Style ... concepts

Walter & Group..........

Another way of looking at STYLE .  >From Paul Arden:-

Hi Gordy,

 

Interesting questions, especially since many instructors see style and substance as separate when in fact style is a collection of substance.

 

Instead of changing style how about offering an alternative additional style, after all since we as instructors can all cast in all styles, then why not the student? Surely this makes for a more rounded caster.

 

So to try to change a style? Never. To offer an alternative? Always. Just because a student is casting like Joan Wulff doesn't mean that he wouldn't be more natural casting like Lefty. Until he tries it he won't know... and there are times when Lefty casts like Joan and vice versa... ok maybe those were bad examples.

 

Of course there are times when you shouldn't, but you work that out fairly quickly and move on to the double haul.

 

Hope all is good over there! Hope to catch up again this summer!

 

Cheers, Paul

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Paul....  Well, that is a fresh way of looking at it.  Perhaps this is one answer to the "gray areas" where is hard to separate the two.  I'll kick that around in my brain for a while.  I can always count on you to think "outside the box" !

 

Gordy

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Walter Simberski answers the question as though he were taking an oral MCCI exam ...... Good.  Take particular note of his last paragraph in light of what Paul Arden said, above :-

 

To clarify - the question relates specifically to fishing. We are also talking about style and not substance.

 

Short answer:

 

I would change casting styles in response to physical discomfort, changes in the environment, equipment changes, when changing

targeted fish or fish species, or under advice from someone I am fishing with.

 

 

Additional information:

 

For physical discomfort to relieve things such as muscle tiredness or a blister I might change casting styles to utilize other muscle groups

or to relieve a pressure point. This could involve such things moving between side arm or upright casting styles or changing grips.

 

For changes in the environment I am referring to such things as increase in wind, or changing wind direction, lack of back cast space, or

moving from fast moving water to still water. This could involve such changes as using a constant tension cast or a spey style casts or

a variety of casting changes to allow for wind. When changing from still water to fast water I may change presentations and use

different mends or curves as opposed to straight line casts (some people may not consider this a stylistic change). Another possible

change is when switching from river left to river right, or when changing from front to back of boat, I may change casting hand or

cast over opposite shoulder or change choice of single vs. double spey cast.

 

When changing equipment, e.g. light to heavy equipment, floating vs. sinking line, dry fly vs. streamers, I may change casting style

to allow for different presentations, to increase loop size (e.g. switching to a constant tension cast), to take into account

weighted nymphs or streamers, or to go for extra distance. I may also use different types of lifts or pick ups.

 

When changing fish I am fishing for (species, size, different lies) I may want to change presentations or I may want to be more

stealthy. Changes to style in this case could take into account keeping rod and line out of the fish's view or I may want a

splashy presentation as opposed to a delicate one.

 

Someone could also suggest a way to improve my casting stroke. Usually this will be substance but it could also be stylistic.

Some examples includes ways to improve accuracy or drift. An experienced guide, for example, may have a lot of useful advice

for fishing a given stretch of river.

 

Walter

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Rene Hesse addresses the question of when to bring up the concepts of style and substance with students:-

 

Gordy I'm glad your back.

 

To the question 'when' do you bring up style.....

 

I introduce it early in the session to a class so as to make a distinction between 'essentials' and 'style'.

 

Stressing the fact that as long as we are achieving the essentials, (SSSPP) we can use the style that best fits us and the situation.

 

Rene

 

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This brief note from Michael Ames would seem to be a tad off topic ...... I added it for the reason that it reminded me of style used with the non-dominent hand.   G.

 

When I had trouble casting with my right arm I started working with my left -- not just casting but throwing a ball working at the vise,shooting  and plug casting. any thing I could to help my mind work from the other side.

            GOD Bless & Tight~Lines

    Michael Ames President  FFF SOC

            aflycaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Michael,     Good advice.  Reminiscent of Joan Wulff who performed all sorts of things seemingly unrelated to casting to develop accuracy for her competition casting with her primary hand .  Works when training the "off" hand as well.  (JOAN WULFF'S FLY-CASTING ACCURACY, pp. 11-14.)

 

Each caster goes through the basics of casting in a slightly or even a radically different way to try to gain the same result.

 

I noted that I did better with a slightly different casting style when I started learning to cast with my "other" arm.

 

That brings me to wonder if those of you who are practicing for your MCCI exam have noted the same thing (???)

 

Gordy

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