"Always wear sunglasses."
This. I think one can argue it is the most important part of the castThe initial lift dictates how the rest of the cast will go.
Is this just because it'll determine anchor placement or is there something more to it?This. I think one can argue it is the most important part of the cast
A good lift leads to predictability and repeatability of the next move, which leads to good and consistent anchor placement. I've found that focusing on the line during the lift, and trying to get as much as I can off the water, casting gets much easier.Is this just because it'll determine anchor placement or is there something more to it?
Interesting, I've found I get the best cast when the tip of the rod travels directly over the top of the anchor.My best key is to make sure my rod is fully vertical before firing. By that I mean no sidearm, 45 degree forward stroke. Having the rod tip and but straight in line with my target usually makes me slow down a bit and the extra power makes me hit it softer.
I know I'm not very good at describing what I'm thinking, but I don't know what you mean by tip going over the anchor. To me the tip is fairly specific and the anchor is an area.Interesting, I've found I get the best cast when the tip of the rod travels directly over the top of the anchor.
For me, I have found over the years, that the closer I can place the anchor to me, the more efficient the cast. Once I establish my anchor, if the tip of my rod, on the forward delivery, travels directly over the top of my anchored line, I get a straight line delivery. If I go vertical with the rod, and ignore the anchor, the cast, while it may be long, ends up wonky. For me this is a single spey thought process, but it has the same result in all my casts. In essence, the further my side cast ends up from me, up or downstream, the more horizontal my forward deliveryI know I'm not very good at describing what I'm thinking, but I don't know what you mean by tip going over the anchor. To me the tip is fairly specific and the anchor is an area.
We all have good sessions, to me the difference is when you can self diagnose and get back in the groove.
Is this just because it'll determine anchor placement or is there something more to it?
As I work my way down a run the water changes, my wading depth changes, what's behind me changes, the weather changes. Hell, everything changes. What my fly is swinging into at the top of a run is different than what it swings into at the bottom Same as where it lands and what the current at that particular spot will do to the fly. Random boulders in the finishing area can also create spots that will grip your line like molasses. Every part of my cast changes as I work down - sometimes it's a different cast after every step because of the changing conditions.Without a consistent, repeatable and reliable lift the energy needed to bring the line to precise anchor position or change direction is not a constant. You might as well be using a different grain line on every cast if you have a inconsistent lift. Yes, you'll fire a dime sometimes but not all the time. If you start each cast with the same lift you have a ground zero to begin building the cast from, whatever the cast you are going to employ.
As I work my way down a run the water changes, my wading depth changes, what's behind me changes, the weather changes. Hell, everything changes. What my fly is swinging into at the top of a run is different than what it swings into at the bottom Same as where it lands and what the current at that particular spot will do to the fly. Random boulders in the finishing area can also create spots that will grip your line like molasses. Every part of my cast changes as I work down - sometimes it's a different cast after every step because of the changing conditions.
Can you find consistency amongst all the chaos? Yes. With experience you will recognize what has changed when you moved and know what part of your cast needs to be altered to compensate for the new condition. You may need a different cast than the one you just used. Don't read water just to find fish, read the run top to bottom from a casting perspective before you step in.