Folks - 'any suggestions on how to cast a Gaelforce Touchdown Clearwater Special (the line with Poppy/ZZ Top in Filson on the box) vs the NextCast FF270? I have FF270s in 7/8, 8/9, and 9/10 and Clearwater Specials in 9/10 and 10/11 and can't figure out how to cast the Clearwater Specials.
The freakin' FF70s launch like a Scandi head and land like a 747 on floats...(and out there a wee bit, too). The Clearwater Special goes like a SuperCub (trying) to take off with 1000 pounds of gear on board.
The Clearwater Specials are designed by folks who are casting freaks, so I figure my technique is crap. Any suggestions on how to get the best out of the Clearwater Special?
Disclaimer: My casting style is Monkey Man (Let It Bleed); jacking the FF70 to Keith cutting riffs works fine. Can someone name the tune that works for the Clearwater Special (John Prine sewing"Angel from Montgomery"?, Michael Timmons pushing through "Angel Mine"?, Mick Taylor cuttin' "Can't You Hear Me Knockin"?). Methinks Timmons....but that aint workin'.
Hello Bruce - thank you for the response. Rods that shoot these are:
1: G Loomis Greaser 15' 9/10;
2: G Loomis Greaser 14' and 15' 8/9; and
3: G Loomis Greaser 17 10/11.
Hello Bruce - thank you for the response. What I you mean by "hanging the thread?" I have cast with the connection inside and outside the end of the rod and have had a bit better luck with the connection just inside the tip.
For grins I measured and weighed the CW 10/11: 69.4 ft and 856 gr.
For comparison, an SRO Vector XL 10/11 casts nicely on the 17' 10/11 Greaser with the color change (72.5 ft) at the tip.
For more comparison, have you considered or have you already tried the Gaelforce E63? I liked that line much, much more than the ETCS (or CW as you call it). At first I thought you were averse to integrated lines but then you mentioned the Vector ... For some additional reference, I've compared the ETCS 8/9 & 9/10 back-to-back with the Vector XL 8/9 & 9/10 and preferred the Gaelforce 70 footers, but the E63 was by far my favorite of the three line series.
I prefer integrated lines. The Gaelforce 63 is just too damn short to have fun casting with a 15'+ rod; I ordered one in a 8/9 a few years ago a found that the business end of the line is ~ 58' or so - basically a UniSpey. I use these toys for Atlantic salmon fishing with smallish flies and can therefore get away with a longer line (no huckin's kittens). While cutting back on stripping in line to cast is one goal, a major benefit of longer lines is better control on the swing.
For me the Nextcast 70's and Equalizer 63's cast much easier than the Clearwater line, not because of the length but because of the taper. I am very eager to see what the new longer Gaelforce lines will be like-- if they ever get here. :smile2:
IF you are looping the head on backwards, it feels similar to attaching a parachute ... trust me on this
At first, I was casting the ETCS-70 with a foot or two inside the tip and everything was fairly easy. Once I started getting use to the line, about an hour in after the head flip, I slowed everything down and became very aware of my ear and my chest. I ended the couple days with the ETCS-70, by shooting around 3 rod lengths of running line. The hard stop really helped me ... once I got use to not exerting any force with the upper hand. I learned that I can do a hard stop without forcing the upper hand.
Mike - thank you for the information - I'll try that tech when I get out on the water.
The head is definitely not on backwards. I suspect one could use the line backwards for indicator fishing (i.e., the fat end out), but spinning and casting rods are better suited to fishing with a bobber.
Hello Bruce - I'll be spending 10 days on remote and humongous salmon river in Labrador in July - does Gaelforce have a "tester" program ? I would love the opportunity to cross reference the line you have pictured with the CW Special.
Call Poppy at the RedShed he does the loaner program.......I would start with the Equalizer 63. I dont think the 73 or 83 will be available till the fall0
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