Randy Kadish
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I fish with shooting heads, so I’m not familiar with multi-tips. The one time I tried to cast one it didn’t feel right. Maybe I needed time to get used to it.
The best thing would be for you to try different weights and see what works for you.
Though you got great advice on the board, I’d also call ‘Rio. They are very, very helpful.
Randy
I practiced my spey casting yesterday. Again struggled. Finally realized that I was swinging my elbows and arms outward too much.
To execute a back swing it’s better to not move my elbows so much and to instead move my top and in a half-circle.
Hope that makes sense.
No doubt. A good instructor could have saved me a lot of grief.
Randy
On the single-handed cast there were many defects.
On the spey cast, at the end of my back swing I was lowering the rod tip. This was adding slack to my D-Loop. I was doing this for several reasons:
1. I was breaking my wrists backward a bit.
2. When trying to end my back swing moving the rod tip slightly upward, I was lifting my bottom hand more than my top hand. (My bottom forearm, therefore, was pointing at 2 o’clock instead of at 1 or 1:30.)
3. I was lowering my forearms too much. (At the end of the back swing I don’t want my top forearm to point past 12: 30. I don’t want my bottom forearm to point past 1:30.)
Also, often I was swinging back too far and blowing my anchors.
Finally, keep in mind when using different spey lines – long belly, scandi, skagit – we must use slightly different techniques.
Yes, I do believe in taking casting lessons. Just be prepared: No fly caster has all the answers; so it might be helpful to learn from two or even three instructors, depending on what you’re trying to achieve.
You don’t have to cast 100 or even 80 feet to be a good caster and to enjoy the fly fishing sport.
Randy
I hope this doesn’t sound like sour grapes, though in a way it certainly is. When I was struggling with my long-distance casting I would post questions of bulletin board, hoping to get solutions for my casting defects. Rarely did I get those solutions.
Last season I struggled learning spey casting. Again and again my casting was held back by the same basic defect. So after reading articles and watching videos I posted questions. Not one certified casting instructor suggested what might be going on. True, it’s hard to diagnose casting defects on a bulletin board, but still I think with all the answers I received, at least one should have put me on the right track.
BTW, I think one reason the “Lefty-Krey-Style” of long distance casting has become so popular is because it’s a simple casting style, and casters and instructors don’t, therefore, have to correct many defects. I suspect – but I’m not sure – that using the Kreh style will limit a caster’s accuracy and his or her ability to change trajectories.
Randy
When most golfers change their swing they almost always take two steps backwards – even Tiger Woods – as it takes time to incorporate the new techniques.
(Harrington and Garcia are still struggling with their swing changes.)
Sadly, some golfers never come back after changing their swings.
Interestingly, when Joan Wulff decided to become a tournament caster her mentor warned her that her casting would go downhill for a while.
Now, I’m not saying a person shouldn’t take casting lessons, but many instructors can cast well because they have been well-taught from the start, but don’t, therefore, understand all the defects that can go wrong with a long-distance cast. They don’t understand those defects because they’ve never experienced them and then had to correct them.
Also, different casters use different techniques. Techniques that work for one caster might not work for another.
I, for example, do not cast like Lefty Kreh. If I tried to help someone who did I’m sure I’d make that person an even worse caster.
When I took lessons I was casting about 80 feet. After the lessons I was struggling to break 60 feet. It took me six months to figure out what was going wrong.
So if I was looking for an instructor I’d look for someone who casts in a style similiar to mine.
In the end, however, I think casters will probably have to experiment at least
This Kindle forum might be helpful:
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php
RandyKathy,
Great article, though I had to register to read it. It will be interesting to see how ebooks evolve. I have no doubt they’re here to stay, especially for small-market books, like fly fishing books.
I’m already selling more ebooks than print books.
Randy
Ebooks are electronic books downloaded from the internet. Kindle is a good example. To publish an ebook you’ll need to have the book in a MS word file to start with, then convert to Web Page Filtered, or Rich Tech File.
Today, with print-on-demand publishing, you can publish a book for relatively little.
There are several good books on these subjects.
Randy
Amazing. All the time we spend studying fishing, all the money we spend on gear and still we can never compete with eagles.
Are we really the most advanced animals on the planet?
Randy
Also, once you start making corrections on the galleys – assuming you do that – make sure you also correct your ms word files, as you’ll need them to upload to kindle and other e-book formats.
Randy
If you self-publish I’d probably go with print-on-demand, with a company like Lightning Source. If you publish with them you’ll be listed on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles. If you got with a regular subsidary publisher like iuniverse you might have to print two thousand copies, which I believe is way too much.
One problem with print-on-demand is that if you want to send out a lot of review copies the publisher will probably discount the book for you by only %50.
Finally, make sure you get a good proofreader. I didn’t, then I had to get my book reprinted.
Randy
I’d wait about two months, unless the magazine’s guidelines say they respond sooner.
More and more magazines are accepting mulitple submissions. I’m reluctant to submit to those that don’t.
Randy
Check the publication’s guidelines. They willl usually tell you if they accept mulitple submissions. If they do, point out in your cover letter that you’re showing your work to someone else.
If you’re not sure, again point out that it’s a mulitple submission. If they won’t accept it they’ll let you know.
Randy
So Long As Men Can Breathe. The books isn’t about fishing, obviously, but if anyone is interested in Shakespeare, especially his sonnets, I think you’ll like this book.
I also liked The Book of William How Shakespeare’s First Folio Changed the World.
Have to read about more things than fishing.
As you become a better caster you might want a faster rod, so you might think about staying with what you have and just upline one weight.
Randy
Dusty,
Don’t know if you saw this Rio line recommendation chart:
http://www.rioproducts.com/photos/file/Old%20Spey%20line%20%20recommendations.pdf
Also:
http://speypages.com/speyclave/
Randy
