Archive for the ‘The Grip’ Category

The Perfect Cast I

My blog has been neglected these last few weeks because of The Perfect Cast I, my next book in the Fly Fishing Series, and a new DVD that I shot this fall. Editing the DVD is a very time consuming process, but a rewarding one as well. The DVD will certainly be ready for the […]

Three Point Grip Variations

There is no “perfect” or “best” way to form the Three Point Grip. The point of the Three Point is to get the index finger up on the handle so that the rod is re-positioned in the hand relative to the forearm, allowing the wrist to be used fully on both the backcast and forward […]

Three Point Grip Part II

The Three Point Grip is not exactly the same one used by Lee. It is the evolutionary end result of Lee’s Tarpon Grip wedded to the other grips that have been developed through the ages and embodies the basic elements of all those grips. First, it reflects the Free Wrist Grip in the fact that […]

Three Point Grip Part I

This grip evolved out of Jason’s experiences with Lee’s grip. Fenwick came out with graphite rods in 1973, and as Director of the Fenwick Fly Fishing  Schools, I had access to “test” models. Several years after the first HMG models were introduced, they produced a 9-foot, 3-weight, which I immediately acquired for “testing.” I was […]

Lee’s Tarpon Rod Grip

In 1974, when Jason was four and a half years old, I gave him a 6-foot, 5-weight, glass rod that I had built for him. But because his hands were so small, he had trouble using the standard Thumb on Top Grip or Trigger Finger Grip employed by most fly anglers of the day (including […]

Finger on Top Grip

Many have used this grip, including tournament casters, but perhaps the greatest proponent of the Finger on Top Grip was Hans Gebitsroither, the highly renown Austrian guide and casting instructor that promoted the Elliptical Casting Stroke. Others, of course, have used the Elliptical Stroke, but Hans developed an entire school of casting built on it. […]

Compressed V Grip

Start with standard V Grip and then pinch the thumb and rear part of the forefinger tightly together on the top of the handle. This movement simply brings the position of the thumb and lower bone of the forefinger closer to the top centerline of the handle., making the grip just a bit more secure. […]

V Grip

When one stands relaxed with hands at the sides, it is not the thumb that is pointing directly forward, nor is it the forefinger. Rather it is the space (the V) between the thumb and forefinger that points directly ahead. The V Grip is built on this anatomical feature. The rod is held as for […]

Trigger Finger Grip

This is the Thumb on Top Grip modified by sliding the index finger forward along the lower side of the handle as if reaching for a trigger. This is also a superb grip for Wrist Casting and Arm Assisted Wrist Casting. Because the forefinger is more forward than with the standard Thumb on Top grip, […]

Thumb on Top Grip

Similar to the Free Wrist Grip, it varies in one important aspect. Rather than wrapping the thumb around the rod in the classic “suitcase handle” style, the thumb is shifted onto the top of the grip. The four fingers still wrap around the handle in a relaxed way. This grip is a very positive one […]