Masters Single Handed Test
MASTERS SINGLE HANDED TEST
This is a very high standard and challenging assessment, not only of good casting, but also of excellent teaching skills. Potential candidates should have had many years’ experience of guiding and instruction.
GENERAL
Candidates must have read and understood the requirements of the syllabus prior to attending an AAPGAI assessment. It is advised that candidates prepare fully for this demanding assessment. Access to workshops and a mentoring scheme is available through AAPGAI.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING
A.Tackle Required - A balanced outfit/s of your choice that you would deem appropriate for teaching purposes, that would be suitable for river fishing for trout and a minimum 9ft tapered leader with a tag of wool attached. The maximum rod length and rating is 9’ 6” AFTM 7 with floating line. A minimum 7’ sink tip or floating line with integrated sink tip minimum sink rate
2. Candidates have the choice and can use two set-ups for the casting assessment, one for the Spey casting section and one for the Overhead section. This can be two suitable lines using the same rod or two completely separate outfits.
B. Candidates may as above use one rod for the floating line and one separate rod for the sunk tip line section of the assessment as appropriate. However, we strongly advise the candidate to carry a spare rod in reserve. Please bring any visual aids you may wish to use for the teaching process as part of your assessment.
C. Suitable clothing for the assessment required, chest waders, eye protection, jacket etc.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
A. You will be examined on your knowledge of the mechanics of each cast and your ability to teach in a clear and concise manner - stance and grip, wrist arm and body movements, the arc of the rod and the correct effort application etc. You will also be tested on your ability to diagnose various casting faults.
B. Casts must be performed with a smooth acceptable style and consistency that demonstrates excellent line control, good timing and without the appearance of slack line during the casts.
C. All distances are measured from the rod tip to the end of the fly-line and do not include the length of leader.
D. Variations in casting style are acceptable provided the candidate can demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the alternatives and discuss the merits of each.
E. Casts will normally be carried out on water whilst wading up to thigh depth (and/or off the water at the discretion of the assessors or during adverse weather conditions).
F. The assessment may be performed in any order at the discretion of the Assessors of which there will be a minimum of two, or if the candidate wishes to do so by mutual consent.
G. Candidates will be also offered in the additional section other types of single handed tackle to cast and explain.
H. There will be a 1 hour written examination on general knowledge of game angling.
I. There will be a technical assessment of 3 hours or 2 x 1½ hours, split AM/PM.
J. There will be a 20-minute presentation workshop (Teaching in depth a fishing situation with techniques and fly casts) to deliver to an audience followed by a 30-45 minute interview and de-brief.
Content:
1-A) SAFETY Keeping people safe in a potentially dangerous environment is absolutely paramount, an in-depth discussion about the hazards in angling and how to use best practice to avoid them. Organising a day for a party of anglers on a river. A discussion about various items and equipment used to prevent accidents.
B) TACKLE In-depth discussion on the merits of materials found in rods, lines and reels, where it all came from and where it is all going. Choices of outfits for different fly-fishing situations.
2. ROLL CASTS
Casts must be performed with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air and the line must land near straight.
A)Objectives of the cast.
B) Pros and cons of Roll casting.
C) A 30’basic roll cast off both shoulders.
D) A "shooting roll cast"to45', using a single haul off both shoulders.
E) A roll cast pick-up (as would be used, for example, with a dry fly).
F) Faults and cures.
3. JUMP ROLL CASTS
Casts must be performed good anchor alignment and with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air and the line must land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast.
B) Pros and cons of the Jump roll cast.
C) 30' Jump roll cast, off both shoulders.
D) Jump roll cast shooting line to 55', off both shoulders.
E) Faults and cures.
4. SINGLE SPEY CAST
Casts must be performed with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air, and controlled minimum anchor aligned with the direction of the cast. Line must land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast.
B)The pros and cons of single Spey casting.
C) A 30' Single Spey cast at 45-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
D) A Single Spey cast at 45-degreesto55' using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
E) A 30' Single Spey cast at 90-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
F) A Single Spey cast at 90-degreesto55' using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
G) Faults and cures.
5. DOUBLE SPEY CAST
Casts must be performed with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air, and controlled minimum anchor aligned with the direction of the cast. Line must land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast.
B) The pros and cons of Double Spey casting.
C) A 30' Double Spey-castat 45-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
D) A 55' Double Spey castat 45-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line.
E) A 30’Double Spey-castat 90-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
F) A 55' Double Spey castat 90-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line.
G) Faults and cures.
6. SNAKE ROLL CAST
Casts must be performed with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air, and controlled minimum anchor aligned with the direction of the. Line must land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast.
B) The pros and cons of Snake Roll casting.
C) A 30' Snake Roll-castat 45-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
D) A Snake Roll castto55’ at 45-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
E) A 30' Snake Roll-castat 90-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
F) A Snake Roll cast to55’ at 90-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
G) Faults and cures
7. SNAP T AND CIRCLE CAST
Casts must be performed with clean efficient loops that unroll completely in the air, and controlled minimum anchor aligned with the direction of the cast. Line must land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast.
B) The pros and cons of Snap T and Circle casting.
C) A 30' Snap T and Circle castat 45-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
D) A Snap T and Circle castto55’ at 45-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
E)A 30' Snap T cast and Circle cast at 90-degrees without shooting line, off both shoulders.
F) A Snap T cast and Circle castat 55’ to 90-degrees using a haul(s) and shooting line, off both shoulders.
G) Faults and cures.
8. OVERHEAD CAST
Casts to be performed in a near vertical plane, the line must extend fully in the air with clean efficient loops and land near straight.
A) Objectives of the cast, grips and stances, basic cast (pick up and lay down) 30'.
B) The pros and cons of casting planes and alteration of the casting plane.
C) 6 false casts 30'-35' of line, 2 narrow, 2 open, 2 narrow loops front and back, off both shoulders using same hand.
D)6 false casts in different planes from vertical to horizontal on both sides.
E) Tailing loop on command front and back at a distance of 30'.
F)Overhead casting into a headwind.
G)Overhead casting with a tailwind.
H)30' Overhead Cast shooting line to 55’.
Over both shoulders, no haul, using the same hand.
I)30’ Overhead Cast with 30- degree change of direction.
J)Faults and cures.
9. SLACK LINE, MENDS & CURVE CASTS.
A)Controlled slack line cast at 30', first with a series of horizontal narrow slack waves, and then with a series of wide slack waves.
B)Aerial mends - (placing an elbow) at approximately 5', 15', and 20' left and right to be formed after the stop in the forward casting stroke. (Measured from rod tip)
C)Aerial mends (placing a curve from rod tip to leader) at 30' left and right to be formed after the casting stroke.
D)Curve cast – (placing right and left curves from rod tip to leader at 30'). (Curve is made before the stop during the forward casting stroke). Show various techniques.
E)30' hook cast to right then left. Show various techniques.
F) Faults and cures
10. ACCURACY
The candidate will be given 3 attempts at placing the wool-fly inside a 30" diameter hoop. Allowances will be made during adverse weather conditions at the Assessors discretion - no discussion will be entered into. All measurements for these particular casts include the leader and wool.
A)Overhead casting, place fly on target at 20', 30' and 45' (off both shoulders, measure from rod tip).
B)Roll cast to target at 20', 30' and 40' (off both shoulders).
11. SINGLE & DOUBLE HAULING
Casts to be performed in a near vertical plane, unless requested otherwise. The line must extend fully in the air, with no tailing loops in either back or forward casts. The candidate is to discuss, at length, the mechanics of both the Single & Double Haul techniques, paying particular attention to Stance (Closed & Open), casting stroke length, path of the rod tip, loop formation, timing, line shoot, line feed, rod-drift, rod-creep, etc.
A) Use of the Single and Double Haul casts.
B) Pros and cons of Single and Double Haul casting.
C) A single haul back-cast at 30' off both shoulders.
D) A single haul forward cast at 30' off both shoulders.
E) Continuous double haul casting for 8 false casts at 30' – 35' off both shoulders.
F) A distance cast of a minimum of 70'
off dominant shoulder.
G) A distance cast of a minimum of 65' off non-dominant shoulder facing target.
H) Faults and cures.
12. OTHER TECHNIQUES
A) A Saltwater type cast as if in a craft. With fly in hand and 20' - 25' of line extended from the rod tip, show technique and then shoot to 60' with no more than 2 - 3 false cast.
B) Demonstrate a technique to cast a very heavy fly.
C) A 180-degree change of direction delivery cast, from downstream to upstream.
D) Overhead cast to 20' with a high obstacle behind.
E) Overhead cast where the fly is pitched into the water first at 20’.
F) Dealing with a full sunken line.
13. SUNK TIPS
A) Good explanations on uses in fishing, casting and dealing with sunken tips.
B) Show techniques to raise a sunken tip to the surface.
C) Raise sunken tip to the surface and Spey cast of choice at 45-degrees off both shoulders shooting to 55'.
D) Raise sunken tip to the surface and Spey cast of choice at 90-degrees off both shoulders shooting to 55'.
E) Raise sunken tip to the surface and overhead cast to 30-degrees shooting line to 60' off both shoulders.
14. ADDITIONAL TACKLE
A)Clearly explain and demonstrate use of thetackle and equipment provided for you by the assessors.
B) Pros and cons of uses for the outfits provided.
C)Ability to cast with the outfits as requested by the assessors.