Rods for - Instructing

[victor]

I'm more interested in the action than anything else, tip, mid or through action, and why?

Mike

[Stoatstail50]

I try to instruct with the one they bring because that's what they'll fish with.

If it's shows, where they don't turn up with a rod, I use a #6XP and a #5 Nymph Taper for beginners and I've started using a TCX with a #5 Rio Grande if they can manage a bit more out of the tip. Both stiffish rods, underlined...(in theory) edit

I used to use an SLT for beginners but I think that its easier if there's a wee bit less bend if you are teaching them to "look" at this stage rather than "feel" which I've stopped mentioning a. because it's hippy shit and b. teaching it to beginners is like trying to explain "red" to someone who is congenitally blind...

[Lasse Karlsson]

Mark, try and explain first what it is they should try and feel

Hippy shit does work, usually I will use a stiff rod like a TCR/TCX type thing with a line in the samenumber as it says above the cork. Works pretty well.

That is if they didn't bring a rod....

Cheers
Lasse

[Stoatstail50]

Explain to me in beginners terms what they should try and feel Lasse...bear in mind we sometimes only have 20-30 minutes at a show before they're moved on. This is combat instructing, it is infinitely easier to show someone what is expected than to try and explain what they should "feel".

It is different once a caster achives Jedi status but that is a state of being and steeped in all sorts of advanced mystical hippy shit...and specialist hats.

[Paul Arden]

I like to teach with a medium fast progressive action 6-weight rod with a normal WF line (no compound tapers!). But it depends. You have to deal with what they bring, unless is mismatched or unsuitable (which happens), or maybe it's a specialised lesson, in which case you need to gear the tackle to suit, or perhaps they're only interested in SW. Still having a well-balanced, not too stiff, six weight at times can be really handy - even when teaching SW guys (less tiring).

The nice thing about a 9ft 6 weight is that it's a good all-round compromise for all sorts of fishing.

Cheers, Paul

[fishingthefly]

Advanced mystical hippy shit...and specialist hats.

Cool ....... Something for the next Scottish gathering?

Gotta be better than Palinka!

Cheers
Mike

[Paul Arden]

In simplistic terms they should feel "the weight of the line"/Mel's "think heavy" during the casting stroke and the rod unloading/bouncing at the stop (relaxed grip, flicking a rod without line). You can teach them that in a couple of minutes and it makes everything else a hell of a lot easier. Sometimes you can get really fast results this way.

[Stoatstail50]

I have a specialist hat Mike but Christina kept a wet second hand trampoline in the truck on top of it for three weeks and now it's infested with small maggoty things and is thus temporarily unwearable... although admittedly this is mainly because I've sprayed it with Fruits of the Forest Febreeze which is not really a good man smell so I'll have to wait for that to wear off and the maggots to hatch before it works properly as a hat again.

[Stoatstail50]

In simplistic terms they should feel "the weight of the line"/Mel's "think heavy" during the casting stroke and the rod unloading/bouncing at the stop (relaxed grip, flicking a rod without line).

I've started teaching people to "think light"... it helps to keep the power off.

[Paul Arden]

Hmmm, thanks I'll try that. Thinking heavy slows them down.

Thanks, Paul

[Big Eyebrow]

I have found that when talking 'feel the cast' to a student, get them to close their eyes for two or three false cast's and watch the smile come to their face, never fails.
regards
007 :upside:

[Big Eyebrow]

Above post should have been in 'Hover', sorry

[Magnus]

Mark

Have you tried having your students close their eyes for a couple of casts? It means they rely on feedback through the rod, rather than what they see. I don't know about you but I see novice casters watching the rod tip moving to and fro - it does bugger all for their casting.

Some golf instructors get students to address the ball, close their eyes and swing to hit the ball. Where a golfer was correcting during their swing, they can't with their eyes closed.

Nothing Jedi or hippy about it, just a matter of reducing reliance on what they see. The results can be impressive, I even recorded a couple of guys on the CA eyes open and closed. Nothing conclusive but their timing seemed different and to my eye their loops improved when they had their eyes shut.

[Stoatstail50]

Mark

Have you tried having your students close their eyes for a couple of casts? It means they rely on feedback through the rod, rather than what they see.

Not for beginners no, although I do it myself and both Mike and myself recommended it for one particular guy last weekend. He was nice in an open stance but lost his rhythm if he had to square up and lost sight of his BC. We had him with his eyes shut, walking and talking, it looked great...soon as he opened his eyes again the fluff hit him square on the back of his head....

Nothing Jedi or hippy about it, just a matter of reducing reliance on what they see

I teach across the body and I want a beginner to look at the loop and understand what it is that has caused it to look like that, I want them to look as the loop unrolls both sides so that they can judge their timing and sometimes I want them to look at their hands.

Its easy to give them a very clear visual objective and they know whether they have achieved it or not just by looking, it's instant feedback and this small success reinforces learning. I can't easily do that with "feel" because there isn't any way I can simply objectivise it and they have no way of knowing if what they are feeling is the right feeling or the wrong one.

Admittedly this may change once they are squared up a bit but at the outset its all about looking.

[Paul Arden]

You can also do the cast with them; this can be a very effective method of having them feel rod loading/unloading.