Bernd Ziesche | Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Yet it's not easy to find correct fly fishing knowledge on the internet. Especially when it comes to fly casting we can still find all kind of wrong concepts.
Last weekend I was teaching fly fishing for asp for a day. I started with a lesson about fly casting and retrieving styles out on grass before moving in the water. My client directly managed to catch his first asp ever. Quite a great moment to be shared. We had an excellent day for sure!
Besides that I was fly fishing for asp and Zander all week long. I tried some new fly designs as well. So in the day time I was fishing, while in the night I was tying flies. Yes, I indeed didn't find much time for sleeping last week!
Right now I am about to go fishing again!
Oh, by the way I came over a new youtube video teaching us the why and how to do the double haul.
Here is a quote taken from that video:
"We use both hands to increase rod bend. When you increase the bend in the rod, what you have is more rod load. And when you have more rod load, then the less work you have to put in yourself."
Well, I do understand why it is so difficult to kill the (wrong) idea of fly casting working the same like shooting a bow. That is because for a long time it was taught wrong in our community. What I don't really understand is why it takes so long to kill that idea between us fly casting instructors.
Let me put this clear.
In order to present your fly to whatever target you need to match the amount (level) of line speed to hit that target. That level of line speed you can create without hauling (rod hand only) or with adding the double haul to your casting. When creating the desired line speed by both rotating your rod back and forth by your rod hand and hauling with your line hand you will create less rod bend compared to when you create the (same) desired line speed by your rod hand only. That is because when you reduce force application via rod hand and instead add that missing part by your hauling now, then you create less rod bend by moving the rod against it's own inertia. Thus creating the desired line speed by a hauled cast means less rod bend compared to a none hauled cast.
About loading the rod = storing potential energy in the rod, it's fair to say: The more rod load you want, the more force you have to add to the rod. You know your rod doesn't load itself - even though some manufacturers think you are stupid enough to believe so! But be sure it's you and you in the first place who creates the bend by adding force.
Personally I mostly prefer to add just the level of line speed bringing my fly smoothly to the fish. That way I can fish all day long! So in fact creating as little rod bend (and thus load) as possible is what safes my energy best. Mostly I have no use for extra line speed.
Yes, I know it's easier to believe in the road to load itself and just pay a shit load of money for the rod to do exactly that!
You decide! ;)
Here are two videos about rod loading, which are more spot-on:
Great week with loads of fine fish to all of you!
All my best
Some pictures... ;)
