[Gardener]

Looking at the photos of the Musto finalists, I noticed that Steve Choate casts with his left foot forward. Ian Gordon stands more or less square to the target. The others all have their right foot forwards (they're all casting right hand up, incidentally).

I tend to use the Ian Gordon technique. What do you do, and why?

 

[old man]

Feet position

Thats one thing that I never paid much attention to. I just get out there and start flinging flies.

Jim

 

[Klem]

When fishing my stance depends upon the bottom. Big boublers, small rocks, gravel bars, ledges and current strenght all determines foot placement. When practicing I generally pracitice all positions; open, closed, squared, kneeling, bent over and sometimes sitting. My philosophy is the real world of casting presents so many variable that I try to duplicate as many as possible when practicing. Klem

 

[JR SPEY]

Since my initial instruction came from Mike Maxwell my default is to have my right foot forward. However, like Klem, I try to practice with my feet in several different positions to accomodate a potential need in a fishing situation.

 

[Gardener]

Klem, you're of course right to point out that in real fishing situations other factors may dictate the stance. I suppose I was thinking of 'ideal conditions', where you could adopt any stance equally easily. As you will have seen, the Musto competition was performed from a flat platform.

In just about any other sport I can think of, the importance of footwork seems almost always to be addressed as a first principle. A correct stance ensures that the body is positioned correctly, whether you're hitting a golf ball or firing a shotgun, although in both these examples there are occasions when you may be obliged to adopt a less than ideal stance.

Is speycasting different, and does the positioning of the feet really not matter? Do those of you who teach casting make any recommendation to your novice pupils?

 

[MCorder]

Never paid that much attention to the way my feet are held, looking back I have to say that mine is usually whatever conditions will allow. With ever changing bottoms and different currents I usually just addapt.

Good question though.

 

[SparseHairHackl]

This may be a wrong technique, but for me it really depends upon whether I'm fishing river right or river left. I typically face somewhere between the dangle and the target, which means right foot forward on river left, and left foot forward on river right.

--Bill

 

[Big K1]

I have not put much thought into this subject before reading this. I would have to say I agree with Sparse hair on this. It all depends on what side of the river I am on.

Kevin

 

[mattzoid]

I voted left, but it doesn't mean I remember to do it.

Kevin- Lets hit the Snoq next week when the levels start to drop. What is up with the perfect S-wave on the flow chart?

 

[Big K1]

Matt,

Send me a PM. That S stands for steelhead. :biggrin:

Kevin

 

[Last Cast]

Its all in the shoulders

The position of the feet is very important as it dictates the relationship of the rest of your body relative to the direction of casting. However there is a bit of a caveat here, because as we all know, sometimes we can't get our feet the way we want them due to the nature of the river bed and hence can be a bit compromised.

A very experienced and great friend of mine, sadly no longer with us, who had the most elegant, error free and effortless speycasting action I've ever seen bar none, had a simple mantra which is very useful to remember when your casting goes awry.

1. Put your feet where you like but always keep your shoulders parallel to the river bank.

2. Bring your reel up next to your cheek prior to the forward cast.

Its amazing how often readjusting one of these will transform a tired technique at the end of the day.

 

[Whistler]

I agree that when fishing one will put his/her feet wherever the rocks will allow. When teaching beginners(single and two hand) it is a huge advantage to have the right foot forward. This feels awkward to many people but greatly accellerates the learning process. As for Ian Gordon-when I saw him cast in April his stance was right foot forward.
Brian Niska

 

[Klem]

Feet placement

Congrats on passing the THCI! Now, why do you suggest that the right foot should be forward for a beginning right hand caster. Is it to keep the body/shoulder from over rotating or ???? Klem

 

[Whistler]

Klem, thanks I have been a fan of the right foot forward ever since Mike Maxwell first showed it to me. This is especially true when teaching beginners. The two main reasons are:
to keep the rod casting in plane and to ensure that the power is applied progressivly.
Though I will often cast this way when fishing due to river bottom-the right foot back enables the caster to swing their shoulder causing a loss of power. With the right foot forward stance and weight on the left heel at the start of the cast the back muscles are 'wound up' and the shoulder comes through in line with the casting stroke as well as ensuring the power is applied progressively.
Brian

 

[Rick J]

Both Simon and Derek in their videos recommend left foot forward to give a bit more body motion and thus a potentially longer forward stroke. When practicing, this is what I generally do but as others have said in fishing conditions it is whatever you can get away with. If I can I will have left foot forward

 

[Willie Gunn]

As for Ian Gordon-when I saw him cast in April his stance was right foot forward.
Brian Niska

I have spoken to Ian about the photograph, his comments are mostly unprintable as he suggests the photo makes him look a fat ******. He also said that he is actually casting in his usual right foot forward but it is the camera angle that makes it look otherwise.

Ian has been/is very busy looking after a young lady visitor from California,(Hi Michelle) and is now away to Japan to chase Cherry Salmon and talk casting.

 

[lummels]

Best Foot Forward

The answer to this one I think is quite simple and each member can try it themselves without leaving their screens for too long!!
Stand upright with your right hand in the air put your right foot forward then swivel to the right through your "Snake Hips" or in my case through the waist,then swap over and put your left foot forward and judge for yourself the one which gives you the most mobility for a change of direction in casting,in my case it is definately left foot forward!!
Try it for yourself and you will be pleasantly surprised,it is fundamental in fishing in all weathers without doing your back in!!

Dont be slipping any discs,or the Chiropracters will be increasing their turnover :chuckle: :chuckle:

 

[wrke]

For most casts right hand up, I cast with the left foot forward, for left hand up, it's right foot forward. These allow me a more comfortable, natural body roll and weight transfer — as throwing a baseball. I do snake rolls with feet 90 degrees to the bank.
Bill

 

[Carl]

What I would give...

to see video.

We're focused on the notable feature of foot placement, but I wonder about how these guys are bringing their hips into play to transfer power. As I grew up pitching baseballs, left foot forward seems natural and allowing of long stroke and power transfer, but that's obviously not all there is to it. If it were so simple, we'd not see right hand up/right foot forward casters in the finals, eh! So what I'd really like to see is the whole stroke--loading and unloading on video.

Carl