Casting your lead to the horizon

[prozac bass]

posted by tel:If your lead cracks off along the beach more often than not you are applying the power to early im afraid, but you probably know that ;0)

Gotta admit i am guilty of hitting it to hard too early on more than one occasion instead of using body rotation to compress the rod before the real power comes into play rather than just my shoulders.

I should have said a poorly excecuted pendulum cast and stand corrected...

[Big John 81 mc]

As a match angler i have to say that pendulum casting in matches should be banned.Now im gonnnna get flack from fellow match anglers but saety has to be the key issue here.I have been hit full in the shoulder from a cracked off pendulum from a peg 3 along from me and luckily ONLY had very bad bruising to my upper arm, i was wearinf several thick layers though.If it had been a head shot, i wouldnt be writing this now.There is absolutely no need to do this type of cast in a pegged match.I cast off the ground and can easily hit 170 yds with a clipped rig with bait and as has already been said, the fish are quite often at your feet.I have seen no end of juniors out catch "big hitters" and the casts going no more than 20-30 yds.I feel very strongly about this and at 6ft 4 and over 20 st im no woose but i wince at the sight of a pendulum being wound up anywhere near me.

[Big John 81 mc]

Here goes again, the main purpose of a cast is to get the bait out where you want it, AND in the condition it was in when putit on the hook.How many times have you seen a huge cast followed by a shower of ragworm etc?

And as i have my Victor Meldrew head on, why do so many pendulum casters on crowded beaches look around after the cast, you know, the " did you see that?" look.

Before anyone asks, yes, i can pendulum cast, but only when on a deserted beach.A well tuned reel, smooth action and a good pull punch at the end and you should be cookin on gas.

[prozac bass]

Couldn't agree with you more big john...pendulum casting should be banned from match fishing...Some people just don't seem to have any sence of consiquence when it comes to casting and we all need to take care and remember that there are other people on the beach trying to enjoy there fishing and the last thing they want is a lead missile wizzing past there nose...The largest majority of my fish are caught between 30 and 100 yards and not inxs 180.If distance is needed like you said a good otg cast will do the job just as well...tight lines