Single Handed On And Off Shoulder Casting

[laffingravy]

A 15 minute clip of some single handed on and off shoulder casting on the River Deveron in extremely low water with the river last week at 6 inches below summer level. About 4 minutes in I briefly hit a fish but it doesn't stay on. The pattern is a needle tube black and yellow monkey and 5 minutes after removing the camera I land my first fish of the week, a grilse of only about 7 lbs. The rod is a 10ft Loomis NRX and the line a Barrio SLX.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/eq369z63l9...R0157.MP4?dl=0

[bat boy]

Hi LG
Some very impressive casting |\
I've never heard of those lines but just looked them up and they look amazing

I feel a purchase coming on :@
I've been looking into a switch rod set up which might still happen but one of the reasons for that was to be able to fish areas at night that I find hard with over head and high banks

Do you use the same rating line as rod or go up a line rating ?
Cheers BB

[laffingravy]

Switch rod and line matching can be a bit of a challenge. I am sure that you will appreciate that there are 2 line rating systems, one for double handed salmon rods and one for single handed trout rods. Some manufacturers utilise one scale and some utilise the other. The only real way of insuring against this is to disregard the AFTMA rating of the rod or the line and instead use the gram or grain rating. Once you have married up the 2 I don't usually advise clients to overload the rod by going a line weight heavier. The other consideration to make is that lines designed for Spey casting don't always lend themselves particularly well for overhead casting and the converse also applies. This is because for Spey lines the majority of the weight of the line is distributed at the front end of it to enable the angler to load the rod the rod with the line in the D loop. Lines for overhead casting tend to have the weight more evenly distributed to enable the angler to aerialise the whole line. Of course both lines will do both to a limited degree but the ideal is to use 2 lines. A number of people have suggested to me that their own particular switch set up does everything and makes a fine cup of coffee for them too:} After watching them making casts it all too becomes apparent that some rod and line manufacturers are better at getting anglers to believe hype rather than producing stuff that does what they say it will ::. . .

[bat boy]

(:,

Think my switch set up would only be used as a small double hander
I had know intentions of over head casting with it

If I could find a line that would enable me do what you were doing in your vid
all be not as good as you , on a single hander then I would be made up

I think the other thing to consider is length of head to which I have fallen foul to on my 13ft when just starting out and not knowing any better buying a line with way to long a head ::/
We live and learn :>

[laffingravy]

The question you really need to answer is where you intend to use the rod and for what species. I find 10ft single handed rods offer excellent sport for sea trout and grilse. Small double handed rods will offer good sport for grilse but I personally find them a little over gunned for sea trout. Having said this in the rivers in the North of England although larger sea trout are not completely uncommon I don't believe that we get them in anything like the numbers that they are caught in the rivers of South Wales. Size of river is of course another important factor. If you feel that a 10ft rod will cover you them the Barrio SLX line only costs £36.00 making it just about half price of the Rio Outbound Short and the Lee Wulff Triangle Taper Nymph both of which are similar in design to the Barrio. Although the finish on the Rio and Lee Wulff are better I find the Barrio performs exceptionally well. The thought of hooking a larger salmon on the 10ft rod fills me with dread as I have taken fish to 9 lbs with it and undoubtedly it will play and land larger fish than this it is just the time it takes which really bothers me. I return all of my fish and would hope not to tire and stress them so much playing silly buggers with equipment that is not up to the task so much that I give the fish a death sentence half an hour after returning it.

[holly]

The question you really need to answer is where you intend to use the rod and for what species. I find 10ft single handed rods offer excellent sport for sea trout and grilse. Small double handed rods will offer good sport for grilse but I personally find them a little over gunned for sea trout. Having said this in the rivers in the North of England although larger sea trout are not completely uncommon I don't believe that we get them in anything like the numbers that they are caught in the rivers of South Wales. Size of river is of course another important factor. If you feel that a 10ft rod will cover you them the Barrio SLX line only costs £36.00 making it just about half price of the Rio Outbound Short and the Lee Wulff Triangle Taper Nymph both of which are similar in design to the Barrio. Although the finish on the Rio and Lee Wulff are better I find the Barrio performs exceptionally well. The thought of hooking a larger salmon on the 10ft rod fills me with dread as I have taken fish to 9 lbs with it and undoubtedly it will play and land larger fish than this it is just the time it takes which really bothers me. I return all of my fish and would hope not to tire and stress them so much playing silly buggers with equipment that is not up to the task so much that I give the fish a death sentence half an hour after returning it.

Hi LG, fantastic clip you kindly shared with us.
With reference to the Salmon, on a single handed rod, I caught one of 17lb. on a dropper fly on a 10lb. cast, so I'm quite sure you will be o.k.
The dropper fly was not 'our' favourite.
Many thanks, holly.

[laffingravy]

Heyup Yorkshire, my issue is not whether a 10ft single handed rod will land a larger salmon which of course it will. My issue is the welfare of the fish and releasing it with a half decent chance of making it to the redds to produce more salmon. Our rivers although feeling a bit of a resurgence this year are in a state of turmoil and the species whether you agree with catch and release or not I am sure you will concede is at significant risk of extinction and we all as anglers have a part to play in trying to ensure the continuation of the species

[holly]

Heyup Yorkshire, my issue is not whether a 10ft single handed rod will land a larger salmon which of course it will. My issue is the welfare of the fish and releasing it with a half decent chance of making it to the redds to produce more salmon. Our rivers although feeling a bit of a resurgence this year are in a state of turmoil and the species whether you agree with catch and release or not I am sure you will concede is at significant risk of extinction and we all as anglers have a part to play in trying to ensure the continuation of the species

Hi LG, I am in 100% agreement with you.

I have never taken more than a brace of Sea Trout in any one session and that includes a catch of 17 in one night on the Border Esk.

I have never taken more than one Salmon in any one session.

Regards, holly.

[johnsewin]

Going off on a slight tangent sorry but you seem the best person to ask given this fine demonstration. What would your advice be about starting to cast with the left hand up when someone is used to casting right hand up please? This is double handed rod related of course.

John.

[laffingravy]

I have never seen you cast a fly rod so please bear in mind that any advice that I offer is strictly in general terms only. The advice that I give to any client wishing to cast 'left hand up' a double handed rod is exactly the same as with the right hand up.

1. I teach that stance is fundamental. If casting right hand up then the right foot should be further forward. If casting left hand up then the left foot is dominant.

2. Always start and finish the cast with the upper body and feet facing the casting target. Any body rotation should come from the waist only.

3. Attempt as much as you are able to not allow the bottom hand to migrate to the opposite side of the body. If you imagine a barrier between your solar plexus and you navel and do not let your bottom hand cross that line. This will help encourage you to use the bottom hand when making the cast.

4. Do not attempt to force the rod and overcome the effort it can translate by force of arms and shoulders. You will never achieve this and more that likely just tire yourself out.

5. 95% of all casts that we make require the line to be straight and under tension. The exception is the Perry Poke but we will disregard that for the time being.

6. If Spey casting make a point of turning your head and watching your V or D loop. I have lost track of the number of times people have suggested to me that they don't like to do this because they feel that they are cheating. If cheating gives you an advantage then take it. It is extremely difficult to know if a loop has fully matured unless you watch it form. It is impossible to do this consistently without watching the loop develop. It is not actually cheating it is just good casting practice. If you watch any demonstration fly caster they will always turn and watch their loop.

7. In terms of effort you should really apply more in the line going behind you than the line going in front. The line behind the rod tip is what flexes the rod. The more impetus the more flex. This allows you to use very little effort on your forward delivery since the energy released from the unflexing rod transferring through the line in the form of a loop is essentially what makes the cast.

8. If I tell you the absolute truth most of the clients that come to me wanting left handed up instruction actually cast better with their left hand up than their right. I believe that this is because where right hand dominant casters will just try to 'thump' the rod to get it to deliver to compensate for some of their failings with the left hand up they don't have this questionable luxury. The upshot is that they concentrate on casting the rod and not beating the living hell out of it.

9. A most enlightened gentleman who very kindly devoted a lot of time and effort to me stressed the importance of introducing a small lift of the hands and rod just prior to making the forward delivery. Although the hands need only lift about 3 inches the effect is to unstick about 3 ft of line from the rear end of the anchor. The results are absolutely astounding. Thank you very much Mr. Karl Humphries.

10. Finally if you really want to fast track left hands up casting then find yourself a decent instructor. I don't suggest this to propagate my own trade. Nor do I suggest that this is the only way of improving. It is however the most clued up and structured way. I don't know where you are based but if you let me know then I will recommend one for you. There are a lot of extremely good instructors around and unfortunately some absolutely dreadful ones. Choose carefully or have one recommended which I am more than willing to do.