Hi all

Went to a small stillwater today and got hit twice by people on their backcast. Luckily both times with the end of the flyline rather than fly. Both had lifted off into the backcast unexpectedly without looking back. I managed to control my mouth on both occasions, one was more difficult as rather than apologise he laughed and said "whoops".

One of the reasons i restrained myself is I was not sure who was culpable - should they be checking behind them, or should i be clearing my throat loudly to announce my presence?

On another safety note i was shocked by how few people were wearing glasses on a windy day, especially two self taught casters on their second ever trip who spent most of the day retrieving flied from trees and clothing

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Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine,
No blood of living insect stain my line;
Let me, less cruel, cast feather'd hook,
With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,
And with fur-wrought fly delude the prey

I tend to wait until they've just finished casting before passing, then giving them a cheery hello as I approach. Don't know what the done thing is, but reckon there's not that many folk who look behind them every time they cast...

They should check but i guess it's hard to completely blame them. We've all walked behind someone... Maybe there's no harm in letting them know you're there.

Regarding glasses, i recently hit, luckily not hooked my eye with a fly. It scared the heck out of me at the time and i suffered blurred vision for a couple weeks due to a scratched cornea. Now got the glasses on all the time when fishing. It was a real wake up call and thankfully i did about as little damage as possible with a hook to the eye. The chance of blindness is pretty high i would imagine!

I was told when I started fly fishing that it was up to the 'non fisher' to make their presence know to any angler who they are walking behind.
The only really foolproof method.

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

one of them definately knew i was there as i had given him a couple of pointers on fly choice and casting (not tham im great myself but even an improver can impart a little to someone much worse). as i bid him farewell and started to walk back to my rod 2 platforms along he launched into a backcast and hit my shoulder with the end of the fly line

__________________
Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine,
No blood of living insect stain my line;
Let me, less cruel, cast feather'd hook,
With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,
And with fur-wrought fly delude the prey

When I teach, I always say, to first check behind them for any obstacles or passing anglers,second if an angler is casting, I let them cast and then say "coming behind you"so as they know im there.
on occasion, very rare,you will always get the laughing boy caster as you encountered but thankfully, rare.

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Kevin

Personally i think you should be waiting until the cast has finished and then pass,i think after i had been hit once i would have learned my lesson and avoided being hit again,if they are retrieving i would make sure they know that i am passing then if they still hit me with the fly i would say something as i would have done all things in my power to let them know

Paul

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Wanted spare spool for ionica 3/4/5

Also spool for BBS11 titanium prefered but would consider black

The "old" school would say you should definitely announce your presence to an angler fishing in case he lifts into a backcast at the wrong moment. I, for example, am blind in my left eye, so any passer by on my left side stands a very good chance of not being seen, especially as I have a very "front on" stance when casting. I agree that the onus is on the passing angler to make his presence known. If you don't and you get hit, I think the fault lies with you.

Having said that, I've had people either deliberately, or in ignorance, stand or sit behind me "in the line of fire" despite warnings to the contrary. If they've been told to move and still stay there then whatever happens thereafter is their problem, not mine!

Even fishing has its a--eh-ol-s, should of kicked him in then said Whoops s******ing, ck

Notwithstanding that I reckon its for the passer-by to make himself know, those circumstances sounds just well and truly like the caster was at fault. Was he inexperienced? I suppose we can all make a thoughtless slip now and again, but still...!