----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008
10:46 AM
Subject: SW Quick cast
Walter & Group...
I'll wait for more responses to our quiz on
the Salt water quick cast ... only a few in, so far. (I suspect some
of you are scratching your heads over some of the answers and
looking in your books for a couple of others.)
Once I have more answers, I'll send the
results. I usually try to pick the best set of answers to send with my
comments.
Here are some tips on practicing
this cast:
# As with most casts
with which we are not very familiar, it is a good
idea to start your practice with a modest amount of line out of the rod tip. That translates to
fewer and smaller coils to control. Don't add more line until you get
really good at casting with that amount of line. Then increase it one
loop or so at a time. If you get to the point where you begin to
fail, back up and use less line again.
# After you get
proficient at it using a yarn fly, go out and practice with a real fly with a sharp barbless
hook. Doing it poorly with lack of line control may get
you stuck with that hook point occasionally. This will encourage
better control ! This is especially important if you are actually
practicing it before making a fly fishing trip to the flats. Even if
you don't get stuck, poor control of the fly may get the fly hook itself
tangled with the line.
# If you elect to
hold the fly in your rod hand, you may find that the hook point occasionally
gets stuck in the cork handle when not held properly. That will
ruin the cast in a heartbeat !
# Another hint, is to
use the tackle which you will probably bring for
that trip after you have mastered the techniques
using much lighter rods and lines. That includes the size and
type flies which you will be using. Go to the bigger flies after you
have practiced well with the smaller ones.
# Once you have a
good feel for this casts when casting with no wind,
practice with wind from various
directions. This is VERY important if you are preparing
for a flats fishing trip.
While tarpon fishing this morning, I decided
to try the various ways of making this cast which were different from the
ways which were ground into my chromosomes for years. I
learned a lot.
For example, I had not been using the
method of holding the fly with my rod hand. Before I
got competant at that, I stuck myself once, twice got the
hook tangled with the line, and once got the hook point stuck in the
cork ! Taught me that none of the methods are really safe until you
have learned how to do it.
Tarpon didn't show. I think they just
didn't want to see my poor performance !
(By airing my dirty laundry, I
hope this will help you.)
Gordy