T-38 Competition - looking for some info

[Michal Duzynski]

Thanks All
Very interesting staf I've lerned here.
cheers
mike

[John Waters]

Hi
I would like to find out more about T-38, competition casting.
I know about the 38g line with min 15m head,
what rod would you use to cast this in competition?
Are those lines expensive?
How can you make your own T-38, for practice?
Are they using it for accuracy in ICSF competitions.

All info will be appreciated

cheers
mike

HI Mike,

I would refer you to Andy's comments re rods and Lasses's comments re lines.
I can only add that T-38 lines are available through various National Casting Associations but to start with I would cut an 11 weight line to length/weight. A sinking line will come close to the density of the T-38 lines and you need to get used to the "drop rate" whilst false casting.
Re rods, there are Loomis, CTS, Sportex and a few modified blanks designed from spinning. When I return to Australia I want to add another rod action to the current range of CTS tournament blanks to throw faster and tighter loops but that will nor be available until the second half of next year.
My advice would be to get a second hand casting blank to learn with and do not worry about whether it is the "latest and greatest". Learn the technique of casting 15.5 metre shooting head lines first. Like all casting, technique is first, second and third priority and the back haul sets it all up so that is the place to start.

Contact your local ICSF Casting Association to get a play with some gear before you make any commitment to expenditure.

Yes, the T38 line is used for the ICSF fly accuracy event.

John

[Michal Duzynski]

Thank you
John
p.s
I think first Im going to start with 27g heads for seateout, and learn how to dance with it.
mike

[James9118]

John,

What sort of distance are the accuracy targets if you're using a T38 . Seems an odd choice of line for such an event.

[sms]

ICSF event #1 Fly Accuracy

Disc no 1 to the left of the caster. 8 metres from the upper middle front edge of the
platform. Disc no 5 to the right, 13 metres from the upper middle front edge of the
platform. Disc 2, 3 and 4 are on a straight line between no 1 and no 5. Disc no 3 is
always placed directly in front of the platform. All distances to the targets are to be
measured from the upper middle front edge of the platform to the centres of the
target discs. Distance between the centres of the target discs have to be 1.80 metres.

[Lasse Karlsson]

Hi James

As Sakari has shown, the distances aren't great, but since the top casters usually hits the maximum 100 points, it's all down to speed, the fastest to hit all targets win. And a floater is just too slow in that game

Cheers
Lasse

[John Waters]

Hi James,

As Sakke quoted, relatively short distances, however the gear is surprisingly light in the hand, when matched with the correct rod. Sakke has quoted the ICSF rules which are for water filled targets on grass, however Australia casts the same event on water using 8 or 9 weight intermediate lines. The current gear Australians use on water would still be classified in the heavy category but that is purely to compensate for wind. We used to use much lighter gear but have gravitated to 8/9 weights out of expediency. Unlike the ICSF event which makes it mandatory to use a T38 line for the ICSF Fly Accuracy Event, there is no stipulation on line size or profile in the 4 x Australian Fly Accuracy Events. A past Australian Dry Fly (5 targets at unknown distances between 20 feet and 50 feet) Event break record of 310 points (6 successive perfect scores of 50 points plus 10 points in the 7th round before a miss) was set with a 7 weight floating line back in the 80s. Interesting how perception sets the trend. The US has a trout fly accuracy event that uses 6 weight lines and 9 foot leaders over similar distances and they cast "perfect" scores.

It will be interesting to see how international and national fly accuracy casting develops in the future but the performance of Steve Rajeff in both Fagernes with a 5 weight line and Tallinn with a T38 line in two fly accuracy events shows that in the end it is the caster's skill that transcends gear variations.

John

[James9118]

Thanks Sakari, Lasse, John

[victor]

The BFCC offer a Harrison blank to make T38 rod that you need to cut 6'' from, cut it from the butt and you have a more flexable rod, cut it from the tip and you get a stiffer action. I like a rod I can load so I went for the tippy option. I believe we have a line as well but you would need to contact Mike Marshall to find out.

Mike

[Dung Fly]

A number of the Estonian casters in last weeks WCs where using a Russian Tackle spinning rod converted for T38 work. Very useable at less than €100.

[John Waters]

Hi Andy,

A nice rod too, I did not have a cast with one but it had a nice action.

John

[DmitriB]

Hello to everybody!
This is my first post on this board.
Estonian rod was made from spinning blank. But it would be good for beginners, it is very light, I prefere much stiffer rods. I use CTS T38, T40 and one old rod made from spinning stiffer than T40. GLumis rods are very good. I reccomend to by ICSF line for training, line is very fast. It is something different then 27 gram Seatrout distance. In the beginning use as running line 0.27 or 0.30 mm mono and holding line 0.45-0.55 mm mono. Mono should be very soft.

Dima

[sms]

Hi Dima and welcome!

Cheers,
Sakke

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi Dima,
.welcome to the board.
Can I ask what is holding line?
cheers
mike

[sms]

It is the line that you have in your hand during casting. It is easier to grip than the rest of the shooting line. Additionally, the thin shooting line might not endure the strain of the casting and could break.