Preloading

[stesiik]

Hi Gilly!

It's a windows media fil, sorry about that. You might be on a machine that can´t play them. Nothing special, just a "surge that I grab" with the rod for the next cast.

I am trying to find out some things about that slip in my own casting. I used to do it the other way before and still do for some casts. That is increase the tension by feeding back the haul very slow and not slip a bit.

Best regards
Stefan

[Aitor]

Hi Stefan,

Just to check wether we are on the same page following is an explanation of pre-loading by George Roberts. Is this what you are talking about?

Letting your final back cast straighten completely does something else that’s very important. The force of the unrolling line, when it straightens, will pull the rod tip into a slight bend; that is, the rod will be "pre-loaded" on the forward stroke. Remember that the deeper the rod is loaded, the more power there will be in the delivery. Letting your final back cast straighten completely gives your cast more distance and power with no additional effort.

To make this work, your timing must be good. You’ll feel a subtle tug on the rod tip as your back cast straightens, and for a split second you’ll experience the feeling of the airborne fly line stretched taut against the rod tip, flexing it backward slightly. You must begin the forward stroke at this instant. If you wait even a fraction of a second after you feel the tug, the pre-load will vanish and your line will lose its tautness and begin to fall. A good caster may still be able to deliver the fly, but such a cast will never fulfill its distance potential. For your longest, most powerful delivery, your forward stroke will begin with the fly line straight behind you and the rod already bent.

[stesiik]

Hi Aitor!

Yepp, that's exactly it! Turning your cast at the peak of the surge/tug I call it.

I am not sure that is ideal for the longests casts though. I was dead sure about it for years though and it did help me do nice casts in the 100-115 range. Even relatively effortless looking 115 ft casts I've been told.

It is a very useful thing for some teaching/students aswell.

But I am not so sure it is helpful for the really big casts anymore though...

I still use it a lot, but I don´t want to call it pre-loading. It's the same load/bend as the rest of the cast. Nothing pre about it.

Best Regards
Stefan

[Aitor]

Well, I see this Roberts' statement as the usual rod load overestimation:

Remember that the deeper the rod is loaded, the more power there will be in the delivery.

IMHO what actually happens is that the more force you put into the cast the more the rod gets loaded.

I still use it a lot, but I don´t want to call it pre-loading. It's the same load/bend as the rest of the cast. Nothing pre about it.

So load is out of the equation and then we are talking about maximum line tension at the beginning of the stroke.

[stesiik]

Hi Aitor!

Yes, that sounds wrong. But it can help you draw a straight, smooth tip-path and it can reduce slackline. I taught it to a lot of people, mainly to tune their loops upper legs and sharpen up the timing. I've had very good results with it.

<edit>

So load is out of the equation and then we are talking about maximum line tension at the beginning of the stroke.

Yes, I think it's about tension and slack reduction, like I wrote in my first post. :laugh:

</edit>

Best Regards
Stefan

[Paul Arden]

doesn't Steve Rajeff pre-load on his final B/C to F/C ?

not arguing, just curious.

cheers,
marc

No. I don't think so: he drifts.

I don't know Gilly. Probably. Either that or because the line straightens more fully. I'll start a thread in tech analysis!

Cheers, Paul

[stesiik]

Hi Aitor and all!

Here is one guy that really did benefit a lot from it. Sorry about the actual guy not being on the pic.



Best regards
Stefan

[Paul Arden]

I'm sorry Stefan, that doesn't work for me. Show me a sequence of the rod bending deeper after pre-load. It doesn't happen!

[stesiik]

Hi Paul!

Who said anything about the rod bending deeper Frank?

I have a very old clip from when I was really into doing it. I'll put it up into this thread tonight.

best regards
Stefan

[Paul Arden]

OK show me a sequence of the rod going from pre-load and into bend on the FC I don't think you want to hit that surge. Ask one of the guys to watch the straightening of your BC and ask you to hit it. Then you'll agree with me.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

[stesiik]

Hi Paul!

OK show me a sequence of the rod going from pre-load and into bend on the FC

It's the same bend and the same cast. Watch the clip I posted and tell me what you see happening to the rod in the beginning of the stroke. Does it look to get heavy to you before I really start to move it?

I don't think you want to hit that surge.

That's another thing. No, I do definately not want to hit it. Then I get the most spectacular tails.

Ask one of the guys to watch the straightening of your BC and ask you to hit it. Then you'll agree with me.

I've done that too and it and a few other things made me change my mind about this thing and my timing for distance.

best Regards
Stefan

[stesiik]

[Paul Arden]

Hang on. Pre-load = the loop straightens and the excess energy bends the rod. The caster then utilises this fantastic energy surplus and with this "pre-load" manages to make the rod bend deeper during the forward cast, giving him a longer cast...

I don't agree.

[Paul Arden]