Category: Exam Preparation

Preparing for the exam – Task 1

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We will begin a series of posts of how to prepare for the exam.

Step 1 is to obtain the necessary equipment including rods, lines, leaders, yarn flies, targets, tape measure and anything else you think you will need. I’ve had a number of candidates ask about spey rods, lines, etc. for the spey portion of the test. These are not required and, in fact, wouldn’t be permitted on the test. As a minimum you will need your favourite rod (9 foot (or less), 7 weight (or lighter)), a manufacturer designated 7 weight (or less) floating line and a sinking line, leaders and yarn flies. You are permitted to change rods and lines between sections 1A and 1B of the exam but that is up to you. It is a good idea to have a spare available – rods (two that I’m aware of) have been broken just before a test. I recommend bringing a note pad and a pen because a picture is worth a thousand words – sometimes it is easier to draw a picture than trying to understand the question or the answer based on verbal communication only.

Step 2 – Practice. Practice a lot BUT avoid injury at all costs. Muscle stiffness and soreness are common as a result of practice but if the pain lasts longer than 24 hours you are overdoing it and need to take a break. If muscle stiffness and pain persists for 2 days or more then you should see your doctor.

Step 3 – This was given to me by one of our Australian Masters and I think it’s excellent advice. For each task in the test think about the whys and hows of the task but, more importantly, think about the 3 (or even fewer) most important things that you would tell a student about this task. These are your talking points if asked during the test. Be prepared to provide a short version (one sentence or even less) of each of these points and a longer version (a paragraph) but iff (that’s a mathematician’s short form for “if and only if”) you are asked for it. Review and revise your list of talking points often.

Step 3 is what I want to cover in these series of posts. I’ll provide my view of the 3 most important talking points for each task but, this is important, these points are based on my personal views. I invite each of you to think about what you think is most important in each of these tasks and feel free to tell us what they are or to comment on the points I provide. This type of discussion is the sort of thing that will help you to be mentally prepared for the exam.

Without further ado – task 1: Overhead Casts: Demonstrate 6 false casts with narrow loops. Line length shall be 50 ft. (15.2m).

Note that the task specifically says “Overhead casts” – these are not side arm or off vertical casts. Ideally, they are overhead or vertical casts. In general, a vertical casting plane is not required for any of the tasks but this one specifically calls for overhead casts and that, to me, means a vertical casting plane.

Why is this task important? Because it is the foundation of everything we teach or demonstrate. We want to make narrow loop false casts because narrow loop false casts are efficient and require minimal effort when casting. We want people to know and understand loop control and if we can’t make basic, narrow loop false casts then we don’t understand loop control ourselves.

Okay, so how do we make and demonstrate narrow loop false casts? i.e. what do we need to know in order to make narrow loop false casts?

1. Straight line path (SLP) of the rod tip. This is the most important point in this task. At this point we all know that perfect SLP will result in the line hitting the rod but we also understand that when we say SLP we mean “near SLP”. We need the rod to dip below the SLP at loop formation to avoid hitting the rod and the amount of dip is what controls the size of the loop (assuming that the path up to that point was straight).
2. 180 degree rule. We’ve already discussed this. For some people this is already covered in point 1 and that is okay.
3. I don’t think we really need a 3 point on this task but, if pressed, I would talk about keeping slack to a minimum and how this affects the 180 degree rule.

That is my personal view of task 1. As I’ve already said, please feel free to comment.

Those of you who are part of my study group will receive comments and discussion from group members.

Professional Casting Instructor Workshop – January 21, 2017

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Professional Casting Instructor Workshop

(An opportunity to jump to another level.)

Continuing Education Program under the auspices of the
Casting Board of Governors / International Federation of Fly Fishers

This is your invitation to join other Casting Instructors in an afternoon chock full of effective approaches to casting instruction that will help you get behavior change in your students.

A Kaleidoscope of Casting Competencies — When Casting Instructors with unique specialties and from different disciplines come together; ideas happen, bonds form, you learn new strategies, and catch onto the latest trends that can completely revolutionize your casting instruction business or practice. This is a Fly Casting Instruction Practicum where you can learn, grow, share, and turn your vision into reality.

Saturday, January 21, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in the Southborough Room of the Royal Plaza Hotel in conjunction with the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, Massachusetts

Macauley Lord – Classic Casting: This is where it all starts: Fly Casting’s ABC’s

Mac has always had an acute interest in developing teaching techniques that simplify the sport. His classic approach is “the standard” for the novice, intermediate and advanced casting student. Mac,the Dean of Fly Casting Instructors in the Northeast, has been awarded the highest distinction in the fly casting world, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the IFFF. He is author of the LLBean Fly Casting Handbook (Lyons Press), was a longtime editor of our IFFF fly casting newsletter The Loop, when he served on our Casting Board of Governors, and was for two decades the Head Instructor for the LLBean Fly Fishing Schools.

Jim Valle – Spey Casting: The fastest growing aspect of our Fly Casting

Jim holds every Casting Instructor Certification the IFFF offers (CI, THCI, and MCI) and currently serves on the Casting Board of Governors. With a specialization in both Single Hand and Two Hand Spey Casting , he has been the featured instructor at show clinics, a college course, IFFF Fairs and the IFFF Youth Program, Jim was singled out and recognized by the IFFF for his worldwide instruction and named recipient of the Mel Krieger Casting Instructor Award. He is a member of the G. Loomis Pro Staff and the Fly Fishing Pro at Woods and Waters in Wall, NJ.

Jean François Lavallêe – Fly Fishing Casts: This is really what people want to learn

Montreal resident and principal/owner of the Modulus Fly Fishing School, JF was the first Québécois to become a Board Certified Master Fly Casting Instructor . His climb to greater heights in Instruction led him discover the world of competitive fly fishing and his expertise is evident. In 2014 he won the individual title as the Canadian National Fly Fishing Champion while leading his Team EnDiables to the Team Championship title. In 2016 JF fished for his country (Canada’s Red Team) in the Ten Country Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships. He tied for first place in the number of fish caught and caught the biggest trout in the Tournament.

Louis Lortie – Putting It All Together: How can I get to Teach more?

Louis who lives in Quebec City is a Senior Captain flying world-wide for Air Canada, an accomplished CCI and holder of the IFF Fly Tying Skills Award. He decided that he wanted to have an opportunity to get more involved with Fly Casting instruction so he organized, promoted and facilitated a three day event which he called Rendez-vous Les Escoumins, and the event took off.

The Rendez-vous was held in the town of Les Escoumins ( pop 1,700-732 houses) up on the Côte-Nord (256 kilometers -4 1/2 hours) Northeast of Quebec City. 138 people registered for 12 classes or workshops, another 51 people participated in the Casting Games. There was a town sponsored Spaghetti Supper in the Community Center, Awards for Casting games, and the administration of two CI tests. Louis will share with you the story of how he did it (and probably invite you to this year’s Rendez-vous).

“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, rather to hold a persons’s feet only long enough to enable them to put the other foot somewhat higher”…Bill Gove

You will need to do two things to take part in this Workshop:

1) Contact Rod McGarry at flyrodmcgarry@gmail.com or phone 207-615-4804 and ask that a seat be held for you …and

2) Mail a check for $22 ( payable to IFFF) and send to Rod McGarry, 22 Braddish Ct, Portland, ME 04013

Task 3 by Dayle Mazzarella with Video by Bill Wheeler

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The article for preparing for task 3 can be found below. The accompanying video can be found at https://vimeo.com/196007308 Members will have received the password to view the video in the email notification. If you would like the password please contact me at mcistudygroup@shaw.ca

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