c) why 1 and 11 (this is a trick question btw :-))

Well let's forget tricks for now !!! 1 and 11 is a good point for the novice to begin with. It helps to create both high backcasts and reasonable loops. The term 1 and 11 refers to the basic system regarding stopping points for the rod. The student is asked to visualise a large clock on their rod side, imagining their head as the number 12 position. This helps them to learn the correct rod arc.

Q. what is the correct hand movement during the forward cast? What should the elbow be doing?

The hand should follow a small snap from the wrist and remain upright. And the elbow should remain in a relaxed position and pivot.  For longer casts rise up with the rod ( creating drift ) and then coming forward pull down to the side to create a more abrupt stop.

Yes - I think I should always be allowed to travel upwards even for shorter casts - yours does btw. And this is how to throw nice high backcasts btw (high back cast  follows angle the rod tip travels, that angle is steeper if you lift the elbow - which is why you can completely wipe out the clockface - the tip of the rod is key. I can throw a low back cast stopping at 12.30 and a high one at 2. Depends entirely on the tip of the rod.)

Umm, trying to think this one out. Think you are going to need to show me.You see the way I think about it is that you stop the rod early to get a high back cast, after this you can do what you like to create more time. Drifting for example to tighten loop and give rod more time to load. How do you get a high back cast if you stop at 2??

The clockface   Next thing we should discuss is that I think that you should also be prepared to teach without the clockface. I don't use it and I know that when I was examined my examiners didn't use it and didn't want me to either :) Problem with the clockface IMHO is that it's too restrictive, and depends on the tackle and the stroke. What matters is the what the **tip of the rod does**.

True on the rod tip of course. I still think you need some sort of gauge for a novice. After this it is easier to teach without for more experienced casters. I certainly don't always refer to 1 and 11.    

d) how does it work?

1 and 11 will work so long as the rod top remains in a "horizontal position" during the stroke. This action will flex the tip of the rod and create the catapult effect.  A wide arc of say 2 - 10 will not flex the rod correctly, thus eliminating the catapult effect explained above.

Sorry I mean how does casting work. What does the rod do? Really really basic question but possibly the whole crux. How and why.

The rod works by helping to create the necessary speed and shape in the line ( weight ) to present it.  I am guessing that you are going to tell me this is the wrong answer but when I go through the many hundreds of people I have now taught, including with Simons school, I have always worked on the theory that the weight of the line  bends the rod and then catapults it forwards. Reading on I see that you say this is NOT the case !

You mention catapults a few times. Tell me the physics behind the overhead cast. (just the forward stoke will do for now!)

The physics are that the rod creates the necessary speed ( velocity ) in the line ( weight ) to fire it forwards, which comes from the backcast. 

Now I well remember PMP ( Handbook of Fly Casting ) banging on about the backcast being the most important.  Although I do not agree with many of his other statements I would back this one.

The backcast is important. The first statement is inaccurate. The backcast puts the line into a position so that we can make an effective forward cast. Angled up for into the wind. Angled down for a following wind.

Understood. Easy to visualise.

It doesn't load the rod - but you know that. Anyway the above stuff should be clearer from the stuff I wrote at the top

So the backcast doesn't load the rod? So where is the flex coming from,the weight of the line surely? Isn't this loading the rod? If not why are we always talking about loading the rod? Surely casting is about creating load on the rod with a backcast and the fly line weight. Then by varying stopping points we can determine how the loop will be formed and can add in double haul techniques to increase line velocity thus making it more accurate and when required, go further. Is this still STANIC level? It certainly doesn't feel like it!      

e) why is the flyline so thick?

The fly line is the casters weight and is needed to load the rod.  If it were not thick this would not be possible.   

f) how long is your leader?

Depends on the kind of fishing you are doing and the weather conditions, but a good start point is 10 ft ( or roughly a rod length ).

For trout fishing I think 1.5 rod lengths. Anything else is too short. That is the standard answer. Less than this and the energy doesn't seem to dissapate fully and presentation is screwed.

Sorry Paul, don't agree.  For a start there are plenty of 7,8 and 9 ft KTL. Now surely these are not still being produced if they are effectively useless. Plus when it comes to presentation I think this lies very much in the hands of the caster. Allow enough hover on the line and it is possible to present a 10ft leader very easily.  Plus, as I said, it depends on fishing conditions. There is absolutely no point in fishing a long leader on very fast sinkers for example.

Do you use tapered leaders?

Yes.