new GL3 1086-4....casting problems

[fishin fever]

Hi all ; Well after much research we purchase our "trout/bass good quality last forever rod" the 9 ft 6wt gl3, was after a 2 piece however they only had the 4 pc and gave me fantastic deal.decided on the gloomis over the sage because for the money I wasn't paying for paint and promos in the same price range....sooo we were expecting miracles from rod........ Now at the time off purchase we also worked the reel and line into the deal battenkill and mid qaulity rio wf float. taxes in pockets empty.Now maybe the problem is he put a 5 wt on by mistake[that box was brought over first then a 6 was grab and both were on counter] or maybe it was me trying to use doug m's casting tips to soon or maybe the rod needs to be overlined or i need better line which i will get, using the cheap stuff for pactice. Ok enough with the back ground this rod feels nice lifts the line nice ,airlizes the line nice , and can false cast allday with 25 /30 feet.... BUT my casts fall flat and swiggle[the ones from a false cast and no line shot] ........ reg cast... pull from water 1 backcast 1 fore cast to new spot 20' not bad ........Now this may be all due to me trying new casting tips and new rod at same time??? using tips from dougm excepts side swept backcast to reg forecast "cast in oval not same line" that works nice for me snapping the wrist may be my problem i learned with the frozen wrist 1 to 11, if snapping to soon am i added speed to an allready fast rod that is not fully loaded yet??thus causing the cast to colaspe???

 

[dougm]

Hi Fever ...

I'm very familiar with the GL3 series. If you bought a 6-weight, use a 6-weight line - not a 5-weight - especially when learning. It does not require overlining in any circumstance I can think of.

If you are using my techniques, you really need to go through each step from the beginning and check each one you do correctly. For example: (1) Grip correct? (2) Wrist de-cocked? (3) Open stance? (4) Rod tip down? (5) Line straight to the front? (6) No slack in the line? (7) Watching the lift into the backcast? (8) Backcast up and out? (9) FlickStop??? (10) Wrist now cocked? (11) hand now palm up and cannot see thumbnail? (12) Line forms loop ...

If any of these 12 points went lacking, the backcast can easily collapse because your wrist was not tightly controlled.

I've long argued that the backcast is the most important aspect of fly casting. If your problem is the backcast, it's best corrected now before too many bad habits set in. Worry about shooting line later. Practice the backcast without the forward cast until it begins to come naturally.

Doug

 

[BigCliff]

I'll echo Doug's suggestions. Make sure you are watching your back cast and make sure its as tight and powerful and pretty as the forward cast. Having the 6wt line on there will sure help too. GL3's aren't particularly fast, but can feel stiff without enough line weight to load them.

 

[fishin fever]

Hey guys thanks for the replys i'm sure it's just me expecting miracles ...the back cast looks pretty good [i do watch it] it's the forward cast that falls to a puddle since the shop didn't tag tha spool and i don't wish to look the part of the fool the only way i can verify the wt of the line on the gl3 is with my old 5 wt it cast pretty good if the reel and line off off the gl3 overloads it than it must be a 6wt if i feel no differance than i will put the martin reel on the gl3 if i receive same casting result than he put a 5 wt on by mistake....... if it is the correct line then i will reread post and study doug,s casting notes :worthy: :worthy:

 

[dougm]

Fever,

If the collapse is on the forward cast, I suggest you follow the same step-by-step process I outlined for the backcast except do it for the forward cast.

Set the line out behind you just as if you had stopped the backcast. Once you've setup your stance, rod to the rear at about 2 o'clock, casting arm extended, grip, and cocked wrist, begin the forward cast -- do this by retracting your arm gradually accelerating the speed. REMEMBER: the hand leads the rod forward until it's about even with the body; the palm should be facing upward so that you cannot see your thumbnail.

As the rod passes to your front it's time for maximum acceleration (FlickStop). FlickStop should stop the rod momentarily at about 10 o'clock. Once the tip has been stopped, continue to follow-through until you've reached what ordinarily would be the "start" position -- rod tip down ready to fish.

I suspect the reason the cast is collapsing is that you are failing to follow-through at the end of the cast. This typically results in the line falling to the ground with lots of slack. The tell-tale is the rod tip up. Is it up or down?

You should practice separating the fly cast into its two parts until both are performed faultlessly.

Doug