Indoor practice

[garybrower]

I have access to a university's "Field House" as part of my gym membership. It is open for use a lot of the day, and is a large (i.e., BIG) room, hardwood floor, and with few obstructions (once you get away from the basketball hoops). It would seem to me to be a good place to practice casting . . . especially as the weather in Colorado turns colder.

My questions then are, "What would be the best ways of utilizing such a space?" Just general practice? Accuracy? Distance? Shorter or longer line length? Different "weights" of flies? Fake double-fly rigs (i.e., no hooks)? All of the above?

Thanks!

Gary

 

[brookfieldangler]

All of the above...just not roll casting.

 

[duker]

I too want to find a large-ish indoor space this winter to practice my casting for a saltwater fishing trip later this winter (need to get my double-haul down). One of my worries is casting a brand new tropical line onto what is sure to be a dirty and dusty gym floor. Will that do any damage to the line, or can I just rinse it off well after each practice session? Or should I buy a cheaper line just for that kind of practice?

Thanks in advance.

Scott

 

[jimp]

Curious as to why "no no" on the roll cast???

 

[itchmesir]

Gym floor will be too slick... Roll casts rely on the tension or drag created from the waters surface... Best practiced on grass or carpet

 

[ia_trouter]

I too want to find a large-ish indoor space this winter to practice my casting for a saltwater fishing trip later this winter (need to get my double-haul down). One of my worries is casting a brand new tropical line onto what is sure to be a dirty and dusty gym floor. Will that do any damage to the line, or can I just rinse it off well after each practice session? Or should I buy a cheaper line just for that kind of practice?

Thanks in advance.

Scott

If you use good line I wonder if treating it with line cleaner conditioner befoe and after might be a good idea? If you are just talking dust I would think that sufficient. Most gyms are cleaned with a dust mop. I bet the custodian would let you make a pass with his mop. I have the same concern as I'm going to use a howitzer repair garage bay, but I run manufactures seconds lines so I afford to take the risk in the name of winter practice.

 

[runningfish]

I think you should try every cast and every rig that you can imagine.

When I started, I practiced in my company's warehouse and it helped me a lot.

I don't know if you have a pillar, a column or a vertical obstruction there, but I used to stand about 20ft away in front of one and practiced my cast.
The purpose is to know if your backcast is straight or not. A curving backcast will hit that pillar/column. My warehouse also filled with crates, I used them to know if dropped my backcast or not to practice my timing.

Another thing, use your old line and use heavier and more wind resistant practice fly. This is to compensate the perfect no windy condition.

Good luck young Jedi.

 

[fq13]

If you are worried about dirtying the line, and I wouldn't be as I tend to beat my lines up on mangroves and oyster bars and view them as disposable items, just go to Cabelas. In their bargin cave they have house brand lines for twenty bucks. It would seem to be good enough for practice. I bought one for my three weight on the theory that there was no sense in spending seventy bucks on a line I'd rarely cast much more than thirty feet. I'll save the big bucks for the ones I intend to ask a lot from.

 

[garybrower]

All,

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I figured that the floor would be too slick for roll casts (and I have the least problem with them anyway)

Now, I just wonder what kinds of looks I'll get from the other gym-users!

Gary

 

[brookfieldangler]

Now, I just wonder what kinds of looks I'll get from the other gym-users!

That depends if a back cast hits them in the face or not :biggrin:

 

[sweetandsalt]

My group moves our urban casting sessions indoor to a gym for the cold weather...not as big as a Colorado field house. I instruct, "make believe the basketball hoops are trees that you don't want to catch on your back cast". Of course, the gnarly metal structure is festooned with bits of colored yarn. Casting, even indoors, during the off season is a terrific way to keep refining your stroke and preserving casting muscle memory. Without fish to focus on, work on your loop formation, analyze any issues in your symmetry, timing, line hand motion, whatever. No, I do not use a brand new tropical flats line or even my working quiver of rods and reels...I have a rolling basket of perfectly descent 5-weight practice rods and reels loaded with well used lines and simplified leaders.

 

[itchmesir]

I've often pondered the practice rods that all the major rod companies make these days... What's everyone's take on those?

 

[rusty 54]

Santa may just bring my son in law a practice rod. He has been doing some instructing and I bet his boys will have fun with it too.

 

[runningfish]

I've often pondered the practice rods that all the major rod companies make these days... What's everyone's take on those?

I have the Orvis one and that stick drives my wife crazy.

 

[fishenfool]

Any rod I play around with in the house drives my wife crazy because when I wave it around it catches her attention out of the corner of her only good eye.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[random user]

I wouldn't worry about the line so much- condiotuion it well and keep it clean and you should be good.

One thing that would probably help a lot is to scatter some frisbees or the like around at various distances. Cast at on until you can drop the little tuft of yarn (fake fly) onto the frisbee, then turn a little bit and cast at the next frisbee. When the frisbees get to be easy target drop down to something smaller. It pretty much covers everything, accuracy, distance and ranging.

 

[garybrower]

Thanks, Random! I was also going to use the various markings on the basketball courts to help gauge distance.

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[sweetandsalt]

The "practice" rods we use are Albright 9'/#5 graphite rods with a medium fast action. I load them with RIO Avid lines and 7' leaders tapered to 3X. These same rods are quite serviceable to fish with...with more tuned leaders of course. I acquired a dozen of these outfits but, as an individual, any of your second tier rods and any old correctly matched line will do as we are working on casting not fishing. When I lawn cast in preparation for a trip, I will use my intended rod and line but that is different from indoor practice casting. I have tried the "yarn" rods and, no, they are an insufficient substitute.

 

[airwhipper]

When I used to drive a Zamboni, I could practice on the sheet of hockey ice.

 

[wjc]

Now that would be some fun casting without wind or mosquitos. That is a very rare occurance for me.