Is it the rod, or my casting ?

[GreyDuster]

Hi, i have a couple of problems with my casting.....the first is, having mainly fished rivers before distnace casting isnt something ive really worried about. but now fishing stillwaters more, my short range casting is fine everything works ok. But when trying to get that bit further the rod just seems to collapse (for want of a better word)

The rod im using is a 9ft Bob Church Avington X-Weave MK2 from around about 1991. Its carbon, but old, ive kept using it mainly becasue its done the job, but now im unsure whether its down to the rod or my casting any suggestions ? all lines etc are matched to the rod

my other problem is when wading i tend to hit the water on my back cast, id thought this was down to me holding the rod at too much of an angle as i have a phobia of hooking my eye,lol, but could this be rod related, or just down to timing?

Any suggestions appreciated

[magnus]

Hi Greyduster

Sounds to me like its almost certainly your casting.

The Avington is an old design - modern rods are generally lighter and probably stiffer for the same line rating.

I'd suggest you find a good local instructor and take a lesson (cheaper than a new rod).

Incidentally if you're worried about hooking yourself - learn to cast with the rod at an angle to your body so the line never comes over your head. The most extreme would be with the rod tracking parallel to the ground - now tilt up to 60degrees or so. Wear a hat and glasses (specs, sunglasses or safetyglasses) and you have little or nothing to worry about.

Line hitting behind you could be timing, could mean your not powering the rod well, could mean your break your wrist. Or any combination of the three. There are other possibles but those are the most common.

Wrist break is the most popular Try casting with the butt of your rod up your sleeve. Aim your backcast slightly upwards - think of it as an up-cast more than a back-cast.

Magnus

[GreyDuster]

Cheers for the reply Magnus

The point you make about the wrist break and back casting rather than casting upwards could be a lot of the problem, i think i may be sacrificing technique to try and get more power into the cast....which is what i was always taught NOT to do So i think thats where il start.

I think maybe im reading too much about people that can 'put out a full line', my catch rate is fine i thinks its just one of those things you feel you should be able to do. i always wear polaroids and ahat, its one of those things thats stuck in my mind, having my eye out.

[Grommit]

GreyDuster

Next time you are in the shop have a word with me as we can recommend a couple of instructors or arrange some casting tuition for you

;D ;D

[birdsnest]

If you are hitting the water behind you on the back cast you are most certainly opening up the tailing loop. This will also do your forward cast no good either. Suggest you try stopping the rod higher. Birdsnest

[magnus]

Doing what?

"If you are hitting the water behind you on the back cast you are most certainly opening up the tailing loop."

www.fishandfly.co.uk/pics/mc0302/pic1.jpg

Maybe you mean the "loop on the backcast"

[birdsnest]

Yes magnus................sorry I wasn't clear. I meant, as you say, the loop on the backcast. We call it "tailing loop" around here. Don't know why...............never given it much thought. Anyway, if the rod is dropped to far past the vertical on the backcast you run the risk of the line clipping the ground (or water) behind you. Sounds obvious but I guess we all do it now and again. birdsnest

[alan]

Sounds like you are 'drifting' the rod below a normal 'stop' position on the back cast and possible thinking that more effort/longer casting stroke equals more distance. I would suggest a casting lesson in preference to replacing the rod (that may come later), or alternatively try opening your stance - so you are standing sideways to the water and thus able to move your line of sight to follow the rod and watch line straightening to get the rod loaded properly.

Marking the 'sweet spot' on the line could also help identify when the optimum amount of line is being aerialised.This will require a waterproof marker pen to show when the full taper is through the top ring of the rod, that distance will be in the technical stuff of your line but is normally 27 - 30 feet.

For distance casting you will probably need to be taught the double haul and the open stance casting position is almost essential then.