old f--ts with flyrods

[1fish@atime]

Hey gang. Still around, just not as much as I used to be. Good to see the gangs all here.
Hope you all have great springs and fish filled outings.

[KingPerch]

Good to see your still vertical 1 fish!! We do have Trapper back, well, until the next tour!!   --KP

[KingPerch Jr.]

hey   kp  jr   probablly  show   us  old  folks  up  but.......  i  still  have  a  couple   rods  and   ice   jigs   for  you  two  and  maybe  a   trip  to  the  traps   secret   fly  box   for  the  KP  JR  .....  no  beads  in  my  box  ....  i  fish  not  snag   

I am all in Trap. now we gotta go get some gills or trout together

[trapper2000]

I am all in Trap. now we gotta go get some gills or trout together

  i'll  be  back  soon  JR  but  till  then  i  told  yer  dad  a  few  spots    so  you  two  are  on a  secret  mission!

[KingPerch]

  i'll  be  back  soon  JR  but  till  then  i  told  yer  dad  a  few  spots    so  you  two  are  on a  secret  mission!

--KP

[fishing mechanic]

One of the biggest things I see is people "going too far". Try and keep your stroke from 10 o'clock to 2 or even a tad shorter. When people go past this it is usually from too much wrist movement. Once in a while you'll see someone with way too much arm movement and it looks painfull. 
Another thing is rythm/ letting the line straighten out. If the line hasnt opened up all the way before bringing it the other direction your loosing power. It is easy to see in front of you but it takes some feel on the back cast. A slower rod will help with the feel. Many folks that learn on a fast rod can have trouble with that.
One big thing that puts more fish on the hook for me is the "reach cast". It is simple but helps alot of presentations. Really all it is is an up-stream mend/reach after your line has straightened out but before it has hit the water. I use this depending on current with swinging wets, nymphing, and dries. It sets up a drag free drift or gets you some depth before starting a swing...
Anything you feel needs some work with your casting?

Great advise DC, I do follow the "short but sweet" arm swing mehods. Your also right about the rhythm thing. I think that is more important to grasp before ya try to learn more techniques

[fishing mechanic]

Trap and KP, and KP jr. You guys know that you are more than welcome to stop by the shop anytime to talk about the four letter word. "fish".....coffee is always on..., Sorry Jr. I don't have Monsters delivered to the shop , them things give me a gut ache!!

[rgfixit]

My casting advise is to buy a pipe and some good tobacco. Always take it with you on the stream.

Next get a large mirror and master two facial expressions..."Thoughtful" and "Bemused".

These tools, put to good use by an inept fly fisher, such as myself, can save hours of embarrassment when in proximity of other fishers who actually know how to cast a fly line.

Here's the scenario;
You're on the stream and flailing your fly rod like you're beating out a brush fire with a broom, and here comes a real fly fisher. He ever so gently makes 2 perfect roll casts from behind a 6' multiflora rose bush and wafts a dry fly under an overhanging tree limb landing it as a feather in the soft breeze thereby enticing a 3lb trout to gulp it in.

You make your first attempt at a cast and fly the line square into that same multiflora rose bush, entangling it to a point where it will take 2 men in armored clothing with chain saws to extract it. Now is the time for action.

Without cussing, you raise your right hand to your chin and throw out your best "Bemused" look as if to say "Now how the heck could that have happened". Next you pull out your pipe, stuff it with tobacco, light up and as the smoke drifts from yout mouth you employ the "Thoughtful" expression. At this point you have most likely convinced the other angler that your miscast could only be the resulting "act of God" that all fly fishers experience every so often.

Hopefully he'll move on after emptying the hole you were going to try to fish and you can get on with searing pain of retrieving your fly line from the rose bush.

(loosely plagiarized from Pat McManus)

Failing those basic techniques, I find myself watching some YouTube videos of Joan Wulff and Lefty Kreigh from time to time to straighten out my fly chasing.

RG

[KingPerch]

Always a pleasure reading your stories RG!! Now, I'm headed to the smoke shop to get me a pipe and some Captain Hack!!! There better not be any rose bushes near my trout stream!! --KP

[fishing mechanic]

As always, well delivered and to the point RG. I have aquired some of them qualities..ie. Puffing on my pipe as i'm typing. Not sure if my Captain Black Royal tobacoo would ever be considered "quality" though. But I enjoy the smoke from it, nice and relaxing.

I still make casting a spin rod look like a horror show quite often, in my opinion.

I feel more accurate with my fly rods to be honest. Spoken loosely also.

Great input from all ya's. Thank you. Keep it coming Gents.

[rgfixit]

I'm serious about watching some You Tube videos of Joan Wulff and Lefty. They have diametrically opposed casting styles. Lefty is free form and Joan is technically perfect.

That said there are still mechanical principals which apply to all fly casting techniques that need to be understood.

The yard is a great place to make you feel confident about your casting prowess. The stream (and the multiflora) will humble you.

By the way, I don't smoke.....any more
RG

[KingPerch]

I did go and watch a few of those youtube videos RG!! Grabbed my pipe and Captain Hack, Labatt Blue.....Well, needless to say Lefty is and always has been a kick@ss flyfisherman!! Joan Wulff ??...well,...........do I need to say more??? Awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peQIVe5vJio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJ9xGuSH7g&feature=grec_index

For FM!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ-AXvVbKkE&feature=grec_index

Good day Gents, Headed to the four letter dirty word...............!!--KP  

[Dark Cloud]

I'm serious about watching some You Tube videos of Joan Wulff and Lefty. They have diametrically opposed casting styles. Lefty is free form and Joan is technically perfect.

Two years ago I was fishing my favorite rift on the lower east branch of the delaware, all alone(not easy to do on the delly).
Anyways, towards evening I noticed a person a few hundred yards above me working thier way down. As "she" got closer she crossed and fished the rift from the other side, staying a good distance away. After a while I noticed her casting and became mesmerized. Effortless and gracefull to say the least. Im 90% sure it was Joan. We both got into a few fish that evening...

[KingPerch Jr.]

  i'll  be  back  soon  JR  but  till  then  i  told  yer  dad  a  few  spots    so  you  two  are  on a  secret  mission!

Ok Trap, I will make sure i catch some for you too!!!

[KingPerch Jr.]

Trap and KP, and KP jr. You guys know that you are more than welcome to stop by the shop anytime to talk about the four letter word. "fish".....coffee is always on..., Sorry Jr. I don't have Monsters delivered to the shop , them things give me a gut ache!!

It's all right I will bring my own!!!UMMMMM which kind now......m-80 or chaos??? I am thinkin CHAOS!!!