_____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chuck Alexander
Subject: Re: [VFB] Casting heavy flies Jerry: Heavy as in clousers, or bigger sized wooly buggers that have 30 wraps of lead or so. I am using a 5wt slow action rod, and 6wt weight forward line..But I have a 9 ft 6 wt rod that is fast action that I am gonna try them on. Just that that old rod I have had since the 70's I think. It is fiberglass and weighs a ton compared to my new rod, Chuck Chuck, Several comments. My definition of a good cast is one that results in a hook up. Secondly, I am not a purest. In fact, I might be the least pure guy on the list. :-) With weighted flies I use a fast action rod with either intermediate or sinking shooting heads or I over line by one weight and use short sink tip lines. With a weighted fly as you describe, your fly is ending up deep or on the bottom, so I let the line help in the casting of the fly and with getting it down. I am not saying I never use a floating line with a clouser, but again it would be with a line weighted one up from the rod and with a short head. My typical set up is a 7 wt with an 8 wt 28-30' shooting head or an 8wt with a 225 or 250 grain Teeny type line. Rods are 9' and FAST. I also use heads made of TC-14 in various lengths. Some as short as 15-20 ft. With some of my set ups, I will actually use heads that are two sizes up. 7wt with 9wt head, 8 wt with 10wt head. In Florida, in addition to the weighted fly, I am almost always in the wind. So an open lob cast is out of the question. I have worn more than my share of Flies. But if I keep the loop tight and only false cast once, I am pretty safe and can cast pretty far. I typically use the water haul technique. >From Dan Blanton's website: WATER HAULING Shooting heads can be aerialized during false-casting until the presentation is made, just like any standard, full-length line. However, a much easier and more efficient method of false-casting, called "Water-hauling" is often a preferred technique. Here is how it's done. Instead of making an aerial forward cast, you lay the line out on the surface (the only time you purposely create a wide, open loop), immediately lifting it back off and making a normal, tight-looped backcast. The tension of the water against the line helps keep the line straight, curl-free, and loads the rod better, resulting in a better backcast by increasing line speed (a good backcast is the key to making long tosses). You extend over-hang on the first lay-down (laying the line back down on the surface again), one backcast is made (another water-haul), and the line is shot on the first foreword cast. If you are not pleased with the timing, lay the line down again, and give it another go. This is by far, the safest way to cast a head in a tight lineup or in a boat, when the cast will course through the boat. Water-hauling eliminates the need for energy-expending and time-wasting, aerial false-casting! Like most casts, it is much more difficult to describe than to actually make the cast. The other thing I do that is not typical is that I whip finish my heads to the running line-- No loops. It of course means carrying extra interchangeable spools, but with this technique, if it gets really windy and the wind is either in my face or over the wrong shoulder, I can strip the head on to the rod, and set up my cast with a really short line. With no loops, the head never gets caught up in the guides. hope this helps. jg
