I’ve used the pantomime in casting lessons for all kinds of people: pro athletes, world adventurers, professionals, blue collar workers, women’s groups, civic clubs, corporations and kids groups. I even gave casting lessons to a blind man.
Above is 8 year old Roarie Timmons.
Roarie, her Grandmother, mother, and brother came to my shop for fly fishing lessons. I didn’t charge Roarie because I didn’t think her motor skills and attention span had matured. I was wrong! The pantomime helped Roarie become a prodigy.
The basic cast consists of three steps, pull, pause, and push. A good caster develops the proper motor skill by practicing. Practice makes perfect, if it’s perfect practice.
Fly casting is one of the few motor skills which people try to do without practicing.
Musicians practice. Athletes practice. Human endeavors requiring motor skills require practice.
Throwing is instinctive. The cave man threw his spear or rocks at his prey. Babies throw their peas. Athletes throw the ball, the javelin, the discus etc.
Don’t allow the instinct to throw to control your casting. Erase the wrong instinct, and develop a new motor skill unique to casting, by doing the pantomime without a rod in your hand. The more repetitions you do, the better.
You can practice while driving, walking the dog, watching TV or during most of your daily activities.
The pantomime helps the casting student develop the proper motot skiill and enables the accomplished angler to keep them rasor sharp.
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