Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N.Santiam/Deschutes
Posts: 273
Top hand overworked!
The stop is critical to forming the loop. To stop a double-handed rod, the caster must stop the butt of the rod for a clean, crisp stop. The single handers comes to the party using the top hand for everything in his casting motion: steering, gas pedal and brake pedal. Sure the long stroke boys use 90% top hand but they do a push/pull at the end to the stop and use the bottom hand to add bit of acceleration on the back casts and just before the finally front stop. They are moving a lot of line and need all the tip travel possible, so that top hand does a lot of work.
Gillie,
What worked for me to get the bottom hand into play: Find your stop position then freeze your top hand position. Next use your bottom hand only and extend the bottom hand out away from your tummy and few inches (4" or 5") now pull back to your tummy with a fast motion so the tip flips the line forwards. Work on getting a tight loop that travels down to the water (this is not a cast just form a loop that has energy to travel to the water). This is the best exercise to get your bottom hand involved with the casting stroke and will develop a good, independent stop with the bottom hand.
The more I become involved with spey casting the more beatuiful all styles and casting strokes become; from the long strokes to the underhand caster it is all graceful and wonderful to watch. Klem
When the fish gods smile, I smile too!