulty with my explanation I would try the kinesthetic approach. I would spend time with the student but would not let it interfere with the rest of the class. If that became a problem I would suggest a one on one session. THAT'S ONE GOOD APPROACH
· Are you familiar with the history of casting? For example who popularized the double haul? The Belgian cast? High speed / High line back cast?
Answer: A little. Marvin Hedge, ??, Charles Ritz IF YOU HAD DONE NOTHING MORE THAN STUDY JOAN WULFF'S BOOK, FLY CASTING TECHNIQUES YOU WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS. PART OF YOUR READING BACKGROUND SHOULD INCLUDE MOST OF THE BOOKS LISTED IN THE MASTER STUDY GUIDE .... PERHAPS MANY MONTHS OF READING AND STUDY. NO SUBSTITUTE OR SHORT CUTS IF YOU REALLY INTEND TO PASS YOUR EXAM ! BOOKS BY CLIFF NETHERTON, CHARLES RITZ AND OTHERS INCLUDING ERNIE SCHWIEBERT'S WILL PROVIDE THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION. YOU SHOULD KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HISTORY BEHIND HANS GEBETSROITHER OF AUSTRIA AND THE EUROPEAN CONTINUOUS TENSION CASTING METHOD AND ITS RELATION TO THE SO-CALLED BELGIAN CAST AS WELL AS HOW THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHARLES RITZ HELPED YIELD SOME OF THE CASTS POPULARIZED BY OTHERS SUCH AS LEFTY KREH AND THE BORGERS, ETC., ETC.
THIS STUDY WILL LEAVE YOU ABLE TO DESCRIBE IN DETAIL THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CASTING STYLES OF CASTING NOTABLES SUCH AS JOAN WULFF, BRUCE RICHARDS, JERRY SEIM, STEVE AND TIM RAJEFF, THE FOLKS FROM THE CONTINENTAL EUROPEAN SCHOOL ETC.
· What is the very best thing an instructor can do for a student?
Answer: Motivate them
to become better. HARD TO DISAGREE WITH
THAT.
Appendix B - Representative
Questions - Equipment
Fly fishing equipment, including rods, lines, leaders, flies and miscellaneous items.
Rods:
· What
are the major design requirements for a fly rod?
Answer: Line weight, casting, line
handling, setting the hook, fighting and landing the fish and general
handling. Don Phillips, The Technology of Fly Rods p. 41 I would add
that the size and strength of the target species plays a significant
role. YES. MATCHING THE ROD TO THE TASK .... ALSO, THE
CONCEPT OF BALANCED TACKLE AND HOW THAT CONCEPT IS DIFFERENT FOR TWO HANDED
SPEY RODS ...(CHECK OUT SIMON GAWESWORTH'S
SPEYCASTING FOR THAT
ANSWER.)
YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MODULUS OF THE MATERIAL AND HOW
IT DIFFERS FROM THE MODULUS OF THE CONSTRUCT, AS WELL AS THE FLEXURAL
REQUIREMENTS OF A FLY ROD TO SUIT A PARTICULAR FISHING AND/OR CASTING SITUATION,
ETC.
· What
are the primary advantages of a short rod? A long rod? A fast rod? A slow
rod?
Answer: Short Rod –
Tight spaces, fighting very large fish such as tuna and
marlin
Long Rod – Long Casts
and long mends, casting from low places Example Deep water or float
tube
Fast Rod – Long
distance
Slow Rod – Short distance - playing fish with light tippets
GOOD SHORT
ANSWERS. BE PREPARED TO BE ASKED A LOT MORE
DETAIL.
· How
do rod length and stiffness affect distance casting? Setting the hook? Fighting
a fish?
Answer: Longer rods can
create more line speed for a given stiffness and so cast further when used with
good form. They will exaggerate tracking errors as well as good
casting mechanics. When fighting a fish they may allow the angler to get
better angles on the fish for fighting, however, will make landing the fish more
difficult for an angler bringing the fish to hand. YOU WILL NEED A LOT OF
EXPLANATION FOR YOUR SECOND SENTENCE IF
ASKED.
Stiffer rods – Will have a faster response to the caster and support a faster casting cadence than softer rods. They are potentially longer casting with tighter loops since there will be less deflection in the rod for a given amount of pressure on the rod. Long rods give up some shock absorption resulting in difficulty with light tippets. RE-THINK THAT LAST SENTENCE ! (FLY FISHERMEN GOING FOR RECORDS USING EXTREMELY LIGHT TIPPETS USUALLY USE VERY LONG AND VERY FLEXIBLE RODS AS ONE KIND OF INSURANCE AGAINST TIPPET BREAKAGE.)
· How
does rod length affect line control?
Answer: Longer rods
will allow the fisherman to mend more line and to get better angles on a fish
during a fight at longer distances.
Shorter rods will allow
the fisherman to fish more easily in tighter quarters.
YES.
· How will over-lining and under-lining a rod affect its performance?
Answer: Over-lining will help the caster load the rod at shorter distances.
Under-lining will help the caster carry more line in the air at longer distances since the line outside of the rod tip will weight less for a given amount and so flex the rod less THINK. IF YOU ARE USING A GREATER LENGTH OF LINE OUT OF YOUR ROD TIP FOR DISTANCE CASTING IS SO YOU CAN CARRY THAT LENGTH OF LINE BECAUSE ITS WEIGHT, AND THEREFORE, ITS RESISTANCE TO THE ROD IS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS A SHORTER LENGTH OF A HEAVIER LINE. THE EFFECT IS TO YIELD THE SAME AMOUNT OF INERTIA TO HAVE THE SAME DEGREE OF ROD BEND (LOAD).
THIS IS WHO STEVE RAJEFF WAS ABLE
TO MAKE A CHAMPIONSHIP CAST USING A # 17 ROD LOADED WITH A # 10
LINE.
· What does the term "modulus" mean to you?
Answer: Stiffness – Modulus of Elasticity – The stiffness or resistance to deformation of high performance materials when stressed it there elastic range, usually expressed in units of lbs/in2. Don Phillips, The Technology of Fly Rods p. 101 YES.
Lines:
·
What are the major considerations in selecting a particular line weight?
Answer: Matching the rod / line to the target species/species size and fly to be cast as well as local conditions, wind, distance of average cast etc. YES.
· What
is the primary purpose of the front taper? Belly? Rear
taper?
Answer: The primary purpose of the front taper is to allow proper delivery of the fly and leader. Bruce Richards. Modern Fly Lines p. 68. Less mass means greater acceleration and greater air resistance. A short front taper would dissipate energy less efficiently than a long taper, so short tapers would be used for wind resistant / large flies and long tapers would be used for delicate presentations.
YOUR FIRST SENTENCE IS
ENOUGH FOR A, "SHORT ANSWER".
Belly – The belly of the line is the section of the line with the greatest diameter. It is the heaviest part of the fly line per unit of measure and so carries the majority of the lines casting energy. This is true for Weight forward lines double taper line bellies would run from the front taper at one end to the potential front taper at the other end.
I'D SUGGEST A CONTRACTION OF YOUR
FIRST TWO SENTENCES. SOMETHING LIKE: " THE BELLY CARRIES MOST OF THE
ENERGY." MORE DETAIL ONLY IF
ASKED.
Rear taper – The rear taper of the line determine how smoothly energy is transferred. Longer rear tapers allow the caster to control the line at greater distances more easily. Shorter rear tapers allow the caster to shoot more line more quickly. OK. I'D SUGGEST LEAVING OUT YOUR LAST SENTENCE UNLESS ASKED FOR MORE DETAILS.
· What
part of the line stores most of the energy of the cast? SHORT
ANS.: "THE BELLY".
Answer: The belly of the line contains the mass of the line, thus the majority of the energy of the cast. However, the head of the line front taper, belly and rear taper more accurately determines where the mass of the line is and thus where the majority of energy will be stored.
· What
characteristic of a line most affects long distance casting?
Answer: Head length. OK.
· What
part of the line primarily determines how much line can be "controlled" during
casting or while on the water?
Answer: Head length OK. BE PREPARED FOR SOME QUESTIONS ON RUNNING LINE AND OVERHANG.
· What
are the advantages of lines with compound tapers?
Answer: Allows lines to be designed for specific purposes, distance – convex compound taper, delicacy with a concave compound taper. They allow the designer to speed up or delay energy transfer. YES.
· For
spring creek fishing, would you prefer a line with a long, delicate front taper
or with a standard front taper?
Answer: Long front taper so that the flies would turn over delicately and not disturb the fish. Spring creeks are generally clear with small bugs so line crashing on the surface would be disturbing. OK. ANOTHER METHOD IS TO USE A STANDARD FRONT TAPER WITH AN EXTRA LONG LEADER. A THIRD (LEFTY) IS TO GO TO A LIGHTER SYSTEM ALTOGETHER.
· Why
does a line "kick" when cast without a leader?
Answer: Fly lines are designed to be cast with a leader, in order to effectively turn over the leader and fly additional energy is required and thus the taper of the fly line is designed to supply enough energy to turn over the leader, with out the leader the energy is still present and results in the line kick. SHORT ANS.: "ENERGY IS NOT DISSIPATED SUFFICIENTLY"
·
Regarding shooting heads, what are the casting performance differences in a
30-foot head versus a 45-foot head?
Answer: The 30 foot head would load faster with less line outside the rod tip and the 45 foot head would be easier to control. CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENCES IN DISTANCE CASTING BETWEEN THESE TWO HEAD LENGTHS. (HINT: JASON BORGER'S, THE NATURE OF FLY CASTING."
· When would you use a line size lighter or heavier than recommended for a particular rod?
Answer: Lighter when
you were casting longer distance. The lighter line would potentially allow
you to hold more line outside the rod tip with greater control. YES.
Go heavier when you need to load the rod quickly for short casts. YES.
Leaders:
· What
are the advantages and limitations of a very long leader? A very short
leader?
Answer: A long leader
will allow for delicate presentations and long drag free drifts. It may be
difficult to turn over and control effectively, particularly at short
distances. YES.
A short leader will allow for better hook setting and fly control particularly with a sinking line. YES.
· Why
would you want to lengthen your tippet? Shorten your tippet?
YES.
Answer: Lengthen tippet to get longer drag free drifts, and a lighter presentation. Shorten tippet for better energy transfer, turn over large flies, and more control.
· Are there advantages or disadvantages in using a very long leader with a line that has a very long, fine front taper?
Answer: The fly may be difficult to turn over and the leader difficult to control. If the leader does not tangle you may get longer drag free drifts but have a difficult time setting the hook because of so much slack. YES.
Rods
· Is there a most important design requirement for a fly rod?
Answer: To be able to
cast a given line weight well. WELL ... IT'S SITUATION DEPENDANT. FOR EXAMPLE,
YOU MIGHT HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU NEED TO SACRIFICE CASTIBILITY IN ORDER TO
BE ABLE TO PROPERLY FIGHT AND LAND A LARGE PELAGIC FISH .... AND EXAMPLE IS WITH
SAILFISHING.
· Will
a rod built with extre
Answer: It might be, it depends on the adhesive used, the design, hoop size, wall thickness, taper etc. SHORT ANS: " DEPENDS UPON THE DESIGN OF THE ROD."
· What rod action is best for teaching beginning students? Why?
Answer: I believe medium action rod is best. It has enough action to help the student attain a feel for casting and not so much action that it is difficult to make a straight line cast without overpowering the rod. I LIKE TO INCLUDE THE IDEA THAT WITH A FAST ROD, EVERYTHING HAPPENS SO FAST THAT IT IS HARD FOR THE STUDENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON, IF ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL AS WELL AS THE SIMPLE OBSERVATION THAT AS THE STUDENT OVERPOWERS THE FLEXIBLE ROD, HE'S TOO LIKELY TO TAIL.
· On what weight rods would you generally find a Full Wells grip?
Answer: Above 6 YES.
· Is there a common rule-of-thumb that will tell you the number of guides best suited to a rod?
Answer: The rod length plus one for single handed rods. YES. BE AWARE THAT THAT CONCEPT IS STARTING TO CHANGE A BIT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF VERY LIGHT WEIGHT SINGLE FOOT TITANIUM/NICKEL "RECOIL" GUIDES.
Lines
· What are the parts of a standard weight forward line?
Answer: From back to front the running line, head (rear taper, belly, front taper) and tip.
· What affect does the length of the head have on casting?
Answer: It determines where the mass of the fly line is and thus the amount of fly line which can relatively easily be controlled. ALSO ITS EFFECT ON DISTANCE ACHIEVEMENT.
· What part of the lines stores most of the energy of the cast?
Answer: The Belly but depending on the design the head may play a significant role. STICK WITH, "THE BELLY" UNLESS ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL.
· What particular characteristic of the line limits distance when roll casting?
Answer: Head length YES.
· Are there advantages or disadvantages in using bonefish lines in fresh water?
Answer: May be able to cast farther because a tropical line is stiffer than a cold water line. It may coil significantly and be difficult to cast if the conditions are too cool, also the line will not float as well as fresh water line since it has a higher specific gravity than freshwater line.
YES.
· Why can’t manufactures make fast sinking, very light (2, 3, or 4 weight) lines?
Answer: Too thin they would be out of AFTMA specifications. YES.
· What is the difference between standard sinking lines and ‘density compensated’ sinking lines?
Answer: Standard sinking lines develop a belly in the water where the part of the sinking line is lower than either end, the result being the fly follows the line down and is often higher than part of the sinking line. A density compensated sinking line is weighted so that the end of the fly line sinks faster than the belly of the line. (OR AT THE SAME RATE, BUT NOT MORE SLOWLY ... DEPENDS UPON THE DEGREE OF DENSITY COMPENSATION.)
· What line weights and types would you recommend for a new fly fisherman planning to fish for trout in medium sized streams?
Answer: I would recommend a weight forward 5 weight floating fly line. THE EXAMINER WILL WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THIS IS A WEIGHT FORWARD, A DOUBLE TAPER, OR ANOTHER FLY LINE DESIGN. ALSO, WHETHER YOUR RECOMMEND A SHORT OR LONG FORWARD TAPER, ETC.
· What line weights are most common for steelhead? 7-8
Pike? 8-9
Striped Bass? 9-10
Salmon? 7-9
OK AS FAR AS IT GOES. OF COURSE, THE FINAL CHOICE WILL DEPEND ON THE FISHING CONDITIONS AND THE SIZE OF THE FISH.
GORDY ·