The Greatest Fly Casters

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

And here I want to narrow it down to single handed fly rods.

Here is my list of 7:

Steve Rajeff, Lefty Kreh, Joe Brooks, Jack Martin, Peter Anderson, Hywell Morgan, Joan Wulff.

Who do you select?

 

[Lord Paul]

No Mr Walker???

 

[Derek Gibson]

Lefty Kreh, Jack Martin, Charles Ritz, Marvin Hedge, Peter Anderson. Walker would be some way down the list, although it has to be said, very accomplished. And let's not forget Arthur Cove, admired by many.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

Nearly forgot - Jon Tarantino is regardedby many as the greatest caster of all time. I will go along with Derek regarding Charles Ritz, Marvin Hedge and Arthur Cove. Hedge was the guy who invented the shooting head and the double haul cast. Up until Hedge came along, the world single handed distance cast was only about 20 yards!

Arthur Cove could cast out the whole of a double taper weight 7 line, but never entered any casting competitions. He cast to catch fish, as did Walker who was certainly no slouch, although you couldn't compare him with the top men.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

Hardys did a range of glass fly rods in the 60s and 70s under the name of JET in honour of their consultant: Jon E. Tarantino.

And we must not forget Capt. Terry Thomas either.

 

[Colin Brett]

How about some of the present day casters??

Carl Hutchinson for instance!!

And that lady from Korea [?] Park Jeong<a href='http://www.youtube.com/user/parkjeong' target='_blank'>
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[Cakey]

she makes it look like an olympic sport

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

It's getting that way Cakey.

But remember one simple fact. Not all the great casters are great anglers. I used to know one incredibly good caster who caught very little. When he went fishing he spent more time casting with his line in the air than actually fishing.

The secret to good fly fishing is the ability to get a line out accurately with the minimum number of false casts. The lady is good, yes but most of the trick stuff is unnessessary and is done to impress the crowds, not the fish.

 

[Shrek]

Ron,

If you ever get to go Salmon Fishing and have to use a double handed rod, you'll soon find that some of the "trick" casts are actually the one's you need to be able to present the fly in the right place on the river.

 

[Catfishingham]

Single handed caster limitation, aside I would include:

Izaak Walton, Charles Cotton, and Dame Juliana Berners., Cheerio

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

I have studied the theory and practice of the double handed rod. However I doubt if I could ever afford to fish for the species that demand such casting in the British Isles, so I will not bother taking it any further. Salmon fishing in the UK is well beyond my earning capacity.

However I could perhaps afford to do this sort of casting in Tasmania. Most of the fishing there only costs a licence fee which is a modest amount.

Plus about £800 return fare.

 

[Catfishingham]

Non resident license here is25.45 GBP for year, air fair (about 636.36 GBP, round trip?)not encluded.

 

[Tom Rigby 3]

Ron,

She's only using the snake roll and a snap T. Both of themcome in handy on the Severn - particularly the snake. £30 a year can get yousalmon from the BAA stretches of the river...

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

Actually I'm not bad at the snake roll Tom. Don't get the occasions to practice it these days.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

And come to think of it, she is putting in far too many false casts.

Two false casts maximum before dropping your fly where you want it, is what I used to teach. I still see many anglers waving the rod about for up to 8 times (yesterday). Such activity spooks fish.

 

[Derek Gibson]

Ah, so that's why I didn't catch owt yesterday. And here's me thinking Ron's worked me a flanker with that fly he'd given me to try,they only wanted to kiss it, not eat it. More lessons needed Ron. Hywel Morgan need have no fear of me stealing his crown. I learned more in three hours, than all the books I have read on fly casting. Enjoyed it immensely, and now to fly tying. Pat says oh what has that Clay started.

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

I'm surprised you mentioned Capt. Terry Thomas, Ron

After you tried to steal one of his rods and he caught you and told you off .....

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

I didn't try to steal one of his rods Ed!

All I wanted to do was give it a flap or two. And anyway it was the Allcock rep who put me up to it.

And I was only about 20 at the time!

Happy memories!/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif