Lucky-Ediie

Hi All, I have now sort of sorted the issues I was having. After having several sessions out with Malcolm and trying loads of different rods and reels combos, and hours of practise, I am now hitting 100yrds 8 out of 10 times on the beach and hope to improve on that over the summer. It's true what you can do on a playing field isn't the same as what you can do on a beach, but the practise is invaluable. I try to get out to practise a couple of times a week as well as putting it into practise on the beach actually fishing when I can. Anyway, I have opted for a Dawia Emcast Surf 15ft Fixed Spool Beach Rod. Its (I'm told) a faily stiff rod but with my "safe" style of OHT, I don't suffer too much the next day after a couple of hours casting and even in the down pour the other day came home from Chesil with 20 mackie after only 2 hours . That was on a 3 feather rig with a 5oz lead (just over half the rods lead capacity), casting about a 5' drop, slightly to the side - OTH (without the need for a "Henry Gilbey stomp" lol). Best news of it all was, the S/h rod, matching s/h Dawia reel fitted with new 15lb line and a roll of 60lb tappered shockleaders cost me just £70quid bargain, and being 3pcs it fits in the car without to much hassle I am now after a second setup the same so I can go after some other (bigger) fish on a fixed or pully pennel whilst I'm bashing the Mackie Rather than using the BP rod and reel I have as I am doing now. On a different note, I met a chap (Terry) down Portland the other day who was using lures with a very whippy 10' telescopic rod. He let me have a couple of goes with it, and I was amazed how far you could flick a lure only weighing about 20 - 30gms. Watching out of the corner of my eye, I saw he had a couple of really nice Bass . Thanks again to everyone for all your advice, I hope that this post may help others that have had similar probs as I have faced Good Fishing all Eddie

Hi All, Well I have had another session with Malcolm, using another bunch of rods and this time different reels. The School had kindly marked out 200mtrs for the up and coming sports day, so with the aid of bank sticks with plastic milk bottles stuck over them I had a chance to see the distance as apposed to counting turns, pacing out or estimating. 12' Pike rod, 3.5lb TC 3oz lead.. several styles of cast got an average 75yrds (a few 90+) 14.6 Ugly Stick, 3, 4 & 5oz lead, + multipier (all over the place) but an average of 85yrds. 12' Anyfish Anywhere + multiplier 75 - 100yrds 15' Fladen Charter + Fix Spool and Multiplier best 120yrds, worst 90yrds. 14'Dawia Sandstorm, multiplier 80-90yrds. We did go over the previous set of rods and reels, but I didn't do any better with them than last time. I used my TFG 13' Big Pit setup and got best 135yrds but mostly 100-110yrds? And Malcolm is baffled why I am not hitting the same or better with the beach rods? I am getting a bit cheesed off..... Any other advice guys?? Cheers Eddie

Hi Ken, Thanks again for your advice and yep I understand it's not all brute force, long rods and heavy leads. It is technique and probably the more I practise it the better the shoulders will get, and that will give me the range I need to get to the mackie. Before my accident, I found hitting about 125 and pulling back into the fish worked for me.. now with the shorter range I hit I only get the stragglers not into the schol, but would be nice if I could cut a few corners now to get me to the fish.. and in time I can hopefully get back to casting normally or as near as I can. I have been doing a bit of course fishing to keep me fishing, but getting bored with it, I far prefer beach fishing. I watched for a bit at Chesil this morning, I was amazed to what rods people were using and the range they got. I used the 16.6' Surf Rod, fixed spool, 18lb mono line/60lb Shock, 4 oz lead, 4 feathers with OH thump or Brighton cast.. I got 10 mackie (in the two hours before the rain came in) others had many, many more. I met a chap there he saw the predicament I was in, and he gave me some more pointers, and showed me the "Easy Cast Method" but casting side by side, he almost doubled my cast range every time, probably 'cos I was trying not to cripple myself by twisting to much and not hitting it hard enough. I did however hit the 100yds a couple of times, more luck than judgement lol. I hope to get out with Malcolm again this week (if the rain stops) with even more different rods to try. I will ask him if he has access to the pike rod you suggest. There is a double whammy with beating this, the psychotherapy poeple actually surgested doing beach casting, to build up the muscles again and help with the mobility as 3 days a week in the gym really hasn't helped that much. I would like to say thank you again Ken, your advice has been excellent and given a bit of hope. I know I will beat the problem I have in time. All the best Eddie

I wish.. Can't afford one till I get back into full time work.. But yes.. nice idea

Thanks Newt, Terry-T and Ken.. A guy on Chesil said I would get some answers on here I don't think I am up for (not fit enough) rock hopping or perking a crank bait/lure.. I would really perfer to get back to the mackie as best I can on Chesil. An 18' may be a good start? with the good old OTH thump, it seems to be the best shot, as its the cast I can do fairly easily. I have been introduced to a guy and we went to a field today.. He brought several rods and though not a Casting Coach, he put me through a far amount of casting styles and rods. It went like this. 9' Mackie Rod, Fixed spool reel, 15lb line, 2oz lead. A side/flick cast only got about 60yds 11' Carp Rod, Fixed spool reel, 18lb line/60lb Shock, 4oz lead. Big Pit style (OTH) & Brighton cast 60 - 80yds, but hit and miss. 13' Surf Rod, fixed spool, 18lb line/60lb Shock, 4 & 6 oz leads, OTH cast. Just on 50-70yds on average. 16.6' Surf Rod, fixed spool, 40lb braid line/60lb Shock, 4 & 6 oz leads, OTH cast & Brighton cast. Just on 60-70yds on average, but a lot less when I used 6oz lead. I tried OTG, OTH, Brighton, African, several attemps at the pendulum.. still not getting the range or it hurt to much, or I was casting wild (in all directions apart from were I want it to go). There must be something else I can try? or is there? Am I just pushing a non-starter? Thanks again Eddie, the hopeless caster

Hi All, Eddie here, a newbie to your site, but not to fishing I really need some advice, as I have a shoulder problem which has stopped me beach fishing for a few years, but I would like to get back in to it. I am 5'8", about 14stone (if that helps for the next bit), I have a Shakespear Long surf and a Penn Fixspool Beach reel loaded currently with 20lb 0.40dia line, and a 60lb Shock leader and a spare spool with 40lb braid straight through. I use 4 or 6 feathers with a 4 or 6oz lead. I have fished off Chesil Beach after mackie in the past, and I dearly want to do it again. But my casting isn't up to the job any more. Pendulem Casting is out, I am just not supple enough any more, so I have been doing an Over Head Cast (big Pit style) and getting worse about 40 - best about 60yrds but I think that is not far enough to get in to the schol as I only get the odd one or two mackie where others are getting 4+ most casts!!!! Now my question is what casting style do you think I should try/use? or do you feel perhaps a better rod/line/reel may even help get the extra yrds.. ? I am getting really frustrated that old age and injury has beaten me Thanks all Eddie