Roll Cast Efficiency
Learn to make a roll cast fly fishing will serve you well in dealing with obstacles in limited spaces. It offers an advantage for a change of direction when fly casting. Learn to make a static roll cast fly fishing helps to teach proper rod loading. Sounds like a big stretch right? How can a singular cast teach rod load? It either works with ease or many hours of frustration will set in especially for greater distances. Problems during the loading move will most certainly show up with the static roll cast. Terms can be found here for fly casting. The oversimplified models that many have attempted to have as “mantras” for turning the regression around have only added to the confusion.
History of Casting Regression
As instructors, it is rewarding to watch folks improve and understand the steps to get there. I would guess most of society remains a lifetime stuck in the “good enough” mentality. They remain content losing loads of flies, knots from poor casting, and very remedial skillsets of distance or accuracy. These folks tend to move onto other sports and dabble with them as well. They simply will never get motivated at whatever they choose to do! We cannot change the prideful, egocentric nature of these folks. I hear it all the time, Mac I catch plenty of fish with my 20 foot of mono on my Euro-nymphing rig. What will they do fishing a lake or larger river when fish are rising just out of their casting abilities? This scenario describes why many instructors decided to take the journey deeper into discovery.
For those that throw big open roll casts that dump at the end at greater distances read on! In order for fly casting to progress, we must move ahead in the evolution of the sport. In the age of Skagit, bobbers, and tight line nymphing all leading to an overall regression of the sport globally. These facets are great for getting new folks into the sport and for the industry, but, there is more! It is refreshing to witness great roll casters on the water. One of the greatest rewards as an instructor is to witness the lightbulb moments when the student begins to see the light. Learn efficient static roll cast!
Why Learn To Make A Roll Cast Fly Fishing?
Listed are many of the reasons to add the basic roll cast to your game on the water! The how, what, why, where, and when to use the roll casts is a game-changer to your fishing, regardless of what species you pursue. The roll cast opens up an entirely new method for changing direction with ease used in fishing casts. Safety concerns when dealing with wind. It aids in eliminating slack in the fly line. Recovers fly from a snag. Assists in raising a sink tip or heavier fly back to the surface. Assist in hook sets. The foundation of all water casts makes use of an anchor (Spey casting). Initiates casting stroke efficiency while fishing when the roll cast pickup is combined with an aerial cast. Limited room for using an aerial cast. The efficiency of using a folded line with twice the weight is oftentimes advantageous fishing. The most important reason is that it is COOL!
Gear and Style Differences
There are so many configurations of rods and lines available today that the rod loading move adjusts for these differences. Many of the World Record distance records set in Millom in August of 2018 illustrate this well. Big differences casting 1200 grain lines with 18 foot two-handed rods versus making an efficient roll cast with light lines used in trout fishing. Techniques of style vary to match the type of gear. The substance of mechanics also changes as well such as timing, stroke, arc, and effort.
In general, use a long bellied line (WF) for practice or a DT. The Scientific Anglers Mastery Series ED 120′ line in orange is perfect for practice. It is a fun practice to cut and splice your very own! Roll casts in America tend to be the problematic part of most CI and MCI tests for candidates. Why? When I look back into the pages of books available in my childhood it is really due to a lack of leadership from the so-called “experts” in the casting arena. No need for roll casts cheating tools, complaints about grass, or other slick surfaces! Once you master this technique it will benefit your time on the water actually fishing. Applying the roll cast fishing is where the magic begins.
Problems Encountered from Self-Taught Casters or Poor Mentoring
Too Much Power
The most compelling issue always when teaching is the struggle of human nature attempting to force things rather than let it flow! Too much power from the student in the majority of every lesson. Casting a loop is very different than your typical projectile motion sports. Throwing an object farther implies hit it harder! In fly casting, the concept of “less is more” takes a bit of fly flinging to create a light bulb moment for this appreciation. This only comes about through practice, practice, practice! How do we grow the sport with the “good enough” crowd? You know, the caster that looks into gear choices over technique? The knowledge base of principles will assist you always more than any gear consideration. It is the key to the kingdom for progression!
Ineffective Rod Loading
Minimal rod loading because the student has not seen the light in regards to hand timing and rod timing are two very different things. There are many methods for loading the rod. Tracking, stroke length, a rate of rotation (the body can be thought of as a kinetic throwing whip), etc… all come into play. This is because the rod bends as a result of your effort. If it bends premature whose fault is that? The main reason there will always be instructors in fly casting is to share knowledge of how the body moves. There are many ineffective teaching methods all over social media that missed the boat in understanding. In casting, one of my favorite ineffective lines is when you hear instructors claim the line loads the rod. Incorrect in so many ways that you the student needs to discern everything you hear or read to come up with your perception of what is right? In reality, the caster loads the rod and the rod moves the line. This snowballs into many other avenues of discovery such as line tension. Waving a bendy stick is not rocket science.
Limited Understanding of Loops
Throwing a loop of line off the rod is among the most magical things about fly casting. There are loads of scientific papers explaining what actually is going on and the dynamics are similar to a whip. In simple terms, imagine you could travel where the fly is attached to the tippet. The forward stroke begins slowly and goes faster to an abrupt stop of the rod. The oncoming line overtakes the rod tip and a budding new loop of line is folded over on itself. The fly leg is turning over faster throughout the whole process as the rod leg section of the loop grows longer. The narrower the loop the faster it turns over. The efficiency of varying the loop size is also up to you the caster to control. Whatever shape and size it becomes is all about the caster because you made it occur.