Elliot's throwing technique

Elliot, I mentioned the throwing technique you were showing PJ in CO, and now everybody wants details. Can you give us some more information on the line/weight/throwing technique you were talking about that gets throws in the 150' to 200' range?

Hope you read this and respond. A video would be great.

Thanks/Cliff

Hurricane Toss

I saw Elliot’s method while he was setting a line in Raptor at Cal-Wood this September. I will attempt to describe what I saw and his methodology along with my spin on it.

First off the weight he used was a 2 to 3 ounce round lead fishing sinker that you should only use if no others are nearby. Regardless of helmet protection this sinker falling from above will cause serious damage to any unarmored part of the body. The string was bought from a farm and fishery store in Taiwan. I think it is used for making fishing nets. It is light green polypropylene, very slick and very strong. On settings less than 100 feet you may even be able to pull up your rope without piloting an additional throwline.

High altitude tosses are what this is all about but accuracy could be better. You do get a lot of extra limbs when you toss so isolation methods are needed. The string color and thinnest and the 1” lead ball are hard to see so binoculars are needed on high tosses.

Elliot stands facing 90 degrees to the target and winds up rotating his entire arm holding the string. He spins it so the weight is rising up away from the target so it is backwards to how most of us throw. Releasing the string at exactly the right time will launch the weight up in a high parabolic trajectory. Hopefully it lands over a few good limbs. I tried it both sideways and then facing the target and can see how with much practice you could prefect each way.

Once when I had a few extra NewTribe “Scott Shots” weights I did the same thing but used Fireline instead. I also could get high tosses but since I had to then pilot a throwline it fell out of my favor. The fishnet string is sold by kilogram in several diameters and we estimated over 10,000 feet per spool so it is a lifetime supply for most people.


Here are facts on throwbags that I have been working with to prefect my tree tools:

Weight- needs to be a light as possible since more weight means less altitude; but heavy enough to thread the throwline back to the ground.

String- needs to be light as possible since thicker string has more friction; but strong enough to take abuse.

Isolation- any toss that is over more than one limb at the wrong spot that does not have both ends in reach is a usually a useless toss.


Effort- tossing the lightest weight that will pass over your target and so both ends reach the ground will reach higher targets.

Accuracy- with any hand launched projectile, for example- arrows, Frisbees, baseballs. You need to be able to have as fluid of a motion as possible plus an unconscious aim and release. In other words- wind up, focus and release all without thinking too long about it. Keeping your eye on the target as you release will improve your follow-thru.

And the three most important words in throwing are:

practice; Practice and PRACTICE!

FWIW, Robert and I reached about 165' with a 3 or 4 ounce weigh, monofilament line, and the big shot hauled back about all the way. And we used the binoculars and green laser pointer to help eachother find and see the line.

Dan, you wrote:

Isolation- any toss that is over more than one limb at the wrong spot that does not have both ends in reach is a usually a useless toss.

You'd rather not spend time on isolation? I like to be very relaxed when throwing, and I see isolation as part of the throw. I never expect to get it right on the throw....it's just a HUGE bonus when it happens!

love
nick

Speaking of what type of throw weight to use, I found that lead fishing weights, either teardrop or pyramid shaped, really like to spin in a circle and wrap the line around any little twig, especially when trying to pull it back. Small bags filled with #9 shot or even BB's don't do this nearly as much. I made some 1, 2 and 3 oz bags out of of 1\" and 2\" tubular webbing and they work well (a la \"Scott Shot\"). This while experimenting with a slingshot and Berkley Fireline mono.

Some small skill
Thanks Tree Tramp to explain good with my hurricane toss.
The hurricane toss is good for pine trees.because not so accuracy,but high.
For hurricane toss,once the weight fly up to a good limb,just let the weight fly down to the ground,please don't try to stop the weight to keep it not flying.
You need to switch another 12Oz (or more)weight to the light weight on the down side.
If you just pull the light weight up,the light weight mostly will not coming down again.
Keep practice and practice.

Elliot / Tree Climbing Taiwan / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Howdy everyone and thanks for the inspiring thread.

I too have experimented a lot this summer with smaller weight bags, various kinds of fishing line, a wrist rocket (I hike distance to climb old growth frequently, don't want to carry a big shot), and various throwing techniques. I can see the method of swinging the weighted line opposite of what most of us tend to do, makes sense, to create the arc. Thanks for that image... can't wait to try it out.

Kudos \"cherring\" for thinking of using short lengths of tubular webbing and filling it with shot. I've been hand sewing small pouches... now I feel pretty silly. It's still pretty satisfying to do something on your own though.

I do have two questions ~ What are folks using to manage your fishing line during the throw??

AND:

Where can we get this green polypro fishing net line???

Thanks!!
Eric