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1. The History of the Fly Casting Analyzer
Who is Cast Analysis, LLC?
Cast Analysis, LLC is a small business owned and operated by Bruce Richards and Noel Perkins. We are the developers of the fly casting analyzer and we manufacture them in Ann Arbor Michigan with the help of Noel's son Ryan Perkins. Many others have helped us develop this product and we'd like to particularly acknowledge the help of Chris Joseph and Francis Deck. We'd also like to acknowledge the Sage Rod Company for the earlier introduction of the Sage Casting Analyzer Kiosk to Sage specialty fly shops worldwide.
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Where did this all begin?
BRUCE RICHARDS
Bruce's Biosketch
Bruce's History with the Fly Casting Analyzer
Several years ago, although it seems like yesterday, I got a phone call, out of the blue, from a guy named Noel Perkins. He said he was a professor at the University of Michigan and was working with a grad student on simulating fly casting. They were having some trouble with the calculations and another professor who saw what they were doing, and knew of me, suggested that Noel call. They certainly didn't need my help with the math, but their assumptions about rod tip path during the cast were erroneous and that was preventing them from getting the simulation quite right. While helping to solve that problem Noel showed me a small device they were using to measure the motion of the fly rod, and that really caused my eyes to widen!
Although a fly rod moves in several possible ways during a cast, there is really only one that is critically important, and that is how it rotates. The little device I saw measured angular rotation and I realized that was the key to seeing the fine points of any cast. Very fine motions at the hand have a huge impact at the rod tip due to the length of the lever we use. The hand motions are often too subtle to see clearly, and the tip moves too fast, so casters and instructors have always been hindered by a lack of hard information about what the rod is doing. The first computer graphs Noel showed me of what the rate gyro was measuring started me thinking about casting in a different way, I now had all the detailed information I could want and could clearly see motions that had been invisible previously.
Since those early days the hardware and software has dramatically improved, as has our understanding of what the charts show us. It still amazes me how long it took us to figure out exactly what we were looking at and how to analyze the charts so that every part of each chart related directly to a part of a cast. Comparing "ideal" casts to average casts helped us to understand just what the experts do differently from the rest to get such a good result with so little effort. Time and time again we see expert casters using half the energy of average casters to get the same, or better, result. And now we know precisely why.
I have been using the Analzyer during practice and instruction for about three years now and have had remarkable success with many students. Many students have come back for "follow-up" charts to help them track their progress. Ray Schmidt and I use the analyzer in conjunction with video analysis in our advanced casting schools and our students have told us more than once, "you guys don't charge nearly enough for this". We've been listening! Not every student cares about the fine details of a fly cast, with them I use the charts to help me better understand their cast so I can give the best instruction without boring them with graphs and numbers. Other more analytical types, are completely enthralled by the information they see on the Analyzer screen, and especially by the comparisons with an expert cast. Noel is a fine testament to what the device can do. With little instruction from me, but a lot of work with the analyzer, Noel has transformed himself from a creeping, high powered, wind knotter, into a fine caster! (Sorry for the exposé, Noel!)
For a casting geek like me, meeting Noel and being able to help develop, and now market this device has been wonderful. To be on the cutting edge of the technology of a sport I am passionate about is a dream come true, and to have partnered early on with a company like Sage, for whom I have the utmost respect, was a great start.
NOEL PERKINS
Noel's Biosketch
Noel Perkins is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan where he conducts research on the mechanics of DNA, structural dynamics, and sports training systems. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and serves on the editorial boards of several engineering journals in his field. He enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate students topics ranging from dynamics, vibration theory, and applied mathematics, to machine design and vehicle dynamics. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Karin and their three children Laurel, Ryan and Stina.
Noel's History with the Fly Casting Analyzer
It is probably true that learning to fly cast well is the greatest bottleneck towards advancing in our sport. Many of us try to learn to fly cast by reading books, watching videos, taking lessons and by (a lot of!) plain old trial-and-error. Starting in 1998 when I began fly fishing in earnest, I tried all of these methods but my advancement was very limited. I was however fortunate to watch an inspirational fly caster/friend by the name of Kim Eagle who helped me realize just how much one could achieve with superb casting technique. Watching Kim effortless cast from my canoe to the far bank of our local Huron River in Ann Arbor Michigan really lit a fire in me to understand fly casting and to finally improve!
As a researcher in engineering, I first sought to understand fly casting by employing the methods I use in my day job at the University of Michigan, namely by creating computer simulations of fly casting. With the aid of a very talented graduate student, Dr. Caroline Gatti-Bono, this attempt both missed and hit the bull's eye. Through Caroline's heroic efforts, we quickly realized that we needed to understand what motion the fly caster gives to the fly rod as input to our model. The answer to that need ultimately grew to the fly casting analyzer we use today due to the timely advice of Bruce Richards.
I gave a cold call to Bruce Richards at Scientific Anglers in nearby Midland Michigan. Bruce is, of course, a world-renown fly casting instructor but just as important he's known locally as a great speaker at our TU chapter. Bruce was very patient with me as I described in overly excruciating detail our work in computer simulation of fly casting and then he paid me a visit. I distinctly recall him looking with interest at our computer monitor and watching simulations of fly line forming loops and interacting with the fly rod and air drag in our model. He then asked how we knew how to move the fly rod. I replied that's simple, we use this "angular rate gyro" to measure rod rotation while actually casting. He took one look at that little instrument and at our measured results and quickly summed things up for us. I think it went something like this... "You know this computer simulation stuff is OK and might even find some use someday, but this thing you have here is truly remarkable. This is what the industry has needed for a long time to understand the casting stroke." That one comment sent us in a totally new and better direction.
Bruce and I started to work on measuring the fly casting stroke immediately, often with the aid of many fine students at the University of Michigan. Over the years, the technique evolved from one that only we could use with clunky and expensive laptop-based computer equipment to the sleek and simple form it now has that employs a Palm pilot and custom software. During this time, we were fortunate to measure/record the casting strokes of hundreds of fly fishers of all skill levels. Those measurements, often made with participants at fly fishing clubs/meetings across the nation, helped us further understand and to quantify the casting stroke. We were also helped by a number of other fine students from the University of Michigan and notably Mr. Chris Joseph who helped with our software.
In 2005, Bruce and I decided it was finally time to formulate a plan to ready the fly casting analyzer for the market place. We formed CastAnalysis, LLC and immediately formed a partnership with Sage. Our choice to partner with Sage was a natural one given their own R&D efforts to measure the fly casting stroke and their leadership position in the industry. Sage first introduced a special 'kiosk version' of this product for their specialty fly shops. Following that, we now offer our own version for casting enthusiasts.
More important though, through these efforts my own fly casting stroke has changed radically (and largely for the better)! Suffice it to say that I can also now reach the far bank of our river and, even though the fish don't always accommodate me, my casting usually does.
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2. Using the Fly Casting Analyzer
What types of casts does it measure?
The Fly Casting Analyzer is designed to measure standard overhead casting without hauling. It is used during false casting and typically with 30', 40' or 50' of line measured from the reel to the fly. See How do I set it up the first time? One can indeed use it while hauling and for different length casts, however it does not directly measure the influence of the hauls. It should be noted that the sensor is directional and only measures rotation in one plane. If a caster rotates the sensor out of the plane of the cast, the resulting casting signature will not be accurate. The sensor must remain in plane with the cast to work properly.
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What kinds of rods can I use?
The Fly Casting Analyzer can be used on any rod for overhead casting in a single plane. Since most spey casts rotate the rod in more than one plane, the CA cannot be effectively used to analyze spey casts. You can create your own library of comparison casts for any rod and any length of line. However, if you wish to compare a casting stroke with any of the stored Expert casts, then it would be best to use a fast action rod as that is what the Expert casts were made with. If you want to have an "expert" casting signature of your own, have an expert friend record some casts to compare to. Most good casters would be very willing to record a cast for you if you asked them.
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How do I set it up for the first time?
First, install the sensor capsule on the reel seat by positioning it as shown below and tightening the two thumb screws. Most often, the plane of the fly cast is in the plane of the fly reel as shown. However, you may need to adjust the orientation of the capsule when the casting plane is no longer in the plane of the reel; see How do I orient the sensor capsule? below.
Second, measure out a fixed length of fly line for a simple overhead cast. If you ultimately want to compare a measured cast to one of the Expert casts at 30', 40' or 50', then you must measure out 30', 40', or 50' of line respectively, as measured from the reel to the fly. If you ultimately use a different length of line, you should not compare your cast to any of these three Expert casts. Varying the line length affects all casting parameters and will result in data that does not correspond with our measured Expert casts. However, you may wish to develop your own comparison casts at other line lengths and we encourage you to do so. As metioned earlier, most good casters would be flattered if you asked them to record some "expert" casts for you at different distances, or with different gear.
Third, with the fly line now laid out fully in front of your, attach the cable that connects the sensor capsule with the circuit box.
You are now ready to measure your first cast as described in How do I measure and analyze my first cast?
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How do I orient the sensor capsule?
The capsule should be oriented so that the long side of the clamp is parallel to the plane of the cast. You can easily make this adjustment by loosening the thumb screws and rotating the capsule until it is properly positioned for the casting plane of a particular fly caster.
Most fly casters grip the rod so that their casting plane is the plane of the fly reel. The proper orientation in this instance is illustrated in the end view above.
However, some casters grip the fly rod so that the plane of the cast in no longer in the plane of the reel. In these cases, you will need to re-orient the capsule slightly after you observe the cast and note the orientation of the casting plane. Failing to do this will lead to unrealistically low rod speed readings. Consider the case below where the cast is "off to the side a bit" resulting an approximately 30 degree difference from the plane of the reel.
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How do I measure and analyze my first cast?
First, please read your Palm manual first to learn more about operating your Palm Pilot. The manual provides all basic navigation instructions.
Opening the Fly Casting Analyzer Program
The Fly Casting Analyzer software is stored on the home page section of the Palm. To find it, tap the home icon on the bottom left corner of the Palm screen. You should see an icon with the words Fly Cast beneath it. If this does not appear, check the top right corner (small black triangle) of the Palm and make sure that All is selected. (If All is not selected, tap the small triangle in the top right corner and select All.)
To Record a Cast
With the Palm stylus, tap next to Name Cast until you see a cursor appear in the field immediately to the right. Enter a new cast name via the graffiti window or tap ABC in the bottom left corner of the text entry section to use the keyboard function. When done, tap OK (this action checks if the name you entered already exists and also confirms that the program is ready to create a new file). Lay out the desired line length and rod in front of you( refer to How do I set it up the first time?) Holding the rod very still, press and release the green button on top of the circuit box and keep the rod very still until you hear a beep. It is very important that the rod be kept still while waiting for the beep. If you move the rod during this time, it will skew your results. Starting with a back cast, make several (often 5 to 6) false casts, and continue casting until you hear a second beep, usually after five to six false casts.
Tip: This is a fixed line cast with no hauling, and you must start with a back cast, so lay the line out in front of you first.
Tip: We suggest naming the cast by name and date. Example, Paul8.1.1 (Name.Month.Day.Number Cast). Do not use backslashes (/) to separate the name and date, use periods.
To Analyze The Results
Tap Pick Cast File(small triangle). Scroll to the desired cast and tap the cast name. Then tap Results, wait for it to process, and you’re off to Navigating the Results.
Navigating the Results
When you access the results, the first page to open will be the entire cast profile. This is a snapshot of the third cast made in the series of false casts. To overlay a comparison cast, tap the Comparison triangle in the bottom left corner. Tap the corresponding length of cast to compare with one of the Expert casts, or scroll through Other Comparisons to select any other cast as your comparison cast. Please note, choosing the Expert will provide substantial dialog and useful casting tips. When you select Other Comparisons, you will still be able to draw useful conclusions (including overlaying the casts), but only the factual data will be displayed. Comparing a student's cast before and then after instruction is often a very effective way to show progress. Similarly, you could use your own casts as the basis for comparison if you were to teach a student to make a specific adjustment that you've identified.
After selecting a comparison (which is not required) use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate between front and back cast results. Use the Home tab to return to the main page to obtain a new cast or the Entire tab to return to the entire cast profile to choose another comparison cast.
For a complete description of using the software, please refer to the User Manual (.pdf). To become proficient in using this tool, we encourage you to read and understand the Terminology and Example Casts.
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3. How It Works
See How It Works: The Science behind the FLy Casting Analyzer
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4. The PC version of the software
How do I use the PC version of the Fly Casting Analyzer for the first time?
Run the PC installer that came with the CD and follow the installation instructions. You can then run the program Fly Casting Analyzer from the shortcut created on your desktop. The first time you run the software, select Set Up. Use the Owner box to input your personal contact information that you would like to appear on all printed casting reports for your students. This information will appear in the top right corner of all printed reports.
Next, import the casting files from your Palm pilot for use in the PC version of the software by performing a standard Palm HotSync operation as described in your Palm owner’s manual. If this should fail, you might be able to resolve the problem by referring to the quick tips included in What do I do if my Palm will not HotSync? Next, you will have to tell the PC version of the software where to find the casting files you have just uploaded upon completing a HotSync. You need only to this once since the program will remember this path. To set that path...
Open the Pick Cast File box, select the desired cast, and click Results.
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How do I navigate the PC Fly Casting Analyzer software?
To select a cast to analyze, open the Pick Cast File box, select the desired cast, and click Results. The entire cast profile will appear. You navigate through the PC version of the software the very same way you navigate through the Palm version. Follow these steps:
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5. Purchasing the Fly Casting Analyzer
How do I pay?
On the Purchase Page, clicking on the image corresponding to the package you're interested in brings up a new window that you can use to pay through Paypal. You can use Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Echeck, or your Paypal account to pay. If you do not have a Paypal account, fill out the credit card forms to the left. If you do not see these forms, simply click the "Continue" link next to the credit card images (bottom left), and fill out the forms on the resultant pages. See What is Paypal? for more information about this online vendor. Shipping and tax are included in the prices, and we will ship internationally. If you are uncomfortable paying through Paypal, you may send us a check. Please email info@castanalysis.com to initiate this kind of order. We will wait for the check to clear before shipping an Analyzer.
What is Paypal?
Paypal is an online vendor service that manages fund transfers for websites like ours, online auctions like eBay, and personal fund transfers. They are arguably the safest way to transfer funds and pay for products on the web. We chose them to make the payment process as easy and secure as possible for both you and us. Please feel free to visit their site to learn more.
What if I don't have a Paypal account?
You do not need to sign up for Paypal to pay us, you simply need to fill out your billing and shipping information like any other online merchant site. To do this, select the package you desire by clicking on the corresponding image on the purchase page. On the Paypal window that pops up, you may enter your credit card information in the form to the left. If you do not see this form, simply click the "Continue" link next to the credit card images (bottom left), and fill out the forms on the resultant pages.
Can I pay a different way?
Yes, if you feel uncomfortable paying online or through Paypal, send us an email at info@castanalysis.com to request to pay by check. We do not ship until the check clears, so this process generally takes longer.
Which Palm comes with it?
We offer the Fly Casting Analyzer for sale together with a Palm Z22 handheld with the casting analyzer software pre-installed and ready for use. For more information, or to purchase, visit the Purchase Page
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Can I use my own Palm?
Yes, other Palm handhelds and even some Palm cell phones are also compatible with our hardware. While this list is not complete, here are other models that we know to be compatible.
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6. Teaching using the Fly Casting Analyzer
The Fly Casting Analyzer is specifically designed to be a tool for fly casting schools, instructors, and any avid student of fly casting. By no means does it replace the need for good fly casting instruction by qualified instructors. Instead, this tool adds completely new capabilities for fly casting instruction by providing a quantitative way to measure and then analyze the casting stroke. Some of the common uses of the Fly Casting Analyzer during instruction include:
For more information, see the Tips for Fly Casting Instructors page.
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7. Contacting Cast Analysis, LLC
To contact Cast Analysis, LLC, see the contact page
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8. General Care and Trouble Shooting
How do I take care of my Fly Casting Analyzer?
The Fly Casting Analyzer contains sensitive electronics and care should be taken to protect it from moisture, contamination, and excessive shock loading (e.g. dropping). When the capsule is attached to the rod butt without the cable, the bare connector is exposed. Setting the butt end of the rod on the grass/ground may allow moisture and contaminants to enter the bare connector. It is good practice to keep the cable attached to the capsule at all times.
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How do I replace the battery following a low battery warning?
When the battery runs down, the Fly Casting Analyzer will respond with a message suggesting that you replace the battery. To replace the battery, remove the two screws on the outside of the black box as noted below and carefully lift the top half of the box. Gently remove and replace the battery making sure that the positive pole points opposite the green button. If you happen to reverse the battery, you will not do any damage. Instead, the Fly Casting Analyzer will detect this and suggest that you check the battery polarity. Keep in mind that the battery powering the Palm will also need recharging. For visual instructions, see below.
Replacement Batteries
The battery shipped with the Fly Casting Analyzer is a 6V alkaline battery found in digital cameras: Gold Peak 476A. A very common replacement for this is the Duracell 28A (alkaline) or the Duracell 28L (lithium). In addition, all of the following batteries can also be used: Eveready L544, A544, Panasonic 4LR44, Kodak K28A, K28L, Varta V34PX, V28PXL, Rayovac 2CR1/3N, Maxell 4LR44P, Toshiba 4LR44, Neda 1414A, 1406LC, IEC 4LR44, 2CR11108.
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What do I do if my Palm will not HotSync?
Double-check the USB or Serial connection.
On your PC, navigate/search for the Palm or PalmOne folder. Double-click HotSync Manager. Under HotSync Controls make sure that HotSync is enabled.
If you use a Palm cradle or cable with a button, press the HotSync button on the cradle or cable. If you HotSync using the Palm Main Page, click the HotSync icon. In the center of the page, a small triangle should read Cradle/Cable. If it doesn’t, tap the triangle, scroll to the Cradle/Cable line and select it.
If the Palm still will not HotSync, you may want need to study further the Palm manual that came with your device. You may ultimately need to press the Reset button on the back of the Palm.
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What do I do if my Palm Pilot is frozen and/or locked up?
On the back of the Palm Pilot there is a small Reset button. If you do not see the Reset, then you may have covered it up with a Velcro dot. Refer to illustration (Palm Diagram). Consult your Palm's owner's manual for instructions on resetting your Palm.
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Want do I do if the cast file has an error message?
This may happen when the connection between the sensor capsule and Palm is lost. Try re-plugging the connection between the cable and capsule as well as the cable and the circuit box. The cable may have been just slightly loose.
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What do I do when the cast plot shows abnormal results?
Check the gyro orientation. In addition, watch the angler's casting style. You may need to adjust the gyro for the angler's particular style. See How do I orient the sensor capsule?
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The cast file cannot be analyzed and I can't obtain results. Why?
While this does not happen often, occasionally a measured cast will be so far from what we expect that we cannot properly analyze the results. In this case, we recommend that you work with the angler to improve whatever shortcomings you immediately observe and then re-measure.
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The "report" does not print the graphics, just the numerical data. How can I get/print a copy of the graphics too?
The way to do this is to copy & paste a screen capture of the plot you want into a document (like Word or Powerpoint), then print it. Starting with the screen you wish to capture, press "PrintScrn" to capture an image of the active window. Next, open a document file and "paste" the image there. You can now add annotations, print, save or email that document.
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How do I obtain a replacement cable?
You can purchase a replacement cable from Cast Analysis, LLC. You may also be able to purchase a standard S-video cable (4 pin) as an acceptable replacement at a local electronics store.
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