Walter & Group......
One important task on the casting portion of the MCCI exam, is the aerial mend.
While testing MCCI candidates at the Expo in Lakeland, Florida a few days ago, I was reminded of my observation over the past couple of years of the difficulty some very good casters and candidates have with properly executing these mends. In my experience, this is particularly true of candidates who are primarily salt water fishermen. I think that's because they don't need to do a lot of mending as they fish. Some never use the techniques.
Among the candidates I tested last week, I noted this to be the weakest, "link" in the casting scenarios of both successful and unsucessful MCCI exams. I'm sure I'm joined by other examiners in looking at the ability to make different mends at varying distances as an indication of casting CONTROL.
Let's have a Quiz on MENDS :-
The questions, below, are ones which Tom White and I asked ourselves a few years ago, when we made a video on curve casts and mends. He was the videographer, and I was the caster. Unfortunately, after we lost Tom, we could not find the film. Answers to these questions, formed the outline for the video.
QUESTIONS:
1.) What is your definition of a MEND ?
2.) In what way (if any) does a MEND differ from a CAST ?
3.) Holding to the very strictest interpretation of your definition of MEND :
a. How do you make a REACH MEND ?
b. How do you make a true REACH CAST ?
4.) Briefly describe the path of your rod tip which results in a WIDE MEND.
5.) Briefly describe the path of your rod tip which results in a LONG MEND.
6.) What (if any) is the difference in the TIMING of your rod tip movement between the making of a SHORT MEND and a LONG MEND?
7.) What do you do to determine the direction of your mend (right or left) ?
8.) What do you do to determine the distance of your mend ?
9.) Can you come up with one extra trick to get your aerial mend out at MAXIMUM DISTANCE ?
10.) What is the main purpose of an aerial mend when fishing a river or stream ?
11.) Can you think of a situation when you would make an UPSTREAM mend ?
12.) Can you think of a situation when you would make a DOWNSTREAM mend ?
13.) Can you think of a fishing situation where you might make an aerial mend while fishing still water ?
14.) We have been talking about AERIAL MENDS. Can you tell us about another, "class" of mends ?
15.) Can you name at least 3 other kinds of mends ? (Aerial or otherwise)
16.) If you listed other mends as an answer to # 16, tell is the use for each.
17.) How does a strong wind from behind affect your aerial mend ?
18.) What fly line would you choose if you were going to give a public demonstration of aerial mends at a conclave ?
19.) Why ?
20.) (For bonus points) Many years ago, Salt water fly fishermen had an entirely different definition or description of the term, MEND than fresh water fishermen. Do you know what it was ?
Gordy