If you’ve seen this video, you can read my critical take on Jazz & Fly Fishing’s New, Improved Shadow Cast here. (Some bits about the “real” Shadow Cast, and other River Runs casting, can be found here.)
Update: Please read the “exploration” with your tongue firmly in your cheek!
Update 2: If you want a bit more fly-casting humor (or attempts at it), the 15 Most Common Casting Errors page has a little video that you might enjoy (if you haven’t already seen it).
The FF&W blog is meant to provide a flow of fly-fishing articles, art, and media, as well as a splash of news and other links. I hope that you enjoy the read.
My best,
Jason Borger
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Jason,
I really liked their video and attitude.
What are A1, A2, and A3?
Yeah, I don’t know how they did the bit of commentary in the video about the cast with such a straight face… ;-)
In my “Critical” exploration linked to above, the “A1-A3″ are the Triple Anchors (as my Spey-casting readers cringe). Full text for that section:
Once the line is properly tensioned by this series of movements (and the fly is now airborne), it can be placed into the key series of Triple Anchors (designated A1, A2, and A3 for the sake of clarity—see the photo below). This Triple Anchor sequence is casting brilliance in action. The three touch-downs are only brief (this is a “splash-and-go” style of casting), but they serve several purposes: 1) They compound the tension over and over, storing massive elastic energy in the line and loading the rod repeatedly; 2) The splashes and ripples they create are the analogue to the shadow of the fly in the traditional (and now out-dated) Shadow Cast. In other words, they attract the fish by building a sense of playful insects on the water’s surface); and 3) They set up a scenario that allows the caster to drop the rod tip very low when making the D-Loop. This last part is key to the stealth presentation that the J&FF Shadow Cast provides. The super-low (actually falling) D-Loop keeps the line out of sight of the now-attracted fish, and also sets up a high forward delivery (see the twisting, sweeping motion of the rod hand needed to achieve this in the photo below). This high-aimed delivery is key, I have determined, in that it allows the line to fall in a massively drag-reducing series of coils, curves and puddles. Brilliant! No drag, soft landing, and it’s fish on!
Actually, I think the best response to the whole send-up would be to actually catch some fish on the J&FF Shadow Cast, and post that video (cast included). The guys at J&FF would probably dig that!
” 1) They compound the tension over and over, storing massive elastic energy in the line and loading the rod repeatedly; ”
that’s so awesome i’m speachless… :D
Marc—One simply has to suspend one’s belief in physics, and anything is possible.