Wind Knots

[jdavis]

I have just recently purchased a new 7wt that I use at night on Taney. Since I have begun using it I have been getting some wind knots in my leader from time to time.

What kind of casting flaws cause wind knots? My assumption is that this newer faster rod is causing me to be a little off rythm at times.

[MTM]

Without watching you I would say your timing is a little off. Try watching your back casts over your shoulder. That may help you out. Believe it or not a lot of people lose there timing at night as they do not see the line. It helps seeing the line even if you don't know you are seeing it Ron

[John Berry]

In my experience as a casting instructor, I have noted that wind knots are caused by throwing tailing loops. This is caused by allowing the line to drop below the tip of the rod on the back cast. When you bring it forward, Bang, a wind knot. This is usually a timing problem but can also be fixed by making sure that your back cast is going up.

[MTM]

John Some years back when the FFF first came out with the casting program so you could become an instructor I to thought what the heck I would get in on it. I had some heavy guide bookings about the time they were going to give it to all that wanted it and couldn't make it. I found out I could be qualified by another insturctor. The FFF were charging $50.00 at the time if I remember right. But because I couldn't make that first casting I had to go through someone that had it already. I called one of the "BIG" names and he told me he wanted $300.00 to get me qualified. Well I thought about it for all of 30 secounds and told him I didn't need it that bad. That was before they got a little better control of there "Big Named" casting instructors that thought they were about the best thing along with buttered toast. I had given many casting demo's at some of the big shows on the west coast and rocky Mountain states along with Canada. I was also ACA and did some compition csating. No one ever asked if I had the Certificate. I just didn't think it was worth that much and I never got one. I still don't think it is that important. But a lot of people like to have them and I can understand that. Looks good on a business card. It just made me mad that someone would try and take advantage of something like that.

As you know it was the Folks that own and run the web-site FAOL are the ones that stared that program and they never thought people would try and soak others for that kind of money. Good to see they have got it undercontrol a little better. I still think that a one time fee is a fare thing not having to pay for it year after year. I know of at least 20 guides out here that would buy one if they had a one time fee on it. But as you know what with insuracne, licensing, boat up keep and on and on it is just another expense that they don't need to stay in business. It costs a lot more out here to be a guide than back in your neck of the woods. Over a Thousnad just to get you outfitters linense and over $300 a year after that just for the states license. Plus insurance and on and on. Like I said it is a hard thing to swallow each year when you know you didn't forget how to cast from one year to the next. Ron

[Leonard]

jdavis...

By no means can I tell you the problem you are having...

But when I got my 7/8wt... I had the same problem...

I started with heavier flies and went to lighter ones...that is when I noticed the "load"... I can really feel the line load behind me... and thats the cue to start forward agian...

but like John said it probably in the back cast...

maybe it as simply as not keeping the rod high enough on the back cast...

Leonard

[mcp633]

I believe I've also read somewhere the tailing loops and wind knots can be caused by different amounts of effort put into the back or forward cast. Any truth to that?

[Brian Wise]

mcp633 and others,

A tailing loop is caused by the rod tip following a concave path. The line does what the rod tip tells it to do period, if the rod tip follows a "U" shaped path....tailing loop.

BUT, there are several ways to make the rod tip follow that conclave path:

Overpowering is probably the most common reason people throw tailing loops. We have all been through this, you make a good stop on your backcast and WHAM hit your forward cast like you are throwing a mile (a little extreme there ) Smooth acceleration of the rod is the way to fix this. Start your forward cast slow and make a gradual speed up until the stop.

Like Mr. Berry said, having too low of a backcast "can" cause this to happen if you throw that low backcast and then raise the rod tip a touch after the stop, the line will be pulling the rod tip down as you make your forward cast causing a tail (if you are in the same plane after the stop and the little raise of the rod compared to your forward cast.)

Starting the forward cast too early is another very common mistake. Make sure the line has totally straightened out before you start your forward cast.

Kind of like above (dropping the backcast) starting the rod too late (letting the line almost fall to the ground) can also cause a tailing loop.

Basically throw a nice high backcast (good call Mr. Berry) that way the line can straighten out as it is slowly falling, then make a smooth acceleration to a good stop on the forward cast...viola!

Without seeing your cast jdavis I would tell you to slow down and smooth it out a little. And get to know your new rod a little, they all have there own "personalities"

I'm such a nerd!!

Brian