Paul Arden | Monday, 6 August 2018
I don't think that there will be many readers here who are unaware, that in less than two weeks the World Flycasting Championships will be held in Sunny Cumbria, England. This will be the fifth such event and the fifth that I have attended. I really go to try to win the 5WT (Trout Distance) event, but haven't done so yet. I've been in three finals and missed the other final by 1/2 metre. Basically almost everything that can go wrong, I have done, apart from falling in (I was thrown in after the last event - so maybe that counts?).
The previous championship gave me my best result - a Bronze. However the original Sexyloops logo is Gold, not Bronze, and that's the one I want. Unfortunately all the finals have been disrupted by winds favouring some casters more than others, and between me and you, if there is a God of Wind then I have done something seriously wrong in the past to upset him. I am not denying his existence any longer and so to Him I say, "Wind God, you are the greatest God of them all, I love your summer zephyrs, I love your Tornadoes and Hurricanes, Your Strength and Majesty knows no bounds. Please give me a fucking good (or at least fair) wind this time. Thanks dude!"
I've done a little bit of training - so far I've thrown the 5WT twice, and I'm very much looking forward to the next few weeks of training properly. I think I've given myself around 10 days to tune up to my top ability (which is plenty of time of course). I'll be casting 2 x 2hr sessions per day - with some full days thrown in. I know that there are casters who have trained for two years solid, but that doesn't work for me and after peaking I drop to a lower level. I'm aiming to peak on the day of the World Championships.
The event that will be very interesting for me, is Accuracy. I haven't trained this and will do some over the next days. The reason I'll find it interesting is because I have a different Accuracy style for Gourami where it is important to land the fly first. Consequently I aim for a mini-tuck cast, aiming the fly 3 or 4 inches above the lake, slightly overpowered with Torque Twist. It's important that the fly lands first with Gourami because they come looking for the sound, and if your leader lands first they come looking for that!
I found myself in the Finals 4 years ago (in Pole Position, which wasn't the plan at all - the plan was just to get to the finals). During the eliminators I've since realised that I was using pull-back to put the fly in first, so it worked then too - only that time it was accidental. In the finals I did something different and missed a lot of targets! The danger of course of going in fly first is ticking the hover. I have one of two possible ways of avoiding this - 1) only torque twist on the delivery 2) don't hover at all and pretend I'm fishing for Gourami. I won't know which I shall be doing until next week and hopefully before the championships and not after!
I'm also in the Sea-Trout Distance event (27g Shooting Head). I'm doing this because I'm there. Don't expect anything great from me. I only practise this event on the day and possibly not at all beforehand, and usually borrow tackle. I do have a rod for this event; the "Sexyloops Rampage" but it's a 3-piece 9'6" rod that doesn't fit in my backpack and so I'm leaving it in Malaysia. I've just realised that I've forgotten my lines too. So if you're reading this and can loan me a suitable outfit then "yes please!" I won't get to the Finals of course because, while other people cast shooting heads that look like number 7s, mine always look like overcooked spagetti!
I've left Stu alone in the Jungle with The Ronan ship, several crates of beer and a box of 2 minute noodles. Stu is on a mission to catch and land a Giant Gourami and has decided to stay on for two more weeks. I really hope he lands one - he's hooked a few - but the big ones are incredibly difficult to land, and with so few shots at the moment, and with such a generally complicated fish, it's no easy task. No doubt, if he doesn't get eaten by a tiger, we shall be having a Front Page from him in the near future.
The weekend after the Worlds, ie the 25/26th August, we shall be having a Sexyloops Hot Torpedo Owners' Weekend held in Essex. If you would like to come over, try some HT rods, get some casting tips, get involved in a few casting clinics, drink some beer and eat some sandwiches then please do get in touch. It will be great to see you! Sexyloops is 20 years old this year (next September to be precise) and so we will be celebrating in style!
Have a superb week and I look forward to seeing many of you at the Worlds soon.
Cheers,
Paul
PS Today's POD is from Bernd and was Mikael Blomberg and I head-to-head casting in the Finals in Norway four years ago. Mikael beat me that day!