Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 1 September 2023
Yesterday I had last guiding for this season. Something might come up but not really excepting that, autumn season is quiet even it is one of the best grayling fishing seasons and excellent with dries. End of August was great, guiding 11 days in row.
Started with super lady and then had Finnish group for two days. And then Rocco came from Germany for 9 days. Yes, I know name is like from cheap porn movie, and that's why I will use it. Few stories to be told from his visit, I will return on those later during this autumn.
Anyway I noticed something from his fishing and same happened yesterday. I started to think that more and more, and I realized that it is often something that beginners do and even ones who are more experienced.
We talk a lot about rod hand and what it needs to and should be doing. It is quite obvious when you are casting that is in the limelight. After the fly is delivered where you want, then it is mending etc.
Because I'm right handed and I cast with right hand, I will know speak about left hand, how much work it has to do.
Beginners, especially spinners, move left hand next to the rod when casting. Just like they are when spinning. That one is easy to fix, next move seems to be much more difficult, yet it should come pretty much with learning casting.
You know story about body, how brains, feet, heart and asshole wanted to be the chief. They had huge argument about who is contolling man. Brains explained how it is the boss, controlling everything and thinking things, feet told that they are the boss because they carry man and move him around, heart told that it is the boss because it is circulating blood etc. Then asshole said that it wants to be the boss. Everyone laughed to it. So asshole started to sulk, it stopped to work and eventually brains got fever, legs couldn't carry man anymore, heart had problems to circulate blood etc.
Everyone prayed brains to make asshole the boss. And so happened, now asshole thinks it is the boss and other parts are working well. Lesson: if all the sub-areas are not working you are doing nothing.
So back to original subject, your left hand and line control. When you learn it from very beginning to work with, your fishing will be so much easier, and casting also. Haul, double haul... LEFT hand, that means more line speed etc.
It is also getting fish up by pulling line in between reel and right hand, I lock line under my right front finger. During aerial casting left is slipping more line out or getting it in during casting. Stripping line in for casting or during the fishing, it gives move to the fly, prensentation, imitation.
It hooks fish with co-operation with right hand, strike, right hand moves the rod, left hand pulls the line and fish hooked. Landing fish with the net or without, left does all the work. It adjust the brake during fighting with the fish or slow downs running fish by giving pressure to reel or from line.
So your right hand delivers fly and after that is it is more like rod holder. Yes, I know this is heavy exaggerate but you got an idea. Learn to work with your left or line hand from very begin. You will surely hook more fish, your casting will get better. Everything is not about rod hand. It is co-operation.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing!
Mika the legend