People may find fly casting difficult because ..........

[corsican dave]

That's cleared that up then?

yes.  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

this should be a seperate thread for sure

agreed

[Fishtales]

We are drifting into the realm of watercraft now. The only casting lesson I have had was when my mate showed me how to do it forty years ago. On the water, whether loch or river, I vary my cast to compensate for wind, drift or current. Someone trying to tell me what to do without demonstrating it would be a waste of time. Imagine that the person had lost their hearing, how could you explain without showing them. They don't have to be deaf not to hear. A veteran fly fisher who has been casting for years wouldn't hear because he feels he already knows, the beginner doesn't hear because they have no idea what is expected. They hear the words but not what is being said, they probably can't even remember your name after you introduced yourself The only way to get their attention is practically, by showing them, then explaining the reasons and the method.

[Fishtales]

this is the closest yet to my experience of trying to teach someone that has been fishing for years,

with beginners likewise but usually they can relate what you do, why you do it and gradually do it a bit quicker, maybe because they dont immediately do something else automatically.

I have highlighted the words above as it seems you are saying that, as the original post alluded to,  explaining how to cast doesn't work it has to be a practical experience.

[Malcolm]

On the button there Sandy.

You see a cast that may be useful. You watch carefully then do it yourself.

[Wildfisher]

Good thread this.

My original 9 word post has so far led to 7 pages  of 93 replies and 900 views and all because I stood in a field last Tuesday evening, with a fly rod trying stuff, watching the line behave and misbehave,  thinking to myself  what would be the clearest, most structured,  least confusing, non contradictory approach to explaining this to someone who has never held a rod before.

And I still don?t know.  

[Teither]

Alan,
         I wasn't sure what to expect when you told me about this article last night. Now, having read through it several times [ mainly in an effort to reach a proper understanding of what these guys are actually saying - I don't like the American catch-phrase style of language-use ] I'm not sure what to think.
        I think most of them are recognising that they need to be teaching in a style which suits the student/pupil/learner but only once does anyone actually use the word " learn ". There's plenty of talk about " teaching ". I do, of course, understand that the discussion was around teaching/instruction but I say again that I believe " learning " is the more important verb and that teachers will teach best when they understand how their pupil best learns. Instructors need to LEARN that !!
       There does seem to be a welcome recognition of the pitfalls into which teachers can hurl themselves and that is " bang for buck "  a good thing,  especially in respect of showing off, as opposed to illustrating by demonstrating, their own skills.
        I wasn't sure how to interpret the Lefty Kreh story - " you haven't listened to a....". The contributor thinks the story as recounted says it all - it didn't to me. I hope that he is dismissing Kreh's behaviour but I'm not sure if he is or is perhaps suggesting that the tale is in some way amusing.
      But thanks for posting the article. It is an interesting read. I'll refrain from commenting on and shall indeed shall make no mention at all, none whatever, of the fact that some of these guys seem to think that only engineers and mathematicians etc are capable of thinking and learning through understanding detail, whether conceptual or otherwise.  Pillocks !!
     Finally, after seeing the election results, I rather fancy we might soon be having more to worry about than the niceties of how to teach people casting skills ! I don't touch alcohol, but I'm away for a good stiff dram right now !!!

Jim A

[scotty9]

I found that the worst type to teach fly casting, were people who had been spinning or beach casting, because you had to break them of the habit of punching the line out, it was better to teach people with no pre conceived ideas,   breac uaig

I 100% agree.

I have the same problem myself when picking up a double hander, real tendency to push with the top hand. It's annoying especially as I don't cast a single hander with a forward push of the hand but rather a downward pull.  :? And I know it's not the only style but it's the one I want to learn - it's a bugger mind you!!! Even although I never fish a double hander......