Rio's Modern Speycasting Videos - by Simon Gawesworth et al

kenmorrow · Post by **kenmorrow** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:26 pm

Simon Gawesworth graciously donated a set of the Modern Speycasting videos by Rio Products to the institute and they arrived a few days ago. I just finished watching them yesterday.

In my opinion, these are some of the finest casting instruction videos I have ever seen. From the way they were laid out and shot to the on-camera instructional work and use of various subject matter experts and modern technology, the presentation is really tight.

I was just wondering what others who have seen these videos think of them.

jomeder · Post by **jomeder** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:17 am

Hi Ken,

I have them and think they're really good. The only issue really is that I can't watch too many segments in a row. Simon has a mellifluous sort of voice and I find after a while I tend to zone out :-). It's not that it's boring or anything by any means! I think the presentation is great.

I've said the following a few times before. I think "Spey to Z" works really well as an introduction to Spey casting, giving an overview of styles and getting you going with casts. Modern Speycasting takes over once you have the basics and you really get into the casts and the mechanics of them. They should both come as a set :-).

Regards,

Jo

andy_with_a_rod · Post by **andy_with_a_rod** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:36 am

the bagpipes scare me, and i really dont think the biomechanics sections are neccessary, but i agree they're very useful dvds.

jomeder · Post by **jomeder** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:01 am

Actually I agree with you Andy, the biomechanics bit doesn't really add a lot.

kenmorrow · Post by **kenmorrow** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:12 am

Interesting feedback regarding the biokenetics segments. I think that a slow motion movement segment front and side view at the end is great, but the way they do it with the "connect the dots" guy didn't really add anything for me, either.

However, I thought it was good that they tried to apply advanced sports science to the mix.

akcaster · Post by **akcaster** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:19 am

I like the DVD set also and think the content is solid. However, I never got much out of the biomechanics either.

Mark

Marc LaMouche · Post by **Marc LaMouche** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:18 am

kenmorrow wrote:Interesting feedback regarding the biokenetics segments. I think that a slow motion movement segment front and side view at the end is great, but the way they do it with the "connect the dots" guy didn't really add anything for me, either.

However, I thought it was good that they tried to apply advanced sports science to the mix.

my feeling as well.

as for the rest, i find Simon's performance exceptional, not just what but how he teaches. any instructor or candidate can learn a lot about the 'how' from him.
as for the other fellows, with all due sincere respect, i find they fall rather flat even though their demonstrations are good.
cheers,
marc

Dave Alexander · Post by **Dave Alexander** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:09 pm

I am laughing!

Biokenetics

Mel's essence had them, and I thought to myself these just don't really help me.

Then I watched he latest RIO vid and they had them. I tried watching them intently with an open mind to try and learn, but I struggled with finding them really that useful.

I actually though it was just me. :O

Otherwise I totally agree Ken. They are excellent.

I really liked section with the emphasis on the forward stroke.

Simon is a really good instructor, but I thought Mike & Scott did a good job with the Skagit stuff. I actually liked that section quite a bit.

D

kenmorrow · Post by **kenmorrow** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:01 am

I also thought the forward stroke section was exceptional...and often overlooked or rushed through by many casting instructors. Either that, or they wax all "scientific" using phrases like "pronate the wrist" instead of "roll the wrist forward" and other cluttery distractions that only serve to talk over the head of one's audience. Simon demonstrates tremendous alacrity with the KISS principle.

But my favorite chapter in the whole series was the one on stringing casts at the end of the single-handed spey stuff. Not that it was revelatory or anything to this small stream angler, but he presented the "now use your brain" part of the equation in a very clear, practical, and inspiring way. It was the best presentation of advanced presentation casting applications to real-world fishing scenarios I've ever seen on video. I would say that the only other I've seen in person that would rival it would be Dave Whitlock teaching intermediate or advanced casting on water.

Dave taught me a retrieve in such a seminar that I've used probably as much as any single technique I've ever learned in a casting clinic, class, or lesson. He tossed his fly (no weed guard) into the bushes on the opposite side of a small pond and said, "Now let me show you the best presentation in all of fly fishing." And he very slowly and gently pulled in some line until the fly plopped lightly from the overhanging limbs into the water below. He said, "If there's a bass there, he'll eat that!" But his point was how to retrieve your fly from the errant cast into the bushes.

Then he had us all do it ourselves until we got the hang of it.

I can't begin to tell you how many people I've amazed with that trick since then. And I was beating myself up when he showed it to us thinking, "Ken...you moron! Why didn't you think of that?" :glare: But it is apparently something akin to voodoo.

johnswalker · Post by **johnswalker** » Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:12 pm

Brilliant set of DVDs and easy to watch repeatedly.
I like the use of a double handed rod for saltwater fly fishing. Do any forum users do this? I've got some great beaches in North Wales and fancy having a go.

mattklara · Post by **mattklara** » Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:16 pm

I've thrown switch rods off the beach. Works great. All overhead casting though.

The NE USA striper guys use bigger sticks like the T&T 12' 12wt.

Ben_D · Post by **Ben_D** » Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:21 pm

mattklara wrote:I've thrown switch rods off the beach. Works great. All overhead casting though.

The NE USA striper guys use bigger sticks like the T&T 12' 12wt.

There is a grwing interest in switch rods for coastal fishing in the UK, I've had a lot of enquiries over the past few weeks regarding this. I must have a play with my switches for overhead work, I only ever really Spey cast them two handed, mine gets used only as a mini DHD.

Cheers

Ben

kenmorrow · Post by **kenmorrow** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:29 pm

johnswalker wrote:Brilliant set of DVDs and easy to watch repeatedly.
I like the use of a double handed rod for saltwater fly fishing. Do any forum users do this? I've got some great beaches in North Wales and fancy having a go.

Saltwater is my primary interest in two-handed fly rodding, aside from my work with people with disabilities. I enjoy fishing from beaches with two-handed rods and shooting heads/skagit lines. You get a great walk on the beach even if the fishing isn't great. And sometimes the fishing can be very exciting.

It's so much easier to "reach out there" with the two-handed rods and shooting heads, especially with an on-shore breeze. And an on-shore breeze and incoming tide is when you really want to be on the beach.

jomeder · Post by **jomeder** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 5:06 am

One of the main reasons I bought a DH rod was to overhead cast off the beach for kahawai, which are a hard fighting pelagic fish from NZ. You can target them off the beach and around river mouths. Excellent fun. Sad to say I have yet to catch one with my DH rod, and in fact the one time I went out after them I forgot to check the swell and there was a big one running!

I have a 13' 6" 7wt Z-Axis and I got a 9 wt Outbound for overhead casting off the beach. It can certainly cast a mile.

Regards,

Jo

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