[juro]

While teaching a teacher how to cast several years ago, she ended up teaching me that one of the most effective means of teaching was to connect with the student's mind with metaphors, anecdotes and mnemonics.

Tak Shimosawa uses the metaphor of "peeling a length of tape from a tabletop" when describing the lift of a long spey line from the water prior to starting the sweep back to the d-loop. This is a very appropriate metaphor because like tape the line must be peeled to the point of least adhesion to have a consistent motion back to form the d-loop (v-loop) without unpredictable amounts of grip and drag.

What are some of your favorite mnemonics for spey casting?

 

[GPearson]

Juro,

I really like the tape metaphor. Thanks a bunch for sharing. I will try to come back and list one when I have a bit more time.

Thanks again,

Greg

 

[JDJones]

3/4 time

I liked Derek Brown's thing about casting in 3/4 time. It went something like this. Lift two three, sweep two three, cast two three, plop.

Also his reference to the practice of too much upper body motion (leaning over) on the cast. The advice being to "stand proud lad." Now if only the keyboard were capable of capturing that Scottish brogue.

And then from the Mel Kreiger tape;
When the fly is on the dangle
and the fish have passed it by
raise the dangle to an angle
ere next you cast the fly.

And then, what I'm sure will become a classic, from Steve Choate & Dr. Way Yin. In reference to changing direction of the cast, (single Spey). "Point the little guy where you want to cast."

 

[Klem]

Metaphors - the mind connector

I like to use the term " Answer the Phone" for both single-hand and (the upper hand) double-hand casting. The upper hand or casting hands moves to the check/ear area. Seems to work with many students. The other is for anchor placement. Put it (anchor) "In-the-Box" In-the-Box is a rectangle area a rod to rod and a half off the casting shoulder. This make the caster land the anchor at a specified area and pointing 180 degree form target.

 

[Ol Rich]

The one that has helped me the most for getting the acceleration and stop of the rod high and abrupt is "flick a glob of peanut butter off the tip of your rod". I do not remember who said it but it has helped me numerous times to focus on the high stop of the rod.

Rich