Adaptations: Lemons and Lemon Juice

“Life handed him a lemon,  As Life sometimes will do.  His friends looked on in pity,  Assuming he was through.  They came upon him later,   Reclining in the shade  In calm contentment, drinking.  A glass of lemonade.” Dale Carnegie

This morning, I was reading a piece over on Limp Cobra re casting styles. One of Marc Fauvet’s frequent topics is casting the fly line (hence Limp Cobra references a type of fly line presentation Marc created years ago). I was reminded, by Marc’s post today, that one has to adapt not only in fly casting mechanics under normal circumstances, but when things change in life due to physical limitations.

Years ago, my right hand and wrist were repeatedly injured through various activities. Arthritis resulted in the right wrist and the pain became unbearable. Ultimately, my right wrist was basically disassembled, hip bone was brought in to replace the arthritic wrist, the new bone/joint was fused solid. Then a ten inch long titanium bar was screwed in from behind my middle finger knuckle up through the now fused wrist on up the forearm. Over the years, I have developed arthritis in my right forefinger and I am losing sensations in the finger tips of all the fingers. The fused right wrist of my dominant hand, was to some, an advantage in fly casting. I could now cast a fly line without breaking my wrist etc and the perceived imperfections of presentations. And, I have adapted pretty well over the years. It may not look pretty but it works. Even if the wrist does not break during casting, the shoulder can offer up some unusual machinations to alter the path of the fly line for sure.

At any rate, the long worded portion above is to suggest as a matter of course practice casting with your off hand…your non-dominant hand. Not for when you have that odd presentation, but in case you need it as life changes your physical abilities. I have had surgeries/procedures to my right hand, right wrist, left achilles, right achilles, neck, left shoulder and lower back. Throw in degrees of arthritis, aging, lack of fitness and the mechanics of casting (or any other physical endeavor) become very important. I have learned to cast with both hands now. When the right hand becomes fatigued from casting and all the fish I catch (tsk, tsk), I switch to the left hand and rest the right. A good benefit, too, is I get the fly out there and don’t make nearly as many false casts. More fishing, less casting.

Practice with both hands and visit Marc’s site at Limp Cobra and go back through his many posts regarding casting dynamics.