[myfishcasting]

two handed beginner here.

From what i've gathered here and in my research, the left hand controls the power input on final delivery. From my tournament casting (pendulum, beach casters), i have developed a good left hand technique not unlike that used in spey casting. We also have our reels in our left hands, and my fav rod length is 14'-2". As you can see, a 14 foot spey rod shouldn't feel too much different in my hands.

But, is it required to deliver the line over the top, or as in our casting, wouldn't a smoother delivery around the side be of benefit?

We used to cast over the top years ago, and some styles still do use it. But we soon discovered that a smooth trajectory with little change of line or sinker direction paid huge dividends.

I could of cause be talking absolute ****, but our style of straight left arm and 170 degree right arm, enables a bigger rod arc and smoother power delivery.

Lets assume that a good anchor point has 1 yard of line in the water plus leader, and that the line will travel where we point the rod top.

I'm standing in the water, with no wind.

And i generate an anchor downstream of me and the d loop is wide out behind me. If the loop is flat, does it make sense to change the direction of the line, or would a wide arc as per pendulum cast do better. Stiff left arm, 170 degree right drawing the line around the back of the caster and releasing as normal with an abrupt stop.

Forgive me if all this doesn't make sense.

 

[mickgbell]

Interesting style but I think you are over engineering the process.
In traditional spey casting the hands work with equal and opposite force...to explain...if you are casting left handed and wish to execute a single spey cast the left arm will start the initial lift and by in large create the arc to the side of the body, but at the same time the right hand should push out away from the body to creat a better D...at the end of the stroke the left hand will push up keeping the line in better shape to prepare for the forward cast. During the forward cast the right hand should now pull in to the body, thus creating a tighter loop as the rod will flex more effectively. if you imagine an overhead cast the same applies, on execution of the forward stroke ( if you are left handed ) the right arm/hand should "snap" into the body to crate the power.
If you allow your left arm to take over the cast you will probably "bowl" the cast ( an English cricket expression meaning a straight arm). if you imagine where your hands are at the end of a spey cast if your left arm is straight you have put too much emphasis on the left arm delivering the power. One of the best ways to teach and or learn to spey cast is to take a belt and tighten it around your upper body to tighten your elbows into you body .....then try the same process and you will be amazed at the distance you can achieve using the hands and body only !
Try thinking of the forward cast as a punch not a cast and you should get the hang of it.
With regard to your "side-arm " reference the lower the rod tip stays to the water the better your timing will have to be and the more you will restrict the stroke..but....try this, when you commence the forward cast rather than lifting toward you try lifting into your own bank and then continue as normal....the more you lift into your own bank the wider the arc will be to your left/behind you, cause and effect. This technique is very useful for teaching and changing direction from a normal cast , say, down and across, to a cast that finishes square and or upstream.
Hope this helps, its tricky without a rod and a river !!!
****

 

[myfishcasting]

it does.
maybe i'm just trying to relate the spey type casts to my previous experience with pendulum casting, although the two are not related.

my thinking was, get the left hand up high (above shoulder height) and push it out in front of you. Then, you have no choice but to pull back with the left, creating a fulcrum point around the right, which by now would be unloading also, creating maximum torsion at the point between the grip.
Looking at the Musto results it seems even these guys are going for flat arc ("D" loops) and high left hands.

However, i'm not ready for that, i just needed to understand the mechanics.

Your description makes sense, and thanks for replying.

--
Keith.