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GET A GRIP
PAUL ARDEN and CHARLES JARDINE
improve on the basic rod-grip
This has been an interesting series, we've mainly
concentrated on presentation casts, but from time
to time we've thrown something a little bit different
at you. This one is going to be different too - it's
about grips.
How you hold the rod, believe it or not, is important.
Because how you hold the rod determines how you use
your wrist, and thatÕs all part of the Big
Scheme. The traditional method of teaching grip in
the UK is to "shake hands with the rod handle
and put the thumb on top". We don't do that,
Charles and I, not with trout rods at any rate, and
that's because we know something better.
With the heavy rods of the past, or with saltwater/pike
gear the following may not necessarily apply; casting
with the thumb behind the rod can be used to achieve
one particular objective ? no wrist movement. Some
people even teach this, and with powerful tackle -
the sort that tries to pull you off your feet on the
backcast - the wrist may not be strong enough. That
bit was there for completeness. Good these columns
aren't they?
I want to give you an analogy: throwing a stone. I
don't know if you've ever thrown a stone, but one
of the keys to success is letting go with the palm
facing the target. It's quite natural and man has
been doing it for a while, thousands of years at least.
Of course some people may tell you that throwing stones
is nothing like throwing fly rods, and for them it
isn't; that's why they make it look so awkward.
Throwing fly-rods can be exactly like throwing stones,
with one notable difference - you don't let go. It
can also be a bit like chopping wood, or ringing bells,
but we won't go into that.
Casting with the palm facing the target allows for
a crisper, more controlled wrist movement. It doesn't
have to be much, in fact my wrist movement is tiny,
but it is crisp and the best casters have the crispest
stops.
You can try this yourself right now without a rod.
Reach out to shake hands and then pretend you're holding
a rod with the thumb on top. Wiggle the thumb up and
down: not very snappy. Now rotate the hand through
about 60 degrees (count them) and wiggle your hand
up and down. This should be much snappier - this discovery
will fill you with much excitement.
Both the V-grip and 'Chinese' grip lend themselves
well to this style. (As does the 'crooked thumb' but
I'm the only person in the Universe who does that.)
The V-grip is a bit like the thumb-on-top, but rotated
inwards around the handle so that the thumb is around
to the side a bit. Competition casters sometimes use
this grip. It's quite good and I like the fact that
the forefinger and thumb are opposite each other.
The Chinese grip, and I call it that because Simon
Gawesworth calls it that and I've never heard anyone
else give it another name (although I doubt that they
do it in China) is where the thumb is initially on
top, but then rotated around so that the reel points
out to the side. If the rod is spined and if it makes
any difference, then you shouldn't do this. Many casting
instructors consider this to be a fault, but I like
to live on the edge sometimes.
It is possible to cast with the finger on top and
still lead with the palm (incidentally if you're having
floppy wrist problems, casting with the finger on
top will fix them immediately). When side casting,
I'll sometimes use this grip with a little elbow rotation
instead of wrist snap.
It's funny how far you go when you break things down.
This is No. 30 in the Charles Jardine and Paul
Arden casting series.
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Classic Grip
'Throwing grip': Auistrian/Moser/Gebitsvoitter grip
Chinese grip
Finger on top/USA grip
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