Paul Arden | Monday, 12 October 2020
I’m writing this in advance because a couple of friends are joining me for a few days and we intend to fish the far south of the lake. This is one of my many zones that I fish and the main reason I built the battleship (there are no islands down there suitable for camping in hammocks) and it’s too far for a day trip, taking about 2hrs by speed boat to reach.
I’m hoping that Malaysia and Singapore open borders but it seems unlikely at this point in time, so I have a very small local market for my Snakehead/Gourami trips and casting workshops. But I do have a slightly more friendly “locals rate” and we are coming into prime time, so if you are interested in having me put you in front of some fish, tuning up your casting shots, or even just renting one of my boats and having a go yourself, then drop me an email. It would be great to see you here!
My email is paul@sexyloops.com
And here is the rest of the Monday page!
I’m writing this down the end of the lake. I’ve spent most of the evening throwing a DT6 lumiline on the HT7, off the roof of the boat, under the stars. The Zone was Green. And I think that would make for an interesting monthly challenge ie can you carry the full 100’ DT to the backing knot, from an elevated position, both physically and mentally, and this is the interesting bit: whilst blindfold. It’s not difficult as it turns out. However Left handed... yeah that’s going to be tomorrow’s challenge :D
I think I might pick up the left. In fact tonight was a good night; first time I’ve thrown semi-seriously in a while. I think I’ll run with one of Ronan’s ideas and build a lookout tower (really “elevated casting platform”) above the roof. That HT7 is a real rocket launcher by the way!
One of the greatest flycasting feelings for me, is a long (~90’) carry. Holding a long line and firing it out through space... that’s a hard feeling to beat. Of all the skills in flycasting, I think that’s the best one to have. Particularly because it’s more like clicking your fingers than any amount of power. And the more you click, the faster the line goes, like a rocket! :D That’s something I think that distance casters will understand. Or at least the most proficient.
I was playing with Torque Twist. I know Michael is all over this on the Board. I don’t think there is another door waiting to be opened but we shall see... I use it for Snakehead shots and have been for some years.
I’ll tell you a story: when I first got involved in competition distance it was through a friend, Jon Allen. Jon was a competitive archer prior to fly casting, and a damned good one. He said about the Americans, “if you told them that by covering their arrows in horse manure, that this would make them fly straighter, then they would try it!”
And while I don’t know if this is indeed an American trait, it’s definitely something I’ve always aspired to have in myself. You don’t get to reach the top if you haven’t tried absolutely damned everything! And I know I share that desire, that trait, that will to experiment in everything, along with every other serious competition fly caster I know. After all it’s an exploration! I always find it amusing when someone asks me if they should try something new - of course!!
It’s my opinion, that Rick Hartman revolutionised flycasting when he went Stopless/170. That guy deserves a hell of a lot more credit than we give him. For me, Rick’s been the finest fly caster I’ve ever seen and just over 15 years ago he transformed flycasting.
It’s funny - and I think it’s something that we all share - I have no idea how good I am myself, because I can’t see myself cast!! I would hope that I’m in the same ballpark as Rick. In my generation there are about 100 people that I would put in that category.. These are obviously some of my closest friends and many of them post here regularly.
Being able to carry a long line for me is the same skill set as being able to take challenging sight-fishing pressure shots, in all wind conditions, which is after all, undoubtedly, the pinnacle experience in fly fishing. To be able to do that, with confidence and finesse, is a really useful skill.
So balancing on the roof of the boat, throwing the lumiline out into the night... that’s not time wasted in any world!!! Hell, this is serous training :D
There are Gourami around by the way. I had one balance the fly on its nose today for a couple of minutes. Bastard.
Have a great week!
Cheers. Paul