I knew this was gonna get good!

Bob

Pointing a fly rod left or right after the forward cast but before the line is fully unrolled is an arial mend where the fly continues towards the point where the tip was originally pointed but the line curves right or left from the tip to the fly.

However, if the plane of the cast is lowered to the right or left and the unrolling line is abruptly stoped, the fly and leader curve right or left while the line lays out straight. Thus the fly does not contact the water where the tip was pointed. Sort of handy way to cast around a rock, tree, etc.

Robert and Donald ..... exactly !!! And that very same concept works with any type of gear. Casting, spinning, fly casting. It doesn't matter.

I've actually gotten pretty good at curving casts.

And Phil Ewanicki ...... I'm glad to see you reworded your post. As moving the rod's tip to a position other than where it was pointed at the time the line was released, as Robert questioned, and Donald explained, is considered "pulling" on the line, you have corrected your prior inaccuracy.

As far as your contention that neither the size of the tip top, nor the size of the running guides having anything to do with accuracy .... I know you won't believe it ... but those factors most certainly do affect casting accuracy. In fact it can make a huge difference. It's a real world fact that I have experienced first hand.

Better line control, better accuracy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2018 08:35PM by David Baylor.

Well, I feel better now knowing my errant casts were not the result of unfavorable winds or my feeble attempts at fly casting. It was the guides all the time robbing me of my rightful accuracy! Just got to get me some of those accuracy guides for a new 2 weight.

This thread started with the statement that most anglers are seeking distance with their guide placement. I took exception, as I do not believe most are looking for distance! My belief is that anglers want a balanced set up, for distance, accuracy and fish fighting. Proper guide placement has an impact on all of these factors, no question, no doubt! And as I mentioned earlier they are different for the various types of rods/fishing.

We all need to keep in mind...........assumptions and opinions are NOT facts!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2018 10:07PM by Phil Erickson.

I concede that the physics of fly casting differ somewhat from spin or bait casting, and spey casting is a whole new ball game, but I'll stick to my defense of the laws of physics. I have yet to see or see a video of a fly caster throw a curve cast AFTER he has released the line. Fly casters cast the line, not the flies. By under or over powering a cast it is easy enough to cause the loop to remain open or flip the loop 90 degrees when the fly hits the water, but what is actually being CASTED - the line coming through the guides - will follow the direction of the line being casted at the moment of release. Try this: back-cast a fly line, make your forward cast, release the line, and after 20' or so of line whip the rod to the right (or left) and see if the end of the line turns right or left, or simply slows down or stops moving in the same direction it was going when you released it. You can't push on a rope.

I concede that the physics of fly casting differ somewhat from spin or bait casting, and spey casting is a whole new ball game, but I'll stick to my defense of the laws of physics. I have yet to see or see a video of a fly caster throw a curve cast AFTER he has released the line. Fly casters cast the line, not the flies. By under or over powering a cast it is easy enough to cause the loop to remain open or flip the loop 90 degrees before the fly hits the water, but what is actually being CASTED - the line coming through the guides - will follow the direction of the line being casted at the moment of release. Try this: back-cast a fly line, make your forward cast, release the line, and after 20' or so of line whip the rod to the right (or left) and see if the end of the line turns right or left, or simply slows down or stops moving in the same direction it was going when you released it. You can't push on a rope.

Phil Ewanicki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If distance is NOT the determining factor in guide
> spacing what is - Reel size, Casting weight, Line
> stiffness, Fish fighting, Strength, Looks, some
> combination of or all of these factors? I see
> guide placement specifications dictated in small
> fractions of an inch without any clue as to what
> requirement(s) these exact distances satisfy.


As we have not addressed this question in previous posts, here's my shot at it.

Again, I am speaking primarily about fly rods. The guide spacing specifications satisfy having the line closely follow the arc of the rod under pressure. The purpose is to distribute the stress as evenly as possible along the arc. This why the specs specify both location and number of guides.