Casting hype

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Benny

I haven't read a mag for years so fill me in, when these writers are going on about casting methods, do they ever talk about safety?

 

I have never had casting lessons and to be honest at my age and shape any form of fancey casting is out. I cast over my right shoulder with a very slight body swivel and my right arm finishing at about 35 degrees pointing in the direction I want to cast. I am no big distant caster, with a 4oz lead on my local field using this basic method I can cast about 120 to 130 yrds on average. I stand at one end of the football pitch and that is how I measure the distance. I have been two or three times recently with my mag elite so that I can make a comfortable cast at night. I go mid week in the morning when I am on my own and that way I am not endangering any one else.

 

When I fish I always make sure if I am giving it my all that I am a safe distance from any one else. Thats never been a problem recently on 14kl of beach, with the tide out half a mile.

 

Saftey should be the first thing they write about.

[Guest jay_con]

I like your point sam about not having the confidence to fish close. Off at a bit of a tangent (again).

For years I used to wade as far into the water as poss and cast as far as poss. Finally ive learnt to drop a lead short if required, my catches have improved no end because of this. Ive taken cod from 10 yards in front of me. I now cast into the most rediculous of areas just to see what happens. I actually caught a cod last week in water that didnt even reach my knee (I Waded past where I caught it on my next cast).

One venue I fish I actually cast back towards the cliffs (work that one out).

 

Having said all of that I will be going for casting lessons again this summer, as there are times when a good cast could make all the difference. Just down the coast from us is scarborough, most of the anglers there are all amazing casters. In the majority of local open matches these lads come out on top.

[M.P]

Pendulum casting, Backcasting, OTG casting, all safer then houses IF you know what you are doing.

Having lessons is the surest way to knowing all the safety approaches to take, and what knots to tie etc etc.

Get it right, and on the right venues at the time it will catch you more fish.

[Jim Roper]

Someone, who used to set trammel nets off the beach in winter, reckoned he wanted to be able to cast a big bait 100yrds into a force 3 to catch cod at that particular place. That would have been the distance that the trammels were catching at the time, about 35 years ago now.

Everywhere is different!!!!!!!

[arthurcodsbody]

I can reasonably easily put a bait 130-170yrds but up here its not really needed deep rock marks mean usually a cast of about 50-80yrds does the trick, only a few days ago i was catching codling from 30yrds.

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Benny and all,

With 83 replies perhaps the mags have got it right.

 

If there is one thing you have to do it is cast whether it be long or short or somewhere in between.

 

I do indulge myself with tackle, I even built a new shed fully lined with lighting and a heater so that I can hide away and amuse myself when I am unable to fish.

 

The tackle was all purchased because I think it will do a job, not because some mag has said this is the bee's knees.

 

Like most past times from gardening to fast cars manufacturers are feeding our need to try and better what we did last time.

 

Fishing probably has more ifs, buts, and may be, than any other form of pass-time that's what makes us go out in types of weather to try again.

 

The major issue is to enjoy it safely.

[M.P]

Why do you read magazines :confused: IMHO they are for amusement only, not to be considered as anything else other then a guide to advertisements, taking the place of the yellow pages for phone numbers, and once you have one issue, you don't really need another.

 

Most, if not all you read, is about three months out of date, items such as reports on venues are either predicted from past results, never what happened last week or the week before, so when you get it, it's all history.

 

Trying to learn to cast from reading a book is a waste of time, you can learn far more with one simple lesson from a proper instructor in an hour, then you can from reading mags-books or looking at videos for months, and you still won't get it right, all you will do is get into bad habits and end up making the wrong moves. You can't beat one to one tuition.

 

A day trip to a tournament is all you need, from this you will find out everything you want to know or learn. What reels, what rods, what line etc are used. You will save loads of money by gaining the knowledge of what to buy, and get a chance to try out all types of rods.

 

Once you have been, it will open up a whole new approach to casting and fishing, and it makes a super day out, and a chance to meet some of the top, and best anglers around the UK, and other countries. All a good bunch of very friendly guys, also a few ladies. :cool:

[Guest jay_con]

170 with a bait arthur? you stretching the truth a little? or are you neil mckellow.

 

My casting instructer is a 280 yard man. With a bait he aint that far infront of everyone else.

[maximo]

170s nout im putting it wellover 200

in my dreams.

and as for the latest edition of beano,i mean sea angler.where was the article on golden grey mullet in wales there hasnt been one for at least 2 months.

[Ryan Lynch]

Guys, Im new to all this forum stuff and cant believe how much interest has been shown in this casting topic. Yes some anglers buy too much rod but some of the match style rods are worse than the power poles with a more progresive power build up, Power doesnt always need to be difficult to control. some of the very fast match rods are real pigs to cast so beware. As for the mags i think they are only supplying a demand. Not all the mags concentrait on casting distance, indeed SA have a number of well respected anglers doing their rod testing who are not tournament casters. 170 with bait is a big cast, its also difficult to get a true idea of distance over water. Other elements come into play so line level alone isnt a true indication of the distance cast. Im enjoying the banter lads. Regards Ryan