An Old Man and the River (Part 1) (Long. Very, very long)

"George Cleveland" wrote in message
news
I'm still a little unfamiliarly with the bamboo rod I'm using much of
the time now. When my timing is right, when I don't push it too hard,
it is a fantastic casting appliance. But when I rush or, especially,
try to push it hard on a distance cast, I have trouble. My stiff
graphite rods forgive the misapplication of power I put on them. When
I apply power in the middle of my cast instead of at the end, their
structural characteristics save me and I end up throwing loops that
close but usually don't collapse into full blown tailing loops. But
the little golden rod I was fishing with yesterday demanded more from
me, more than I had to give in my foul state of mind. I was fishing
fast upstream, making long casts to a few select targets (and catching
no fish). And all to often on those longer casts I'd mis-time and
throw prodigious tailing loops, my fly line doubling and sometimes
tripling over itself. My fault, all my fault. But frustrating all the
same.


Excellent writing George,
I enjoyed reading very much. I've also been casing the bamboo rods
everyday for the last 8 months. I noticed you said you apply power in
the middle of the cast, instead of at the end. George, try this, when
you feel your backcast drift back (you'll feel the pull), gently and
smoothly make the forward cast (without the power in the middle
or the end). It's almost like pulling the line on the forward cast
(slinging the line ever so gently). There is no need to haul or double-
haul a bamboo rod for distance. Also roll-casting a cane rod with DT
line is effortless.
-tom