troutnabout 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 I'm working with Vets through Project Healing Waters and teaching basic fly casting. I am wondering which four casts you think are a must know for beginners? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 standard over hand, roll, bow and arrow, and oval Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Hat 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 Good on you. A great program for sure. Roll Cast, Overhand Cast, Single Haul Cast, Then just a sidearm cast. In that order. For beginners. IMO. This is what I start my 4-H kids with. Your going to get all kinds of answers though. You might do well asking this on the Talk Fly Fishing site. They have a casting forum there. Link at top of page. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrines 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 Congrats, great to hear you're doing that, good on ya. As others have said Over Hand and Roll Cast for sure. Old Hat's suggestion of starting with a roll cast is a good one. I'd just add a reach cast or "s" cast for fishing on moving water with some discussion of mending if it's a beginners group and you're going to be fishing on relatively open water during a day long program. Maybe demo some side arm or bow and arrow stuff for fishing small streams, and getting under overhangs. If this is a longer program, I'd work these in too, plus add single/double hauling after they had mastered the OH cast, but not before they had gotten the basic OH down, because if it's introduced too soon folks have a tendency to rely on hauling to compensate for poor mechanics. Good luck with your program, and to all the folks that participate in it. peregrines Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DHise 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 Overhead, roll, reach, and double spey. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maddog48 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 I answered this post on the TFF site but it looks like you're going to get more responses here so .. You're going to need to find out the limitations of the students. Many of these folks have serious medical problems including amputations, PTSD, blindness and more. Put yourself in the possible situations you may encounter. Find a partner to cast with and blindfold yourself. Have your partner tell you to move your cast 15 to 20 feet right of the first cast. Sounds easy right? It's not because you don't know where the first cast landed. Try stripping line and casting with one hand. You may encounter that. Try casting from a wheel chair. You may encounter that. That's not as easy as it seems either. Yes .. I had to do these things in a class I took to get prepped for a HW group in Little Rock that unfortunately fell through. For landing a fish one handed tie your leader to a coffee can or something similar and put one hand behind you back and only use the other hand. It's a very worthwile thing you're doing and I commend you for it. Just remember the folks you may be teaching may have experienced some very horrendous things and may need a bunch of patience. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skeet3t 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2008 Long time since my last post here, I think. Going to have to monitor it more closely in the future. All good answers from experienced flyflingers from what I have seen. Regarding the roll cast, in my experience, it is easier using a tapered line. I did a "seminar" on flyfishing at a local sportsmen's club and tried a roll cast with a weight forward line.....didn't work too well. Troutabout, I salute you for working with the vets. We can't do enough for them, IMHO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutnabout 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 Hey guys thanks for your suggestions and your support also, So far we've worked with pretty high functioning vets. Vietnam and early gulf war vets who've had alot of time and help adjusting to the consequences of their military experiences. Mike your suggestions sound challenging but also good advise. Too bad your program fell through. The one here took a while to get going. alot of scheduling and staffing issues with the VA. I'm happy to say that we are getting ready to expand our program. If you want to pm me ,maybe I can help problem solve your situation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maddog48 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 The problem I'm having is I can't get any volunteers. We have hospitals in both North Little Rock and Little Rock. I met many times with the head of the hospital volunteer program and had all kinds of support from their end. I couldn't get anyone to volunteer to help teach. The combination of trying to find a satisfactory schedule plus finding the time to complete all the necessary red tape .. government agency .. no one could seem to find time. I have too many other things going on that make it impossible for me to do things myself. That really hurts me because I am a 100% disabled vet myself. My problems are nothing compared to some of these vets. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DHise 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 A buddy of mine is a volunteer, as well. He was a medic for the Army Rangers in Afghanistan. Great stuff you guys are doing. I would help if Little Rock was closer to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutnabout 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 The problem I'm having is I can't get any volunteers. We have hospitals in both North Little Rock and Little Rock. I met many times with the head of the hospital volunteer program and had all kinds of sujpport from their end. I couldn't get anyone to volunteer to help teach. The combination of trying to find a satisfactory schedule plus finding the time to complete all the necessary red tape .. government agency .. no one could seem to find time. I have too many other things going on that make it impossible for me to do things myself. That really hurts me because I am a 100% disabled vet myself. My problems are nothing compared to some of these vets. Mike Mike: As much as this means to you i'm sure you pursued all options. I was wondering if you apprached the Boy Scouts or a church or other service oriented organization to take this on as a project? Keep the faith. It took us almost a year to find and organization willing to take the project on and then the biggest battle was the govrnment red tape. I'm also assuming you've been getting the assistance of your reigional coordinator at PHW. Maybe it's just a timing thing, not an i't wont happen thing. Take care Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutnabout 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 A buddy of mine is a volunteer, as well. He was a medic for the Army Rangers in Afghanistan. Great stuff you guys are doing. I would help if Little Rock was closer to me. DHise: thanks for your support. There is a program getting ready to take off at the Asheville VA. I know that's a little drive but if you're intersted, I'll put you in touch with the coordinator. Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maddog48 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 To top it all off our volunteer services coordinator just retired so I'm at point A again. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutnabout 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 Man I see why you're letting go at this point in time. goood luck and kudos to you . Remember that you're responsible for the effort not the outcome. Good job Mike :headbang: :yahoo: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DHise 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2008 A buddy of mine is a volunteer, as well. He was a medic for the Army Rangers in Afghanistan. Great stuff you guys are doing. I would help if Little Rock was closer to me. DHise: thanks for your support. There is a program getting ready to take off at the Asheville VA. I know that's a little drive but if you're intersted, I'll put you in touch with the coordinator. Steve Asheville, NC? I'm sure my buddy will be helping out, as well. If not, maybe we can help together. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
