ironfly

Exactly what I tell my students. I teach them two major styles of casting, which I describe as the chopping wood method (flicking paint) and the sawing wood method (throwing a paper airplane). There's no telling which will work better for any given person. I also tell them there are other methods (I suck at Lefty's method, so I don't even try), encourage them to Youtube some videos, and that with practice their subconscious will figure out what works best for them. Whether that's one method over another, or a hybrid style. Thanks Uberfly and mid current for the backup!

Pushing a hook through the rest of the way doesn't hurt any more than pulling out a barbless? Man, you're a lot tougher than me! Back in the barbed days a fish spit the hook a foot from the net, went into my shoulder, and hurt like the dickens pushing it through. Guiding a guy a few years ago I was standing right next to him, trying to get him into a good fish, guy hooked me three times, once in the neck. Pulling out barbless was nothing by comparison.

I didn't try it myself, but I watched Naoto Aoki and Adrienne Comeau test driving a Circa. At first they were casting tailing loops each way, every time, and couldn't lay out a decent line past 40 feet. But after 10 minutes they had adjusted their casting stroke and were making good presentations at 60-70 feet, and had no trouble crashing the line into the backdrop. In the end they both said they liked it a lot.

420, you really wouldn't include backswimmers for lakes?

I've taken my Outcast Discovery 9IR through class 2 rapids, no problem. First time I was a little nervous, but it's amazing how stable you are with your feet braced on the foot-pegs. Definitely no need to hold on for dear life. Oars were fine, and I leaned on them.

I stand up and cast in my canoe, if it's calm. That Diablo would be sweet.

Absolutely, kritofr. Most guys I know that float the bow in pontoon boats use them exactly that way.

Thanks for the link, but frankly I felt that some of the other causes were far more worthy. Sorry. No, I didn't vote 1700 times.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen"- Albert Einstein

Totally disagree with the idea that a VersiTip is junk for rivers, but fine for lakes. Actually, I don't think the VersiTip is very good for lakes at all, but can be great on rivers, depending on the user. How old is your VersiTip, jayhad? They get better every year. Troutscape, I'd say if you're a bit rough and tumble, and your only real priority is catching fish, you might really enjoy the versatility. However, if you're finicky by nature, and obsessed with your casting like me (and possibly jayhad), it'll drive you nuts.

That's pretty much what laws are for. It's a proud tradition that goes back thousands of years.

SD, have you tested those foam bodies with no fur or feathers attached to help with floatation? They look pretty tight to me. Al & Gretchen Beatty covered the subject in a Fly Tyer article. I find most people overestimate the power of foam. For instance, most foam parachute posts are insufficient once the fly is saturated.

Forever watching him? That seems unlikely to me, but if you say so... So what if he can't get a license? It's not like he needs one for his preferred activity. I thought fines were supposed to be a lesser punishment, when there are extenuating circumstances. I don't have the whole story, but it sounds to me like he should've gotten jail time. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they caught him, but a 2 year investigation to catch one poacher? Maybe that's just how the system works, but I bet in that same time 10 (or at least 2) other guys started doing the same thing.

I have 2 CPX's, a 7wt and a 9. The 7 is a contender for my favourite rod. I also have a 3wt RS4, and it's a great rod, too! Anyone know what old Sage taper that one is? Not that I own anything high end. Or ever will. But I sure am grateful that there are enough people who need the latest and greatest from Sage, and are willing to pay for all that R&D, so that I can reap the benefits a few years later for half the price. Bang-for-buck, I think Redington is the best brand around.

My personal preference is about twice as far as I can cast, or just a little more. Maybe 60 yards. I've never actually seen anyone put the backing knot through the tip, so I figure it's a safe bet that even a great caster is not going to spook any of my fish, and vice versa. 40 yards might have bothered me once but, after being crowded like you described enough times, no more. I smile and wave at guys that give me 40 yards. Don't worry about it. I still get some dirty looks from 60.