Joan Wulff??

redcoat · Post by **redcoat** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:23 pm

Hi,

I have the Joan Wulff Dynamics of Fly Casting DVD.

From my newbie perspective, it seems pretty similar to Sexyloops. Are there any things she advocates that you all don't recommend?

A chapter from her DVD is available online here: http://midcurrent.com/videos/joan-wulff-the-hand-and-the-arm/

cheers

red

redcoat · Post by **redcoat** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:35 pm

anyone?

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:01 pm

I haven't seen it. I do question her term "Slide Loading" which she never really dissected, so we did. She has her own method of teaching, which is fine. I believe she advocates only the thumb-on-top grip. She's a Stateswoman if you know what I mean and it's all good.

Cheers, Paul

Marc LaMouche · Post by **Marc LaMouche** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:35 pm

hi red,
as Paul notes, there are several smaller issues with her terms and ways that a lot of us don't agree with: ex- 'Power Snap' etc, etc.
however and generally speaking, she gets major respect and many use a lot of hers teaching techniques and manners.
i for one definitely do

chers,
marc

Bernd · Post by **Bernd** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 5:05 pm

Hi Red,
I very much like her DVD.
Since we do not have (and never will have) the one and only defintion for (almost) anything in fly casting no one here can disagree with any of her definitions :p .

The only thing I personally do not like too much is teaching the power snap to a beginner because this movement easily can result in tailing loops later in my experience. I like to demonstrate it but don't want my students to use it on every cast right from the beginning. I aim for a firm wrist here as a good start in fly casting.
But that is just me

.
Greets
Bernd

redcoat · Post by **redcoat** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 6:37 pm

Thanks everyone...

As a newbie, I'm confused about the power snap, too. I hear some people recommend it, others run away screaming when someone even mentions it!

Can anyone give me the full picture? There's some kind of wrist action in a good cast, right?

thanks!

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:40 pm

Ah yes, this can be a problem!

Fatso · Post by **Fatso** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:13 am

I've generally taken the power snap to be similar, if not the same, as accelerating to a stop as advocated in the 5 essentials, am I wrong there? If so, how would you describe the difference?

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:47 am

With some casters it can produce a spiked force application towards the end of the stroke and a tail. But it's all about words really. Say the same thing to three different people and you can get widely different results.

I watched Joan give a demo and she uses a lot of pantomime in her classes. It obviously works for her.

Cheers, Paul

Marc LaMouche · Post by **Marc LaMouche** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:06 am

what can be (often is) a problem with the term 'PowerSnap' is the student takes those two words at first level and overemphasizes both the power and the snap, specially the wrist movement.
words can leave lasting impressions on people, similar to the bad casting happens that are so difficult to re-learn, they are hard to replace when well ingrained.
in my experience, most people use their wrist too much so the last thing i want to do is include these words to their memory.

cheers,
marc

Bernd · Post by **Bernd** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:13 am

Here you find some nice articles of Joan Wulff:
http://winstonrods.com/category/resources/casting-clinic.php

Power Snap:
http://winstonrods.com/pdf/back_cast_power_snap.pdf

The power snap is "acceleration to a stop", yes.
It is done by wrist movement mainly.
With a very small movement of our wrist we can make the rod tip travel a huge distance. On one hand that is very effective to use. On other hand it is not that easy to control for many of us. It easily can be started little too abrupt or can be done little too strong and then causing trouble.

I have seen a lot of casters casting "nice" waves in their lines by not being able to control their wrist based acceleration. Using a firm wrist usually helps very fast to really smoothen out the loops. There is a pretty good reason why so many instructors recommend to use an almost firm wrist in the beginning.

Besides that I have no doubt a good instructor always can teach his students how to use and how to control the power snap in a good way.
As Paul said... It's in the right words i.e. understanding the whole technique.

Problem can be that back home there is no instructor. And that is when most problems take place.
That's why I prefer to start with a firm wrist for easiest self control when training back home after the lesson. Besides that since a while I like to show and explain the power snap in my first lessons, too. So at least I want my students to know about it and to understand that keeping the wrist almost firm is just the beginning of the journey...

Greets
Bernd

potterpoole · Post by **potterpoole** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:39 pm

Having read all the post and there slightly disparaging but polite remarks against an elderly person. Are there any DVD's that teach casting to be recommended? Instruction by a person is currently out of the question for me and I need some help. Books are a great resource but video can help clarify things if shot from different angles. I also would like opinions on video taping myself for self evaluation. A video reference of good casting could possibly help in this regard.

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:55 am

Hi Dean,

Mel Krieger's Essence of Flycasting 1 is still the best I've seen. Post some video of yourself and we can have a look, you'll get lots of good advice I'm sure.

I'm quite certain that watching Joan's DVD will make you a better flycaster too.

Cheers, Paul

potterpoole · Post by **potterpoole** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 4:58 am

Thanks Paul

I assumed Joan was more than competent to teach and that her video would have valuable information but I don't want to be confused by what the instructor means by his or her terminology. I guess that is the downside of a video. In person the instructor can say no you are doing it wrong, this is what I meant when I said pull, push, bounce, power stroke, or what have you.
I am interested in becoming a better caster overall but I am very interested in better roll casting and being able to shoot line during the roll cast. I am also enthralled with the snake roll described on this site and a similar cast I saw on a video that was named the jump roll. I fish mostly in ponds close to where I live for green sunfish and there is little to no room for a back cast. I also fish for rainbow and browns on rare occasion. This takes place on tail water and spring creeks in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma where trees and people crowd the banks. I know these waters aren't going to elicit very much envy but such is life.

By the way where would I post a video if and when I feel up to the ridicule?

Paul Arden · Post by **Paul Arden** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:30 am

You can send to either eric@sexyloops.com or lars@sexyloops.com (or both in fact) and they can upload it to the movies section. I can't because I live in the sticks with a slow modem! Or alternatively Vimeo works well.

It's always difficult to shoot off a static roll, unless you have a line that's really set up for this. Much easier to shoot from a dynamic of jump roll - also known as Switch Cast. The Snake roll enables direction change.

Looking forward to the video, Dean!

Cheers, Paul

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