Improving Casting

A forum to discuss casting techniques and events. For the angler wishing to increase his distance and the tournament caster.

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Improving Casting

Postby Donagh » Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:26 am

I've been carrying out some work on improving my casting distance at a local lake but all I've got out of it is a frozen shoulder. I'm trying to up grade to on OTG. Has anyone any advise, web sites or recommended reading.

Donagh
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casting

Postby m.b3 » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:13 pm

effective casting/ like reel tuning is one of those things that's easy when u know how. there is a lot to be said for getting your hands on someone that can do it and getting them to show you. i have found books and sites only help a little. personally i thought myself, so to speak, and this took a while. are u using a multiplier? up/ down the butt? how far are you cating....etc. maybe someone on the site could give you some lessons. if you are near the Dublin area maybe i could help u out? one thing i will say is that if you do keep reading info. on the subject, asking people questions on the site when u have a specific problem, and are dedicated, then it is only a matter of time. cheers, Mark.
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Postby Donagh » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:36 pm

Hi m.b3,

Thanks for the offer but I'm down in Limerick. I'm using a huge fixed spool okuma with a silstar rod beachcaster that I bought more than 15 years ago. Hardly Ideal but I've a 525mag which I've been using on my bass rod until I save my pennies up and work out what rod would suit me and then get a decent multiplier beachcaster rod. As I'm practicing at a lake I can only guess that I'm getting over 70 yards.

I realise it's not something that can be easily learnt from a book but in the absence of a teacher every bit of reading can help.

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Postby m.b3 » Tue Mar 30, 2004 4:18 pm

try doing a search on the internet for ' off the ground casting'. u should find something. are u using 15lb. line or heavier? is the spool full? u should be able to reach 70yards with an overhead cast with a half decent rod and a spool filled with 15lb. line and shock. let me know......
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Postby Donagh » Tue Mar 30, 2004 5:13 pm

I'm using 15lb line pretty much full to the top. I have been casting the standard over head tump and I have 70 yards as a conservative estimate. Next time I'm on a beach I must measure it out. To be perfectly honest I cast much the same distance with my bass rod. I've been attempting the OTG mentioned in Sea angler recently but my distance hasn't increased.

Thanks for the advise.
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on the flop.......

Postby m.b3 » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:10 pm

if your reel spool is filled to the brim then you should be casting more than this. the rod you are using might be too soft Donagh. my first beachcaster was extremely soft and an overhead thump was enough to bend the blank. whether i used an off the ground, an over head, or a 'fishing' pendulem made no difference. it still went the same distance....in saying that you shouldn't be too quick to blame the rod( even though i was). don't think you need rush out and buy a high performance blank and everything will be o.k. the way to find out is to let another angler let you try casting with his rod. try being nice in the local tackle shop and if there is a half decent caster there/ or he just owns a nice rod! ask him/ her to let u have a go...after that i don't know! let me know how u get on.
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Try these..

Postby IDPearl » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:44 pm

Try these sites if you haven't already...

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/dist ... asting.htm
http://www.fishermansheadquarters.com/f ... mcast.html
http://neilmackellow.sea-angler.org/
http://www.breakawayusa.com/pages/how-to1.htm
Also try http://www.beach-caster.com/ and go to the casting clinic.

I too need tuition! I was waiting for the next competition near Dublin to see how the pro's do it.
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Postby Donagh » Wed Mar 31, 2004 9:16 am

I'd say the rod bends fairly easy which is just as well to start out with. The angling shops around Limerick are geared towards fresh water fishing. Not much point asking advise about the salt water stuff they sell as they don't use it. I'm joining a SAC but their a competition only club but hopefully I can get a bit of advise there.

Thanks for the info LADS. I'll let you know how I get on.
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Casting

Postby drseafish » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:45 pm

When I started fishing I was in a similiar dilemma to yours. My advise is simililar to some of the above is that if you can track down somebody local who can cast is get the basics from them. I must admit I have converted to a multiplier and found the whole process easier with time. My problem with fixed spools is that the high inertia casts caused sores fingers if things went wrong which they tend to do initially. I also removed most of the bail arm as it has a habit of shutting mid cast. You only need a tiny bail arm to preform its duty, cutting it means that you have to manually place the line over the small remaining bit after each cast then reel in as normal. Not much of a sacrifice to avoid crack offs etc.. Start with the OTG and then go to aerlised version of it before attempting a full pendulum. There was a shore casting group in Dublin a few years ago but I think it dispersed due to insurance, however it was linked to the UK casting federation and maybe you could try through that site. I got lessons 2 years ago and never looked back. I cannot stress enough how important it is to start right as its hard to get rid of bad habits.
I have a long way to go, but can hit 150 yards without bait regularly and anybody is capable of hitting 120 yards OTG with a 30 min lesson.
Hope this helps
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Casting instructors

Postby Donagh » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:16 pm

DR,

Thanks for the advise. It's pity there isn't a list of beach casting instructors in Ireland. I tried a search and all I found was fly casting instructors. I'll try mailing the IFSA.

If anyone has any names in the Clare,Cork,limerick or Wicklow please pass them on.

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casting

Postby kieran » Wed Mar 31, 2004 4:16 pm

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/traces(s).htm gives a basic guide to casting on the right hand side at the bottom - I really need to upgrade this whole section properly.

All I will add to the excellent comments above is that you need to practice slowly - some of the longest distance golfers in the world have remarkably slow swings and it is the exact same with casting. The real power comes from the waist twist and the arms - used too often by people to throw the lead - are really there only to give direction and pull the rod through the right arc. I've moved to mulitpliers recently from a massive ancient and still effective Daiwa fixed spool reel and found that a slower casting action prevents the dreaded birdsnests and that the stiffer modern rods will give an excellent return for relatively slow casting actions.

FWIW...
Kieran Hanrahan

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2015 targets - a triggerfish, a specimen bass, a three bearded rockling to complete the set and something big and toothy from certain north Mayo deep water marks
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Postby paddy » Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:37 pm

Hi Donagh
I was down in Clare last weekend looking for spot of decent sea fishing and ran into a tackle shop in Kilkee>unfortunately I cant remember the chaps name but he was very helpful and is involved with the west clare angling club>maybe if you contact them they will be able assist you> He owns the tackle shop in kilkee
best of luck Paddy :lol:
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Postby paddy » Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:43 pm

Hi donagh
Why not try west clare angling club.I was in Kilkee at the weekend trying out some spots and I happened upon the local tackle shop in kilkee.The chap was very helpful and is involved with this club.Unfortunately I cannot remember his name but I think he owns the tackle shop, should not be too hard to track down
best of luck Paddy
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Postby Donagh » Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:24 pm

I've joined up Shannon Town SAC and Got the name of a casting instructor down in Kerry but Its probably not worth it until I buy a new rod. I've made some improvements working on my own and I'm up to 100 yards.

Donagh
Last edited by Donagh on Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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