[First_Name] & Group.........
Lefty Kreh sent me a copy of his new book, FLYCASTING WITH LEFTY KREH with a request that I critique it and discuss with him any issues with which I didn't agree.
I did that and we had a lengthy discussion. My position was that style is a matter of the most efficient way of using a caster's anatomy for the task and that to avoid poor casts as well as painful casting arms. Also that I feel it would be best for each fly caster to develop his/her own style after starting by whatever method of casting was initially taught.
Lefty still has difficulty understanding that we of the FFF are now very open minded about teaching and being cool with different casting styles. He remembers well a time when he was on the Board years ago and then left over an issue which he interpreted as an acceptance of only one style to be taught.
We also had some disagreement on the cause of tailing loops ..... and finally got him to agree that while he'll stick to his own theory as outlined in his book, that he recognized other ways of making a tail including movements such as creep which shorten the available stroke length and rod arc needed for the amount of line carried.
As I have carefully studied Lefty's words and descriptions over the years and have taught and fished with him, I have come to the conclusion that on most issues we are using different words to describe the same things.
With his permission, I have placed his detailed letter to me below this message. I think you will find it interesting. It will make a lot more sense if you do take the time to read his book.
Gordy
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Gordy,
First I want to thank you so much for the trouble you took
to read the casting book and the long and VERY interesting reply. I
have been wanting to reply but so darn busy that I have just found
the time to do so.
I completely agree that there are a number of ways you can
get a tailing loop--some of which you noted in your reply. I want to
address this a little later.
But what I think is important is most of them tend to occur when
the rod hand and or elbow are elevated on the backcast and dropped on
the forward cast.
Also, by moving the rod in a vertical plane on
longer casts there is a chance especially with heavy flies and lines
of developing rotator cuff and tennis elbow problems.
The majority of actively participating fly fishermen today are more
than 45 years of age. I think much of this is because they were
taught the conventional vertical method. Excepting when casting
anything but light lines, flies and at a short distances this method
requires strength. Introduced when they were young and strong they
have stayed with the sport--although many come to me with rotator and
tennis elbow problems.
That is why over the years young children and women did not join in
large in numbers. Fly fishing is the ONLY sport I can think of where
most participants use mainly the arm . In all other sports
the body is incorporated into learning. When we continue to use the
vertical method of casting as most instructors do we continue to
eliminate what could be so many more people enjoying the sport. By
STARTING people with the method I suggest (using the body, an angled
or side backcast ) where there is almost no movement of the rotator
cuff or wrist and requires so little strength, it is a method
adaptable to all types of fishing. I don't think of this as a style
of casting--I think of it as the most efficient and adaptable method
of casting.
NOW---about tailing loops.
First, I agree that punching a cast, creep, allowing slack to
accumulate in the backcast, not taking the rod back far enough and
various other mistakes contribute to tailing loops. That said, I
think most of them are most liable to occur if you elevate the elbow
and hand.
I have eliminated tailing loops for literally several hundred people
by having them keep the elbow on the shelf and make a angled or side
backcast. You and I know if the elbow stays on the shelf--no matter
how far it is taken back and forth the rod hand travels in almost a
direct line away from and back to the target. This enhances tight
loops; directs most of the energy away from and back to the target.---
but while the rod hand and elbow track in a straight path the tip is
traveling in a slight arc. This naturally causes the tip to avoid
the line being pulled toward it on a back or forward cast--thus no
tailing loop occurs. Using this method I do not see creep or some
other tailing problems. I think creep often occurs because the angler
stops the rod at a position--then drifts the rod hand back--and then
tries to return to the original stop position before making the
forward cast. This is something that doesn't happen with the method
of taking the rod back and stopping at the end of the stroke..
I understand when making longer casts if you do as Flip Pallot , Gary
Borger, Jerry Siem and many other so do when they make a vertical
backcast they momentarily pause to allow the loop to "escape" the rod
far enough that they can flex the wrist to allow the rod to drift
back (this takes a LOT of practice--something many newcomers can't or
won't do). Of course this means applying wrist strength on the back
and forward cast. Also--the length of acceleration can make a great
difference in how much speed you can impart to the line--and how
deeply you can load the rod. By laying the rod back parallel to the
water as described here--the tip travels a prescribed distance. By
using the elbow on shelf method and with the body assisting--the rod
can be taken easily much farther back--increasing the efficiency of
the forward stroke.
Rick Pope is a great believer that the FFF casting program is one of
the best ways to promote new people to the sport. He also believes
what Ed Jaworowski and I teach is much more efficient and would
produce better casters quicker with the ability to adapt to more
kinds of fishing than just trout. He has suggested to Ed and me that
we come to the Federation and try to get them to better understand
that the method we teach would cause people to be better casters for
all kinds of fishing. Ed and I have talked about this and from past
experience we believe that the core group is so entrenched in their
way to teach that we would either frustrate or irritate them and we
believe nothing is going to change their primary method. I also must
say that you, and a very few others have made some slight changes in
their thinking--and I hope you will continue to do so.
I RARELY write an e-mail message of more than 100 words--I
apologize for this long one.
All the Best Old Friend,
Lefty