It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 08:14


New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Accuracy Casting
Post 11 Oct 2021, 13:09 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 06/23/19
Posts: 83
Location: US-CA
I’m looking for advice. Due to various reasons, primarily health reasons, I no longer fish. I love fly rods and have several bamboo, glass, and even the feared graphite type. I have stumbled upon a Utune video of Steve Rajeff talking about accuracy casting as a sport. That is what I want to do in order to continue to have a reason to cast fly rods - it’s fun! So my question is what length and line weight glass rod would be good for me to use?


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 11 Oct 2021, 13:50 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/21
Posts: 208
Location: Tucson, AZ
Quick answer: a glass rod from a reputable maker between 7&1/2 and 8 feet, 5 or 6 wt

The average cane or glass rod from the days before graphite composite..pre-70's... was 8' and a 6 or 7 wt.

I only have one 8&1/2' glass rod I fish...a Silaflex....and it is good for holding more line in the air, casting greater distances accurately and throwing bigger flies, but is necessarily heavier than the shorter rods and not as much fun to cast.

Great casters and instructors like Rajeff can cast anything with a long range, but we all have a limit to our casting ability and range of accuracy.. Most of the fishing I do these days requires more accuracy than distance - stillwater for bass/sunfish out of a float tube - so I find the concentration required to cast a glass rod accurately helps in delivering a fly to the right spots.

Long answer: any rod you feel comfortable with and cast well with enough practice and you will get good with it.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 11 Oct 2021, 14:38 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
I would similarly add that using WHATEVER you have on hand casting to the same targets at the same distances will add a dimension and challenge to the "sport" versus using a single rod or two, specific to the purpose.

Sort of like trying to hit the spots on a golf course with several different clubs in the bag versus the one you know you can hit.

Have fun!


Last edited by Bamboozle on 12 Oct 2021, 11:18, edited 1 time in total.

Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 11 Oct 2021, 14:52 • #4 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Considering that you listed your location as California, I suggest you start with the Golden Gate Casting Club. They have a very nice facility in Golden Gate park in San Francisco. The GGACC members may be able to lead you other California clubs, if they are closer to you.

The other resource is The American Casting Association. Their website lists competition rules. In the accuracy events the line weight is not specified. The goal is not to land the fly gently, the goal is to hit the target. Heavier lines and rods are fine, if they work for you. Your casting style will determine your gear more than anything else. A 5/6 weight line may be too light.


Tom


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 11 Oct 2021, 17:06 • #5 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I'll have to say the most accurate-casting fly rod I've ever fished is Fisher graphite.
I've always called them magic wands for putting the fly in a quarter at the edge of the bank 60' away.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Oct 2021, 05:12 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1144
Location: Belgium
7'6" 5wt. progressive (strong butt, soft tip, relatively fast) - Fenwick 755 or 756, both used with a 5wt DT - would be low cost entry to the sport. Might want to change the grips and reel seats. An 8' rod would possibly be even better but would have to be built to a higher standard (in other words don't get a Fenwick 805 over a 755).

I would think that if you contact Kenney or Mc Farland or ********* they can build you a rod for competition that will outperform. Particular attention to spining the blanks, using the lightest guides and wraps and balancing the rod will get that extra bit of performance out of it. Also the grip can be entirely customized to your tastes and be optimised for casting only with no consideration given to fishing and ruggedness. Something like this will come at a higher cost.

Checking out what the ladies and gentlemen at the GGACC are using and talking with them about it is a great idea.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Oct 2021, 11:46 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/21
Posts: 208
Location: Tucson, AZ
I believe the testing for Fly Fishing Federation (FFF) casting instruction allows for up to 7 wts, but I see no distances for the Accuracy competitions..does anyone know the maximum distance of the targets?

False casts, like they should be in real fishing, are limited and Distance casing is a different deal...so heavier lines weights in the rods would be an advantage at longer distances.

I still think shorter rods, within reason, would be an advantage for accuracy, even though there is no fighting of fish in the competitions.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Oct 2021, 12:03 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 12/16/15
Posts: 135
Location: MSP
Quote:
I believe the testing for Fly Fishing Federation (FFF) casting instruction allows for up to 7 wts, but I see no distances for the Accuracy competitions..does anyone know the maximum distance of the targets?


From my 2015 CCI records:

"ACCURACY CASTS-ROD HAND ONLY
Beginning with the fly in hand, present the fly to targets at 20, 30 and 45 feet (6.1,
9.1, 13.7m). The candidate shall begin this task with the line extended to 55 feet (16.7m) and
then strip in the line until only 4 to 5 feet of fly line is beyond the rod tip. The line shall be
adjusted during false casting between the targets. Once the desired amount of line is
established, the line hand shall cease being used and casting should occur using the rod hand
only. If the candidate misses the first target at 20 feet (6.1m), the candidate will strip in the
line until 4 to 5 feet (1.2-1.5m) of fly line is beyond the rod tip and begin again with the fly in
hand. If the candidate misses the second (30’ 9.1m) or third (45’ 13.7m) target, the candidate
will strip in the line to the previous target. A candidate is allowed three attempts per target.
Allowances should be made for adverse conditions.

Expectations: The fly shall land within a 30 inch (76 cm) ring or within 15 inches (38 cm) of the center of
a target; loop trajectory should be adjusted as target distance changes; there should be no ticking of the
fly before the presentation; the back casts should be approximately 180 degrees from the target. Loop
control should be exhibited throughout the task in both forward and back casts."


You get up to a 7 weight rod and line not longer than 9 feet, a 7-1/2ft or longer leader, and a yarn fly. Rod material does not matter, I know guys who did the test with bamboo and passed.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Oct 2021, 13:43 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 08/11/21
Posts: 208
Location: Tucson, AZ
Thanks for the info....I was asking about distances in the casting competitions for accuracy, not the FFF test.

The guy who gave the tests around here in AZ was Tom White, a former GLoomis rep in the NW and Alaska, sales manager for the company way back when. He has passed away since then, was on the Board of FFF, and was a remarkable caster and instructor- very knowledgeable and also down to earth in his approach.

I was surprised to see how he and some of his cohorts were very serious about and proficient at roll casting.

Tom became a friend, a mentor, and taught us all a lot about casting. He was the FlyLogic rep for our area and strongly suggested using the 9' 6/7 wt rod he designed for the test..just happened to be a FlyLogic. Good rod, med-fast action and inexpensive, but had to laugh at his semi-shakedown of would-be instructors, myself included.

I just got rid of that rod after many years...a couple of us got together to donate 6 wt outfits for the local chapters of Wounded Warriors..Project Healing waters...that the local trout club guys run, so it went to a good place.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Oct 2021, 17:24 • #10 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
jgestar wrote:
The other resource is The American Casting Association. Their website lists competition rules.

The ACA rules page links to several PDF documents with all the information you may want or need. In short, the accuracy competition distances are 20-50 feet.

This Flyangler's Online ACA feature written by Jim Chapralis shows a photo of the GGACC casting pool with accuracy targets laid out.


Tom


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 16 Oct 2021, 21:28 • #11 
Sport
Joined: 12/01/20
Posts: 44
Before the casting ponds dried up near San Jose I tested about twenty bamboo and glass rods for accuracy, three session of ten casts each at the rings. The prices of the rods ranged from $30 to $800. The bamboo rods finished highest on average, but the winner, by a nose, was a Phillipson Master 7 1/2'. Close second was an F.E. Thomas Special. Tied for 8th was the lowly $30 Berkley Buccaneer spin fly 6 1/2'.

Here is an interesting thread on the young phenom Maxine McCormick's choice of rods. She started with a Fenwick Eagle.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/foru ... th.682619/


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 05 Nov 2021, 13:30 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 06/23/19
Posts: 83
Location: US-CA
giogio wrote:
7'6" 5wt. progressive (strong butt, soft tip, relatively fast) - Fenwick 755 or 756, both used with a 5wt DT - would be low cost entry to the sport. Might want to change the grips and reel seats. An 8' rod would possibly be even better but would have to be built to a higher standard (in other words don't get a Fenwick 805 over a 755).

I would think that if you contact Kenney or Mc Farland or ********* they can build you a rod for competition that will outperform. Particular attention to spining the blanks, using the lightest guides and wraps and balancing the rod will get that extra bit of performance out of it. Also the grip can be entirely customized to your tastes and be optimised for casting only with no consideration given to fishing and ruggedness. Something like this will come at a higher cost.

Checking out what the ladies and gentlemen at the GGACC are using and talking with them about it is a great idea.


I took your advice and contacted Mike McFarland. He is going to build me one of his hybrid rods. He has given me my choice of grip and wrap colors. I don’t know about the reel seat yet. Good advice, thanks.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 05 Nov 2021, 17:52 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
Bamboozle wrote:
I would similarly add that using WHATEVER you have on hand casting to the same targets at the same distances will add a dimension and challenge to the "sport" versus using a single rod or two, specific to the purpose.

Sort of like trying to hit the spots on a golf course with several different clubs in the bag versus the one you know you can hit.

Have fun!



Great thought!


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 08 Nov 2021, 10:06 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/02/14
Posts: 537
Location: US- Northern CO
[quote="Bamboozle"]I
Sort of like trying to hit the spots on a golf course with several different clubs in the bag versus the one you know you can hit.

funny, i lowered my golf score significantly by only carrying 5 clubs on the course.


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 08 Nov 2021, 10:30 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/12/18
Posts: 457
Bamboozle wrote:
I would similarly add that using WHATEVER you have on hand casting to the same targets at the same distances will add a dimension and challenge to the "sport" versus using a single rod or two, specific to the purpose.

Sort of like trying to hit the spots on a golf course with several different clubs in the bag versus the one you know you can hit.

Have fun!

Accuracy? Ha!
I can very consistently hit either the water, the bankside brush/trees/grass or the back of my neck or hat with every single cast I make with each and every rod I have. No problemmo... :lol


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 08 Nov 2021, 16:27 • #16 
Guide
Joined: 06/07/15
Posts: 162
Location: US-PA
If you already have some rods why not try them out for accuracy and see which rod/line/leader combo gives you the best result?


Top
  
Quote
Re: Accuracy Casting
Post 12 Nov 2021, 00:40 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
jgestar wrote:
Considering that you listed your location as California, I suggest you start with the Golden Gate Casting Club. They have a very nice facility in Golden Gate park in San Francisco. The GGACC members may be able to lead you other California clubs, if they are closer to you.


Fun fact: California is 800 miles from San Diego to the Oregon border. Picture driving from Raleigh, NC to Portland, ME - it’s about the same distance…


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: El Duderino and 12 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group