This series of exercises practices various presentation casts with something you always have with you when you cast, the rod sock or the tube. It can constitute a whole 20-minute training session. Besides, you don't need any props at any time and you can follow a given order of casts without forgetting any.
Necessary equipment
The rod sock (or the tube).
A 9' tapered leader with a 3x tippet and a tag (piece of yarn).
Objective
Immediate: to practice eight types of presentation casts one after another without moving from the spot.
Long-term: to become an expert in those eight casts in order to impress your friends and fellow fly-fishermen and make a living in the circus.
Procedure
A series of well-executed exercises, one after the other, is far from easy. The adjustments you have to make in your technique from one cast to another demand concentration, skill, knowledge and humility (especially the latter).
First position of the rod sock:
Horizontal (its center some 8 yards from your feet):
- Slack line: select a type of slack line cast. With 10 yards of line in the air, lay only the leader over the rod sock.
- Left hook
- Right hook
- 180º curve
Second position of the rod sock:
Vertical. You can change the position of the rod sock or, if you have room, you yourself can move in a 45º arc from the center of the rod sock.
- Straight line cast: line parallel to the rod sock and as close as possible to it.
- Curve casts of various lengths and distances: the last section curves in front of the rod sock.
- "L" cast
- Reach cast
Cast sequence: the idea is to go in order and not change casts until you have properly executed each cast three times in a row.
Tips
Review the execution of all these casts in this same section.
Don't cheat in the order of the casts or the instructions of the exercise.
Harder yet
- You can increase the distance.
- You can time how long it takes to complete a sequence. Write it down and see if you shorten the time in subsequent sessions.
- You can vary the length and thickness of the leader.