Any one who fly fishes and wants to know more about the subject should get Mal Kriegars DVD. Basically because he covers ALL of the casting styles that are on offer to fly guys, with short or long rods.
The first thing you need to realise is that a 9 foot rod is just another fly rod and the casting style used, like false casting, is very inneffecient, and is very limited in use. Mostly the rods are very ineffecient as well, because they are generally designed to cast fly lines and not catch fish.
Which is why most fly fishing, one handed fly fishing revolves around low rod angles. If you try giving the rod a real bend it will most likely explode.
On rocks and when casting to fast fish, you need a very fast presentation, and if you waste too much time the fish is gone. This applies to many boat situations, wading on flats and off structures like bridges, wharfs etc.
This needs a one shot cast, like one backcast and a shot at the moving fish.
There are limits to the use of one handed fly rods, basically because of the one handed technique, which puts limits on the ability of the anglers to cast the thing.
And funnily enough that is also dependant on the users build. Godzilla casts further than Mickey Mouse, because the system, in heavy classes, or any class, is strength dependant.
Not only is it strength dependant its "room" or space dependant. You need lots of room to cast a fly line with fase casts.
If you fish rivers/creeks you need to learn the Spey casting style, because it allows you to fit your fishing into the terrain around you, and if you are into heavy class fishing you need to understand how two handed casts reduce the "Godzilla" syndrome by making it possible for you to cast 17# rods very easily.
And using two handed long rods makes it easier to fish estuaries, because it gives longer casts and greater coverage of the available water.
Generally speaking the casting distance for fly rods is detirmined by the length, like a 9 foot fly rod willl cast to a distance relating to 10 times the length. 0r about 90 feet.
If you equate this to a 12' rod its overhead casting distasnce is 120' and for 15 feet its 150 feet.
It requires a very good casting technique to put a practical fishing system to 100 feet on a regular basis, and if you don't believe this measure our the distance and have a few hucks at it.
For the record this 17# Shimano Surf rod that I have modified into a DH 9 footer can be cast to 80 feet with big flies and a big sinking head, its designed for boat and rock fly fishing. Like "dredging" VBG.
And lert me say that it does take a Godzillar to even get the fly 40 feet one handed. Its a fishing rod, not a noodle.
I know I'm wasting my time but all I am trying to do is get anglers to understand that fly fishing is about fishing with one and two hands, wth rods between 6 and 15 feet in length and from 2# to 17# in all sorts of areas and with wide range of castingf styles, Spey as well as any other available to the angler.
Two handed casting is there to make it easier for people with disabilities and for kids or even just fit and healthy guys.
As an example I suggest borrowing a 12/14'DH rod and taking it to your local estuary or creek whatever and just roll cast it. You will find its easy to do, takes about a few seconds per cast, does not require a LMD, since you have no running line to mess around with and covers a very wide stretch of water if you just side step before each cast.
Piece of cake stuff and covers the water almost to your feet, and the fly zips along because of the rod length, lift from the horizontal to the vertical on retrieve.
Give it more than a passing thought. It might suit you down to the ground.
MaxG.