[Dana]

the speypages review of Henrik Mortensen's DVD on underhand casting is now online:

The Perfect Cast with Henrik Mortensen

 

[MJC]

Hey Dana...

Very nice review. Your comments about Mortensen's compact style are right on. I was amazed the first time I watched this DVD and saw the way he casts. The more I watched it the more I liked it.

While Henrik's second DVD (Distance and Delicacy) is not available in the
NTSC format as yet, it is now available in the PAL version for anyone with the ability to run that format. I don't know much (read nothing) about these things but according to Henrik a lot of the newer DVD players will show either version.

 

[sva01]

MJC-
Do you have this DVD for sale?

 

[MJC]

I have the Perfect Cast DVD in stock.

 

[papenfus]

Seen the DVD and would highly recommend it. I was a little disappointed though that he didn't have any footage of fishing with sinktips. In his tutorial of the basic underhand cast he emphasizes the importance of attaching only the leader to the water surface in order to form a good D-loop to make a proper cast. He also mentions that leader length should be about 1.5 times the size of the rod, at least in terms of a floating line. (14 foot rod = 21 foot leader, yikes). My questions are:
1.) What length leader do you use in relation to your rod length when casting in this style?
2.) How do the dynamics of the cast change when you go to sinktips/weighted flies? How much of the the sinktip are you "attaching" to the water surface to make a proper cast - say with a 14ft rod?

Maybe his next video will cover this material.

 

[finnsalmo]

There is some more info of the shooting heads and leaders at the Scierras site. You can use Scierras "PWF -tool" to calculate the proper lenght for your shootinghead and leader.
Can't put the link here, but it is easy to find.

 

[Whistler]

I have been selling the DVD up here and most people really seem to enjoy it. I think Dana's review is very accurate. IMO it is the most entertaining instructional DVD that I have seen. I was a little dissapointed with some of the landing techniques demonstrated.

 

[Smolt]

I enjoyed the fisihing aspects of the DVD, but, franly, I didn't get much out of the instructional parts of the presentation. Maybe its just me. I'll have to watch a couple of more times before I make a final judgment.

 

[ZachMatthews]

Hey guys,

How much does it sell for?

Zach

 

[finnsalmo]

Peter;

I think that Scierra's heads does not differ much of Loop's Custom (Custom2 is different) heads. If you use Loop heads and "LOOP Custom Flyline Cutting Table" together with Scierra's PWF tool, you are in the right track.
And soon you'll notice, that they both (+ Guideline) recommendents quite same lenghts for their heads.
Anyways you will have better shooting head with this style, than Loop Adapteds are. IMHO.

 

[sean]

Just finished reviewing my copy. Not a bad video at all.

I liked the section detailing how important your leader can be to your overall casting. That is something I think I am guilty of not paying attention to throughout a day on the water. Maybe why my casting suffers half way through the day after I have switched flies a bunch of times.

I did notice one thing that Henrich did quite often. On his forward cast he would pull the handle down and across his body. So if he was casting right hand up his bottom hand would end up down on his left hip. Is this a typical thing for scando casters?

-sean

 

[Moose]

I did notice one think that Henrich did quite often. On his forward cast he would pull the handle down and across his body. So if he was casting right hand up his bottom hand would end up down on his left hip. Is this a typical thing for scando casters?

-sean

I noticed that right off too, and it appears that this allows for the right shoulder lean he uses so as not to get a "Butt in the Gut" on each cast. I was fascinated by this body lean he puts into the cast and then remembered the video clips of Dana doing the same thing, but not so severely. I'm going to have to spend some time with this idea.

Oh yeah, Thumbs Up on the video. I liked it very much! :smokin:

 

[Dana]

Henrik has a unique interpretation of the Underhand Cast, a style all his own. I've been told that some casting instructors stress that there is no body movement in the Underhand Cast, but I think that the Underhand style is evolving just as Spey casting has evolved (and the development of the Underhand Cast is part of that evolution).

My approach is a combination of everything I've learned about the Underhand style. There's a little of Goran, of Henrik, of the Syrstad brothers, and Per Stadigh in there. When I cast long belly my approach is more like the Syrstads'; when I cast shooting heads it is a cross between Henrik and Goran. With shooting heads I tend to use a lot of body English just as Henrik does--I just seem to cast better that way. You can see it here:

http://www.speypages.com/video/classicuh.mpg

and here's the longer belly version retaining the body movements:

http://www.speypages.com/video/closeupdanaunderhand.mpg

 

[finnsalmo]

I did notice one thing that Henrich did quite often. On his forward cast he would pull the handle down and across his body. So if he was casting right hand up his bottom hand would end up down on his left hip. Is this a typical thing for scando casters?
-sean

I'm not an expert caster, but I have noticed, that if I do a long underhand cast and use really hard bottom hand stroke, it bends the rod so much it will end up to a tailing loop. This can be avoided if you pull down your rod.

 

[Dana]

when I was first learning the Underhand I tailed nearly every cast. Using only the bottom hand was the problem (pulling it in to the body). Later I figured out that this was using too short a casting stroke for my line length and/or cast length, creating the tailing loop. I totally agree with finnsalmo about "pulling down" and you can see me doing this in the clips. I stroke is down, then in. The bottom hand ("Underhand") guides the rod and applies the power, while the top hand assists in supporting the rod and bringing it to a high positive stop at the end of the forward stroke.

Of course this isn't "the only way" to execute the Underhand, it's just how I do it because this is the way that it works best for me. Other variations will work too.

 

[stephen holden]

big thankyou to dana and henrik

firstly a big thankyou to dana for your unbiased review of the 'perfect cast',which made me seek out a copy of the dvd.secondly thankyou to henrik for producing this dvd ,which has for me explained this cast in greater detail and allowed me to understand the basics of the cast and use it .As part of my ongoing treatment for cancer the medics have inserted a plastic tube into my right forearm to admininster the chemotherapy ,which has made traditional spey casting difficult and painfull.seeing the underhand cast on the dvd and henrik stressing how efficient and easy the cast is has been very important to me.one thing the dvd has brought to the forefont for me is the importance of leader makeup to enable perfect presentation of the fly ,something basic which I have been guilty of neglecting in my strive to cast further which truthfully only leads difficulty in controlling the fly at extreme distances.thanks again henrik for a great dvd,I only wish your shooting heads were available in the uk

 

[Bee]

I ended up with two Mortensen signature prototype rods from a trip to TDF a few years ago. Also got the tips that he reccomends... have used the rods for BC trips and really like them. Some of the BC folks who are much more accomlished two-hand casters than I were quite impressed with rods as well. MJC tryed one as I passed through the Clearwatwer last fall. I have always been interested that there does not seem to be much of a "rod following " on his rods in North Amercia yet..any thoughts as to why?

 

[Huckleberry]

Rods that Henrik Mortensen uses

I don't think that Sierra rods have any presence in North America (yet?). I guess that it costs quite a bit to build up a dealer network, representatives, etc. and a company will probably run a few calculations before it ventures into new markets. Looking at their website would certainly suggest that they have interesting casting tools to offer.

The other interesting question - to me at least - is why did Henrik leave Loop? Was there a fallout, money discussions, whatever. I guess this will be kept insider information for a long time.

But then it's none of my business anyway.

So long
Tom.

 

[Steven Mear]

Henrik has a unique interpretation of the Underhand Cast, a style all his own. I've been told that some casting instructors stress that there is no body movement in the Underhand Cast, but I think that the Underhand style is evolving just as Spey casting has evolved (and the development of the Underhand Cast is part of that evolution).

My approach is a combination of everything I've learned about the Underhand style. There's a little of Goran, of Henrik, of the Syrstad brothers, and Per Stadigh in there. When I cast long belly my approach is more like the Syrstads'; when I cast shooting heads it is a cross between Henrik and Goran. With shooting heads I tend to use a lot of body English just as Henrik does--I just seem to cast better that way. You can see it here:

http://www.speypages.com/video/classicuh.mpg

and here's the longer belly version retaining the body movements:

http://www.speypages.com/video/closeupdanaunderhand.mpg

Hi Dana, I looked at your videos and didn't find anything unfamiliar there. However, I re-visited the Mortensen DVD today and can't understand why the left hand comes down way to the left as it then causes the upper hand to track inwards (and correspondingly on the other side). He doesn't do this with the single-handed rod or with the overhead casts. I hate to think what would happen if someone did this whilst performing a Snake Roll. Are there any benefits in this "hooking" movement?

Regards
Steven