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The penny game helps replicate the
cast and teaches some of the cast’s founding principles before a
student even picks up a fly rod. First, put a target (paper
plate) on a wall at shoulder level. Stand facing the target at
a distance of about 6ft with the target in line with the
dominant hand's shoulder. With the dominant hand, make a fist
with the thumbnail facing upward. Hold a penny b/t the thumb
and pointer finger knuckle. Try tossing the penny at the target
and stopping the forward motion at the moment the penny is
released. Also try turning around backwards and tossing the
penny at the target remembering to stop as soon as the penny is
released (raise the target about a foot for the backward toss).
After playing the game for a
while, you can demonstrate how it applies to fly casting.
First it teaches good grip of the
fly rod with the thumb behind the cork toward the target (show
the student how the grip of the fly rod is the same as holding
the penny during the game).
It also teaches acceleration
through the casting stroke with an abrupt stop. Make a short
vertical cast with the fly rod and show the student that the
speed up and stop of fly rod is similar to the speed up and stop
used to toss the penny.
Finally, it teaches proper tracking during the casting stroke.
Show how the motion of tossing the penny when applied to casting
encourages a straight line path of the rod tip and tight loops.
Also demonstrate how an inaccurate toss of the penny is the same
as stopping the rod tip in a direction not toward the target
i.e. the fly line & fly travels in the direction the rod tip
speeds up & stops. |
