Distance Casting

[wjc]

Here is an excellent article written by Jeff Wagner titled "Distance Casting - Not just for show".

For people who never fish anywhere but small streams totally protected from the wind using small flies, then distance casting may not help them as much as someone like me who fishes everyplace there is water that likely holds fish of one kind or another.

This is not so much a "How To" article but a "Why To" article. I just had a friend leave who, unfortunately, blew out his casting arm and not his shorts trying to cast into a breeze.

This is the third time this has happened to different friends down here in three years, one recovering just enough with ice packs, heat and ibuphophen that he decided not to cancel his departing flight to Montana for trout. He spent two or three long days in the house, though, in pain, looking at the water and wishing he were fishing.

Those of you who think of distance casting as unrelated to actual fishing might want to read it.
http://www.miterclamp.com/casting/Distance_Casting_Jeff_Wagner.doc

 

[pegboy1]

Amen!! Great read.....

 

[mcnerney]

Jim: Thanks that was very interesting to read!

 

[utah daveii]

I think Jeff is spot on with this article. I think it is no suprise that his wife Kat is really good in the womens division in both distance and accuracy. Jeff is a really nice guy and damn fine caster as well.

I still think the biggest translator for distance casting to fishing is it to do it require the sane skills as casting into the wind.

Of course it is interesting to note that the best distance casters are usually up near the top of the accuracy contests as well. Concidence? We think not.

 

[silver creek]

I happened to watch The Fly Fishing Masters in 2003 sponsored by Ford. They had competitions in 4 different regions of the USA and then the winners in those regions competed against each other. The competitions was open to all comers and the winners for the most part were professional guides. The Rajeffs won the Western Region.

The 4 teams were flown by private jet to an unknown destination. Once there they were allowed one day to "scout" the river they were to fish. They were given fly tying materials and they had to tie the flies the wanted to use for the next day.

The teams fished over two days head to head, with the two winning teams of the first day competing against each other the second day for spot 1 and 2; and the two losing teams competing to determine spot 3 and 4. The Rajeffs cleaned up winning $25,000.00 each.

It's been a few years now and I can't recall whether I was talking to Jason or Gary Borger. I happened to mention that the Rajeffs won and he (Jason or Gary) said that the Rajeffs casting skill is so good that they can place the fly exactly where they want.

Skill as in the article is not only distance but accuracy. By accuracy, I do not mean only fly placement. It is also leader and line placement to reduce drag but also to prevent lining the fish and spooking them

In one part of the competition, the Rajeffs were fishing a pond from a boat. One brother fished and the other brother rowed. The fish were spooked whenever the boat came near so they had to set up far away and place the fly, leader and line where they wanted. They destroyed the other team they were fishing against because of their casting skills.

 

[Jackster]

I happened to watch The Fly Fishing Masters in 2003 sponsored by Ford.

I was in that competition in the southeast region. My partner is a virtual fish magnet. That guy can catch tarpon out of a rain gutter. He is also a virtuoso fly caster. We were really doing well to qualify for the fishing through the casting qualifiers until the camera's started rolling. The grace, control and accuracy of his casting went right out the window when he was in the hot seat. I never saw anyone choke like that. It was amazing yet really sad.
I come to find out later from his school buds that he always choked at crunch time in any sport they played with him.
Anyhow, I really liked the format the Fly Fishing Masters used, to qualify to fish you had to first pass the muster in a casting competition. I think that is true of the Euro contests that caught on lately here too.
To cast well enough to win a competition takes pure skill, to get the right beat to fish in a competition takes luck. The Rajeff's sold their souls to the devil a long time ago to always do so well in both casting and fishing. The rest of us mere mortals have to roll the dice for the most part when it comes to having fish take the fly.

 

[silver creek]

Jackster,

I was amazed at two of the casting sections. The first is the three hoops that you had to get the fly line loop through, and you were graded on how many of the hoops you got your line through. Talk about tight loops!

And I think they also had you cast around a wall into a hoop target on the water. So from the casting position, it was a blind cast. It amazed me when Steve Rajeff got his "fly" into the ring behind the wall. He walked to the side to see where the ring was then walked back to the casting line and hooked that fly in there.

It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there for all the world to see. Congrats.

 

[Jackster]

We had a different course in Georgia (Thank Goodness!)
Our curve casts were in the water to hoops behind a floating bush. The closest to the tight loop hoop deal you saw was that we had to hit the rings under a dock with 2-3' of space from the dock to the water. Most people flubbed that cast. The salty guys got their range and direction by false casting over the dock and tucking it under on the presentation cast. Others tried getting the direction then shooting line for the range.
I saw the hoops and told my partner that this is what we do every day fishing, shooting casts under the rhodo's. We both did suprisingly well at that one. Tight loops and a little shoot won the day.

I wish the Masters was back, we little people had fun at that!

 

[Guest1]

How the heck did I miss this post? Thanks.

 

[sumojo]

Great read thanks for posting .

 

[cpowell]

I competed in both of the Rocky Mountain Masters events, I did well until the finals of fishing when Frank managed to catch a fourth fish with 5 minutes left in the round. I caught over 30 fish that were over 20 inches but my partner while walking was dragging his fly and caught a 12" first fish so we knew we needed 25" plus. I could only get 23".

We defeated Chris Korich and his partner in the fishing who are famous Golden Gate casters. They Dominated the casting but when we hit the water we won that flight. We were the 8th seed (last place) fishing against the first seed team and we did really well and sent them back to CA.

Chis is an awesome caster (as were all the guys from the GGCC) and he was more than willing to help out and give quality advice. Clearly they did not want to compete against the Raejeffs.

It was a fairly good venue but it came down to money so they cancelled it.

John Barrett of Barret Productions and maker of FFtW set it up, sad it ended, it was a blast.

One competitor that could not make it to the finals at either event was none other than my dentist..and the Captain of the US fly fishing team, Anthony Naranja.

The one thing I like about these competitions is the great knowledge and info you can get from your fellow flailers.

Has anyone seen this new one? ALL CAST TEAM FLY CASTING CHAMPIONSHIPS | All Cast Fly Casting Championships

I may try and hit this, but no fishing.

 

[theboz]

Cochise I agree with you that the knowledge you gain from these competitions is second to none. I also like the comradery! I competed in the 02 ESPN Fly Fishing Classic and John Barrett runs a good show and is a pleasure to know. Lot of fun meeting all these terrific fishermen from all over the country!

 

[Jackster]

It was a fairly good venue but it came down to money so they cancelled it.

John Barrett of Barret Productions and maker of FFtW set it up, sad it ended, it was a blast.

I always figured Barrett got star struck when he realized he could fish all over the world with stars in one field or the other.

Has anyone seen this new one? ALL CAST TEAM FLY CASTING CHAMPIONSHIPS | All Cast Fly Casting Championships

I may try and hit this, but no fishing.

The fishing was the major reason I lost interest in competitions. The casting qualifier was all 100% skill and talent. Luck played very little in how you did. The fishing... not so much. Besides, I fly fish to have fun and forget the competitive world for a while. To compete in fly fishing just goes against the grain of why I do it. I'm glad to see pure casting as a contest.
I would like to see a resurgence of casting clubs in cities throughout the United States like they had in the 1940's and '50's. We'll have a tough time of it now though with competition from pro sports where all you need do as a 'participant' is sit in front of the tube and change channels.

 

[Guest1]

What's the reason for the ranking system?
•A number #4 ranking averages 0 to 40 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #5 ranking averages 50 to 60 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #6 ranking averages 60 to 70 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #7 ranking averages 70 to 80 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #8 ranking averages 80 to 90 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #9 ranking averages 90 to 100 feet on a controlled distance cast.
•A number #10 ranking averages 100 + feet on a controlled distance cast.
Are they handicapping this to give 'shorter' casters a chance against real distance casters? Do they break this into seperate events by ranking so people don't get blown away by some real distance caster?

 

[cpowell]

Yes DD, this is the idea. The Denver one was cancelled and I am not going to make it to UT because of a conflict. It may die before I can get to one to try it out.

 

[Guest1]

I hate to say it but the whole PC police 'fixing' things are not going to make things better. It will kill these kinds of things. I don't understand the whole race to mediocrity philosophy.

 

[wjc]

Agreed, Dan!

If they really wanted to generate enthusiasm among youngsters, why not have several age ranges like most other organized sports?

I don't understand the whole race to mediocrity philosophy.

It's called "The New World Order" in which individualism and competition must be eliminated.

What I'm curious about is what exactly is a "controlled" distance cast.

 

[Jackster]

What I'm curious about is what exactly is a "controlled" distance cast.

In distance casting it's hard to fudge the results. When you throw in a subjective qualifier like 'controlled cast' it's a call by somebody as to whether the cast meets their opinion of a good cast.
Unless I'm missing something, in distance casting all that should matter is how far the cast went within a lane.
Perhaps the best way to have a competition is like the Tampa Bay fly fishing club does and hold your own. I'm going to shoot for one this year with our local IFFF club and perhaps next year at the regional councils annual fly fishing festival.

 

[ditz]

I agree with you double D. Either you can cast 140 feet or you can't. I am not a distance caster. 80' is a great cast for me and I doubt I will ever see 100'. I hate drag racing since they went to bracket racing. These guys will build a fast car and then detune to stay in a bracket. Who cares!!!.

 

[mojo]

Devin Olsen, Travis Ruiz, some of my homies. I'm surprised Lance Egan isn't in it.
Good luck to all, but it's not my cup of tea. But I have to say this, Devin and Trav are both excellent casters and fishermen. Devin has been on the U.S. Fly Fishing Team the past couple years. Utah Dave should be casting here too.
I'm sure Cochise knows Devin and Lance.