I suggest, similarly, that for a given fly line head-weight, and for a standardized averaged caster Force, there is a sweet length of rod-lever. And around that sweet length minor variations in length tend to give the same result in line speed. For a stonger Force caster, that sweet lever length might be a bit longer…and result in greater line speed…and vice versa. What is amazing to me is that for as little debate as there is about hammer handle lengths…for what is essentially the same process…there is endless controversy when it is a fly rod. But then…is a lighter hammer handle better?…or a red one?
F=M x A
And there the similarity between fly rods and hammers ends, if there ever was any.
What about earthworms?
If one has ever pulled earthworms out of their burrows….and I realize in a discussion of fly fishing the dangers of admitting to this…then to extract one you know that one must pull progressively harder and harder, right up to a critical point. Go beyond that and things come apart.
III The Model of the Cast
What I am going to present here is not going to be a finished, complete model….but a blueprint for a model. There are some values and constants within the model that can and should be measured for greatest accuracy and to test validity. But in the blueprint we can project some “best guess” figures to asses the value of doing so.
One very important general rule about models. One should not use a model when one can do a direct measurement. If you have a LM bass at the side of the boat, a tape measure and calculator…and a scale, and you want to know the weight. DON”T measure length and girth and punch the numbers into an equation to project the weight,….WEIGH IT! The model makes assumptions and projects an approximation with a statistical potential for error. In some cases, it can be WAY off. The weight of that fish is the weight on an accurate scale.
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