Fly Casting Showdown at the FFF Conclave in Idaho Falls(USA) in 2003

Charles Jardine (U.K.) and Günter Feuerstein (A), the two European honorary members of the FFF- Flycasting Board of Governors in the States, presented and compared the European fly casting styles with single and two handed rods in front of a crowd of fly casting instructors and experts as well as interested visitors of the fly fishing show. The very interesting and funny demonstration reached wide interest and the never ending questions of the visitors made the demo one of the longest in history. It lasted nearly two hours! In the end Charles had to leave in a hurry because he was supposed to start tying only a few minutes later...

The demo was said to have brought some important input to the fly casting instructor scene in the United States. The many instructors present could ask questions and thereby got to know what European double handed fly casting is about. This was very useful because the US have not really focused on that particulary field of fly casting up to that day.

Here are some impressions about the demo:

The two FFF-Europe Masters compared the single handed styles used on the British Islands with styles used on the continent.

Günter mainly uses the pointer-on-top-grip made popular by the late Hans Gebetsroither.

Charles uses the thumb-on-top-grip as most fly casters in the U.K. do.

Günter points out that the thumb on top sometimes shows advantages when  fishing from a boat.

Charles admits that he uses the pointer on top  from time to time, too.

a short interwie before the start of the double hand performance

Charles personally likes the Spey Casting technique and explains where it comes from and how to use it.

Günter prefers Göran Andersson's Underhand Casting technique and points out the advantages (normally he uses a lower grip)

Is there a technique for a certain situation?