Casting Fishing
A fundamental element of many types of angling, casting is the act of throwing an object that is connected to a fishing rod via line. It is critical to some types of fishing but marginal or nonessential to others, and it may be enjoyed as a game or contest unto itself. The object cast is usually a lure or bait with hook(s), but it may be a hookless weighted object used for practice casts.
From an angling standpoint, the objective of casting is to present a lure or bait at some distance away from the caster’s position, and to place it where it will be attractive to the species sought. In many instances, anglers cast to specific habitats, or targets, where fish may be present, or to roaming fish that must be intercepted; in such cases, accuracy—and possibly distance—are vitally important. Often, however, anglers cast blindly, seeking fish whose presence or precise location is unverifiable; in such cases, accuracy may have little or no significance, and distance may or may not be a factor.
Casting is done at close range in some situations, and at great distances in others. Some forms of angling require repeated, or continuous, casting throughout the day, whereas others require occasional or moderate amounts of casting. The weight of the objects cast varies with the species sought, the tackle, and the circumstances; thus, anglers must be adaptable and possess tackle suited to the conditions.
With few exceptions, casting is not difficult, and in some cases it can be an art form. Although a basic component of angling, it is one that many anglers do not master fully. Yet mastery is virtually guaranteed to contribute to success, if not greater enjoyment of sportfishing. In fact, many anglers prefer types of fishing that involve casting, especially those that require skillful casting (that is, accurate placement), because it is a measure of overall proficiency and an enjoyable activity in itself.
Two diametrically opposed principles govern casting. One requires the use of a weighted line to cast a nearly weightless object. This is the principle involved in fly fishing; a fly line carries a fly or flylike object that is virtually weightless although not necessarily small or wind-resistant. This is a specifically focused activity that is detailed in the entry on flycasting tackle (see).
Arguably 90 percent of all sportfishing activity does not involve fly fishing; instead, a light or virtually weightless line is used to cast a weighted object. The weight of the object cast varies, but it is the terminal weight that carries the line forward or backward. This form of casting will be discussed in detail here—including the use of spincasting, spinning, and baitcasting tackle—although specialized forms of casting such as flipping (see) and pitching (see) are reviewed elsewhere.
Contents[hide] |
Becoming Proficient
The majority of casters use spinning tackle (see) and spincasting tackle (see), and a significant number use baitcasting tackle (see). A few use conventional tackle (see). For the most part, casting requires placing a lure or bait at a moderate distance, generally from 30 to 60 feet in freshwater. It does require some competency to cast unerringly, particularly when circumstances are problematic—for example, when the wind is blowing, the boat is turning, or the current is changing your position. Often, and especially when lures are used, proficiency is necessary because the first cast made to a targeted location is most critical to success.
Many people do not take the time to fully master their equipment. As a result, they are able to cast well enough to get a lure or bait into the water, but not well enough to put it where they want it whenever necessary. This is never more obvious than when two people are together in a situation that demands the ability to put a lure in a specific spot. The one who can catches the fish; the one who cannot lags far behind. In some angling situations, this means not just being able to get your lures close to where you want them to go; it means pinpoint placement. Often, species of fish that live or forage in heavy cover—largemouth bass, peacock bass, and snook are examples—will not chase a lure that doesn’t land in its dining area. Placing a lure or bait at the dining room door is often not close enough. Therefore, obtaining accuracy is a main element of casting proficiency.
Practice
Accurate casting is a function of experience. For most anglers, especially those who are new to fishing or to using a particular type of tackle, achieving proficiency, and especially accuracy, is derived from practice. Ironically, although casting is obviously important to many types of fishing, few anglers practice.
People accept practice as a part of almost every kind of participatory recreation, but few seem to relate the concept of practice to casting, with the exception of fly anglers. Yet, improving casting accuracy with spinning, spincasting, and baitcasting tackle through practice is essential to increasing success. Nothing can be done about many things that influence angling success, especially such variables as air temperature, wind direction, wind velocity, and water temperature, yet you can control your ability to put a lure on target by using quality, balanced equipment and by practicing. Beginners especially should not wait until they go fishing to learn to cast but should practice before they get near the water. Casting at targets in your yard or in a neighborhood park is good for everyone.
Targets
The best targets to start with are brightly colored plastic hoops or children’s wading pools. They stand out well on yard grass and are about the right size. When you’re learning to cast, you should set a pair of these out at 25 and 30 feet. Don’t try to throw a foot farther until you can hit these targets consistently. You’ll hit them often enough not to be totally frustrated, and you’ll also be surprised how often you miss. Forget about distance and concentrate on accuracy. Resist the trap that most casting beginners fall into: putting a choke hold on their rod and winding up as if they were in the Olympic hammer-throwing competition. The objective is not to see how far you can cast.
Concentrating on accuracy is extremely important in the learning process. Physical strength has little to do with good casting. What does count is developing timing and coordination through practice. If you concentrate on accuracy until you’re hitting those targets 8 times out of 10, then greater distance will come as a fringe benefit. If you do it the other way, by putting the emphasis on distance, you’ll be in trouble from the beginning.
Casting weights
Practicing in the yard must be done with hookless objects known as casting weights or casting plugs. These are available in several sizes and in round or flat-sided versions, although they’re not always easy to come by. Manufacturers should include them with their merchandise to foster practice, but none do. Some tackle shops don’t carry them, although they might be able to order them. You may have to order them from a catalog merchant, and you may not have a choice of versions. It may be difficult to find the heavier weights (like the 5/8-ounce size, which are better for baitcasting).
If you have a choice, flat versions are preferable to round for yard casting. On a hard surface the flat-sided weight is retrieved without much line twist. That’s not true of the round type, which roll and spin and can cause twisted line. You don’t need that, especially when learning.
If you practice much, the line tie at the end of your casting weight will eventually wear out and break. To repair this, get a small screw eye, like those used for hook hangers on lures, and screw it into the head of the plastic casting weight. If you’re not successful in finding flat-sided 5/8-ounce casting weights (or others for that matter), you can make them yourself by hollowing out the base of a 3/8-ounce casting weight, adding sufficient lead shot, and covering the hole with epoxy.
Weight size varies with the tackle used. Once you’ve gotten some confidence by practicing at the learning distances, try using more targets and setting them at varied ranges. In actual fishing, you will be making one cast to an object that is 20 feet away, then to one that is 50 feet away, and then to another that is 35 feet away, perhaps from the same shore or boat position, with each cast separated by only a few seconds. You must be accurate at all distances at any given time, so position the targets at varied ranges. You might make a game of it, awarding yourself points for successful casts and setting some point goals, or you might cast with a companion in a friendly competition. Also try to make the targets more challenging as well. They might be plates, cups, tires, and the like. Finally, by changing the weight of the practice plugs, you can make the activity completely different. Not every lure cast will be the same weight nor, for that matter, as aerodynamic as a practice plug.
Spincasting
The spincasting reel is enormously popular because of its ease of use. No better reel exists for the child or adult who wants to enjoy fishing without working too hard at learning how to cast. Although it is fairly easy to cast a country mile with a spincasting reel, it is unfortunately the most difficult reel with which to learn accuracy unless you know the right technique. The problem centers around the pushbutton line-release device.
To operate a spincasting reel, you must depress the pushbutton and hold it in until you’re ready for the casting plug to fly out. Many people unfortunately think they must press that button in again to stop the plug; even some manufacturer’s manuals recommend this practice. As you’ll discover the first time you try it, if you depress the pushbutton while the casting plug is airborne, the plug stops with a jerk and lurches back several feet. But if you don’t stop the plug somehow, it flies too far and winds up in the brush or nearest tree, and if you’ve put much power into the cast while fishing, when you clamp down on the pushbutton again, the lure (and hooks) may come hurtling back at you. That could hurt.
To avoid this and thereby cast accurately, use the forefinger on your noncasting hand (the left forefinger for most people) to control the line.
Casting with a spincasting reel is essentially accomplished by pressing the pushbutton with your thumb (or the trigger with your forefinger) and holding it throughout the backcast, then releasing it at the optimum point of rod flex during the forward motion of the cast. When the button is released, line flows off the spool, through the opening in the reel cover, and out through the guides, carried by the weight of the object at the terminal end of the line.
Before making a cast, you should set the drag to the proper amount of tension (this is most critical) and adjust the position of the plug at the rod tip. The plug (or lure or bait, when fishing rather than practicing) should hang a few inches below the rod tip. You can get it to this position by reeling in the line until the lure is a few inches from the tip guide; if the reel is right at the tip, then pull a few inches of line off the reel drag, which will cause the lure to hang a few inches below the tip.
If you’re right-handed, place the rod and reel in the palm of your left hand so that the handle of the reel is up and facing you. Extend the left forefinger to trap the line against the opening of the spool. Depress the pushbutton with your right thumb and point the rod tip at your intended target. Lift the rod back toward you swiftly, using your wrist and forearm (not the whole arm), and allowing the weight of the plug to flex the rod. In a continuous and unhesitating motion, and still using the wrist and forearm, bring the rod forward in an acceler-ated motion. Release the line and the pushbutton at the same instant during the forward stroke to cast the plug toward the target. While the casting plug is in the air, the line should flow across the tip of your left forefinger. To put the plug right where you want it, increase upward pressure with the left forefinger. With a bit of practice you will learn at what exact point in the forward stroke to release the line and the pushbutton, which is a major element in attaining the proper trajectory for accurate placement. Casting is the same for left-handed anglers, although hand positions are reversed.
Although these instructions belabor the act of casting, it is really a simple technique that almost anybody can master quickly. You’ll quickly learn to feather the line with your left forefinger so that the plug drops right where you want it. Although spincasting does involve the use of both hands, your right hand still executes the casting stroke. The only function of the left hand is to get your left forefinger out where it needs to be to control the line. (Again, this text assumes a right-handed angler.)
When you are learning, and whenever striving for accuracy, get the rod and reel out in front of your body with both hands and make the rod follow an imaginary line from your nose to the target. Remember that the most important single phase of the spincasting technique is to have the line flowing over your forefinger while the plug is in the air. Once you get the feel for the control you have over the lure by simply lifting the forefinger slightly up against the line, you’re on the way to accurate casting.
Proper casting, of course, is made easier with equipment of good quality. Some spincasting reels are junk. No one, especially a young beginner, can learn good casting with worthless equipment. Excellent spincasting reels are available in different sizes, and they come prespooled with line of appropriate strength. For beginners, a smaller size filled with 8- or 10-pound line is fine for starters. A smaller reel is easier for youngsters as well as for adults with small hands, to use in two-handed casting. It will be much easier to grip, and it lets them get their left forefinger out where it needs to be to achieve casting accuracy.
As for casting weight, use 3/8 ounce. You can also use a 1/4-ounce version, but a 3/8-ounce weight is easier to work with, especially in the beginning. A 6-foot light or medium-light action rod is a good choice for use with spincasting reels, but it may be too large for youngsters. Choose a shorter one accordingly. Spincasting rods with an offset handle used to be common but aren’t now, so you’ll probably have to use a straight-handled rod. The reel sits up higher on such a rod and is not as easy to grip as it is on a rod with an offset handle, which places the reel lower in the seat. This is especially true with a larger reel. An offset handle is helpful when you use the two-handed technique, but you can manage otherwise.
Spinning
Spinning tackle started out as equipment for casting lightweight objects and for light angling applications. Today its foremost use is still in this area, although spinning gear that spans nearly all angling applications is available. Nevertheless, most casting with this equipment involves tackle on the lighter end of the spectrum, and tossing objects that weigh less than a half ounce (and in many freshwater applications at least half of that). Proper casting with spinning gear, especially when accuracy is required, involves more than just heaving. Although spinning tackle is easy to use, many people exhibit poor form when casting, especially inexperienced anglers. It is common to see many casters hold a spinning rod behind them and then throw their lure or bait forward, as if they were tossing a javelin or operating a catapult. It’s not pretty, it’s not effective for distance or accuracy, it may be dangerous to yourself or companions, and it can be a detriment to angling success. Effective casting starts with learning the basics properly.
One of the criticisms of spinning tackle, especially from freshwater bass anglers, is a lack of accuracy when fishing in tight quarters or when pinpoint accuracy in heavy cover is essential. If you have ever seen master casters exhibit their abilities at sport shows, you know that it’s possible to be as accurate with spinning gear as with any other tackle; accuracy may not be as easy, but it is possible. As with all casting equipment, accuracy with spinning tackle requires that you stay in touch with your line while the practice weight is in the air. Spinning reel users usually do this by dropping the right forefinger to feather the line as it comes off the spool, which is moderately, but not superbly, effective, even in the hands of experts. There are other techniques you can utilize, and they will be described shortly.
Another criticism of spinning tackle is its tendency to produce twisted line or loose coils or loops on the spool. These will certainly adversely affect casting distance and accuracy. Line twist and how to avoid it are discussed in detail elsewhere (see: line; spinning tackle). Recommendations for eliminating spool loops are given there.
Be attentive to the level of line on your spinning reel spool, especially when filling it up. Overfilling is a common mistake, and it contributes to loops and errant coils that lead to tangles and that hinder casting. Having too little line is better than too much when you are spinning, although you reach a point where too little line can impede achieving distance.
As with other kinds of equipment, every minute you spend practicing pays dividends when the time to fish actually comes. Practicing absolutely leads to increased fishing success. When practicing with spinning tackle, use 1/4-ounce casting weights to start, and rods loaded with 6- or 8-pound-test line. You can change tackle components as your skills sharpen.
Basic casting technique
The basic method of casting with spinning equipment involves the following steps: Begin with the reel under the handle and facing away from you. Adjust the drag to the proper tension level. Hang the casting weight (or lure or bait when fishing) from 3 to 6 inches below the tip of the rod, and turn the handle to bring the bail roller close to the reel stem. If the weight is not in this position, reel it up to the tip and strip line off the reel by pulling on the line above the reel. Pull just enough line off the spool that the weight is the right distance below the rod tip, while at the same time bringing the bail roller close to the reel stem and extended index finger. The bail roller must be properly positioned to allow the finger to easily grab the line and to touch the lip of the spool.
To open the bail manually, grab the line at the roller with the tip of your forefinger and flip up the bail with your other hand. To open the bail automatically, depending on the reel, either extend your forefinger over the roller and grab both the line and the trigger, or simply grab the trigger.
Keep tension on the line with your finger; the tension will be released at the optimum point of rod flex in the forward motion of the cast. When this tension is released, line flows off the spool and out through the guides, carried by the weight of the object at the terminal end of the line.
To execute the cast, the reel should face away from you and you should be looking at the back of your hand. Point the rod tip at and slightly above your intended target. When you are learning, and whenever you’re striving for accuracy, get the rod and reel out in front of your body and make the rod follow an imaginary line from your nose to the target. Bring the rod back sharply, using your wrist and forearm (not the whole arm) and allowing the weight of the lure to flex the rod. In a continuous and unhesitating motion, and still using the wrist and forearm, bring the rod forward in an accelerated motion, releasing the line with your forefinger during the forward stroke when the rod tip is pointing above the target.
The degree of flex in the rod will depend on the rod design and material; pure graphite rods require only a short hammering type of stroke, whereas more-parabolic composite or fiberglass rods require a back-and-forth motion. With a bit of practice, you’ll learn what adjustment to make for the rod action as well as for different lure weights, and you’ll learn at exactly what point in the forward stroke to release the line, which is a major element in attaining the proper trajectory for accurate placement. If the lure goes too high in the air, the line was released prematurely; if the lure lands a short distance in front of you, the line was released too late. It shouldn’t take long to get the hang of it, which is one of the benefits of using this type of tackle.
The released line can be moderately controlled during a cast by allowing it to brush against an extended index finger from the rod-holding hand; the finger should be held near the spool lip. This is called feathering and is the most common method of controlling line that is cast from a spinning reel, although it is only moderately effective at achieving accuracy.
Better accuracy can be obtained by allowing the outgoing line to brush against the forefinger of the noncasting hand, although the open bail wire may make this difficult. To do this, the front of the reel has to be in the palm of the other (usually left) hand; extend the left forefinger out and press it against the lip of the reel’s spool, keeping it there during the casting motions. When the cast is made and the weight released, keep the left hand in place and control the line by applying slight pressure on it with the left forefinger. This method puts your left forefinger on top of your line as it peels off the spool during the cast.
On some reels, the location of the open bail arm makes this two-handed method of line control a little difficult, but it can nevertheless be done. An improvement is removing the bail arm, as described later.
In lieu of feathering the line in either of these manners, many spinning reel users simply stop the cast altogether either by pressing the extended index finger against the spool, by closing the bail, or waiting for the end of forward momentum when the lure or weight reaches its target. Abruptly pressing a finger against the spool and closing the bail may cause the plug to stop abruptly and even lurch back toward you; allowing the lure to stop when it loses its own momentum is suitable only for open-water situations and cannot be used when obstructions are present or when pinpoint accuracy is necessary. These acts are not conducive to pinpoint casting, although they may be acceptable in situations where exact placement of a lure or bait isn’t required.
Several options to the basic casting motion need to be pointed out. Although casting is often accomplished with one hand holding the rod and making the backward and forward motions, many people find it more comfortable and more secure to use two hands on the rod; they are able to attain greater distance and/or straight-line casts by using two hands. Two-handed casts are made by placing the secondary hand on the lower part of the rod handle and using both forearms and wrists to execute the proper motions; the secondary hand can be released from the rod while the casting weight is airborne, and moved up to the reel if desired. Many anglers use two hands for nearly all casting with spinning rods; when using large tackle and heavy lures, it is virtually mandatory.
Lowering your casting weight, lure, or bait a short distance below the rod tip is a necessary component of casting, but exactly how far is variable. You can put it too far or not far enough. This depends to some extent on the rod you’re using as well as the weight of the object being cast. When using spinning gear, leave a longer drop from rod tip to practice plug than you would with a baitcasting outfit; timing on the cast seems to work out better if you do. Usually, the lighter the object you’re casting, the longer drop you’ll want between it and the rod tip. Practice will determine what works best for you. Try letting out different amounts of line between your rod tip and the plug. When you find out what you like best, stick with it.
An alternative to releasing the line with your forefinger after you’ve opened the bail is simply to drop the forefinger straight down to trap the line against the side of the reel’s spool. When you cast, release finger pressure; then use the same forefinger to feather the line while the plug is in the air.
Line loops that form on reel spools often occur because of slack line that is momentarily present after a cast. To minimize slack line, don’t crank the handle right away after a cast. Instead, reach out and manually close the bail arm with your left hand; then grab the line ahead of the bail roller with your left hand and pull off a few inches. Raise your rod tip at the same time. If you discipline yourself to do this after each cast, you’ll eliminate a lot of problems; however, this technique obviously is not applicable in situations where you must begin retrieving the instant that your lure hits the water.
No-bail casting
To stay in touch with your line and improve accuracy while casting lightweight lures, consider removing the bail wire and learning to control the line with the forefinger of your noncasting hand, which then has unobstructed access to the reel and line.
The bail arm on a spinning reel is not an absolute necessity; in fact, early models did not have them, and many surf casters remove the bail arms on their reels to avoid malfunctions. The bail arm does nothing that your fingers can’t do as well or better if you invest some time in training them.
Removing the bail arm gives you better control of your line by making it easier for your noncasting hand to access and feather the line for accuracy. Removal also eliminates many of the difficulties associated with spinning tackle, the most significant of which is the loop of line that forms occasionally on the spinning reel spool when you’re using a bail. When you have a loop on the spool but don’t realize it’s there, the next cast will often result in a gob of line jamming up between the reel and the first guide of the rod. You’ll lose time and patience untangling it, and you may have to cut the line. Since the bail contributes to the formation of that loop, you nearly eliminate that problem with a bail-free spinning reel.
When you take off the bail arm, leave the line roller in place, because the line roller is necessary for winding line on the spool. On some reels, the line roller and bail arm are integral and cannot be separated, in which case you cannot detach the bail arm without also removing the line roller.
To cast with a bail-less spinning reel, and assuming that you are right-handed, begin by holding the rod and reel with your right hand and palming the reel in your left hand. Extend your left forefinger and press it against the lip of the reel’s spool. Flip the line off the line roller with your right forefinger; then trap the line against the front of the reel spool with your left forefinger.
Keep pressure on the spool while both of your hands raise the rod and flex it into motion. On the forward stroke, release the line with your left forefinger, keeping the left hand in place so that the forefinger can control the outflowing line as necessary.
Every second that the practice weight is in the air—and this is the real key to accuracy with a spinning reel—you must control the weight by applying slight pressure on the line with that left forefinger. This method puts your left forefinger on top of the line as it peels off the spool during the cast. The line is under your forefinger just as the line is under your thumb when using a baitcasting reel. If you practice this enough, you’ll find that you can achieve a degree of accuracy with a spinning reel that comes close to the hallmark accuracy of baitcasting equipment.
Since the reel no longer has a bail that automatically picks up the line and directs it to the line roller, you must use your finger to put the line on the line roller. Once the cast is complete, simply reach down with your right forefinger and catch the line that is above the reel. Pull it up against the base of your rod and slightly back toward your body, then cradle it in the line roller as it comes around when you turn the reel’s handle.
As you can see, in this procedure your fingers have simply replaced the bail. If you train them properly, they will work as well or better than the bail arm. Once you get the hang of this procedure, you won’t even have to glance down to do it. It becomes almost automatic, and is accomplished in half a heartbeat. Always remember to pull up the line against the base of the rod with your right forefinger and slightly back toward your body before you crank.
It helps when using this method to raise your rod tip and put tension on the line as you get the line back on the spool. That little bit of tension helps prevent a spool loop from forming.
Baitcasting
Baitcasting tackle has a Jekyll and Hyde reputation. On one hand, it shines at providing accuracy, particularly where anglers need pinpoint lure placement; on the other hand, it gets rapped for being difficult to learn, being prone to spool overruns that produce horrible line snarls known as backlashes, and not being useful for casting lightweight objects. Some anglers still have a love-it or hate-it attitude toward baitcasting (also commonly referred to as levelwind tackle), despite the fact that the modern equipment has vastly improved.
Like all forms of tackle, baitcasting gear is a tool, and one that has an important place in angling. It is true that a person who has never used a baitcasting reel cannot pick one up and become an accurate or effective caster in a few minutes. However, if the rod and reel are of good quality and set up properly, and if a new user follows proper instructions and is willing to practice, he or she will soon be reasonably accomplished. Furthermore, that angler will be on the path to great proficiency as well as successful fishing with a form of tackle that is often preferable to spinning or spincasting.
Although baitcasting tackle is available for a range of fishing applications, its foremost use is in casting objects that weigh upward of 3/8 ounce. Largemouth bass anglers, for whom baitcasting tackle is the preferred equipment choice, routinely cast lures weighing from 3/8 to 5/8 ounce, and some anglers use baitcasting gear for tossing lures and bait that weigh up to 2 ounces. Obviously, different models of rods and reels accommodate different applications, but effective casting, whether for distance or accuracy, always involves proper technique.
Baitcasting reels are noted for accuracy because they feature revolving spools that can be controlled constantly by the user’s thumb. They are considered problematic because learning to apply appropriate thumb pressure to the spool in order to control it takes practice, and failure to control the spool produces an annoying overrun. To simplify casting, reel manufacturers have developed braking devices that apply tension to spools to prevent, or at least minimize, overruns, although not all reels have them and not everyone is benefited by them. Users must learn to cast without the aid of these devices so that they will be able to use any type of baitcasting reel under any circumstance.
Practicing with baitcasting tackle is as important, or more so, than with other gear, and practice does lead to increased fishing success. When practicing with baitcasting equipment in a yard or park, use a heavier weight than you would with other gear; a 5/8-ounce weight is best for new users and helps achieve a feel for the game. You can practice with lighter weights after you’ve achieved a comfortable level of proficiency. Eventually you should practice with different casting weights because you’ll be using a range of lure weights on the water, often switching between them.
No matter what you cast, you need good-quality equipment capable of doing the job. For beginners, a 51/2- to 6-foot graphite rod of medium-light or light action is a good choice, accompanied by a reel spooled with 12-pound line. For a starting setup, avoid an overly large or heavy reel as well as a stiffer rod. This setup should provide a semblance of the balance needed when beginning to practice. Later you’ll want different equipment for various fishing applications, but for learning, this is the best type of outfit.
The easiest line to cast with a baitcasting reel is the braided variety, because it is supple and lays nicely on the reel spool. But, if you aren’t going to use braided line for your actual fishing—and the majority of people do not—then you might as well learn with the lines you’ll actually be fishing with on the water. Many of the top-quality nylon monofilament lines available today have excellent casting qualities. Avoid bargain basement line, and seek a product that is reasonably limp and not overly elastic (see: line). When you put line on the spool, don’t overfill it; overfilling can cause loose wraps that might catch each other. Don’t underfill it either, because underfilling can adversely affect distance. If the ends of the spool have markers showing the maximum line capacity, put on enough line to stay even or slightly below them. Don’t reel on so much that you cover up the markers.
Basic casting technique
The basic method of casting with spinning equipment involves the following steps: Begin with the reel under the handle and facing away from you. Adjust the drag to the proper tension level. Hang the casting weight (or lure or bait when fishing) from 3 to 6 inches below the tip of the rod, and turn the handle to bring the bail roller close to the reel stem. If the weight is not in this position, reel it up to the tip and strip line off the reel by pulling on the line above the reel. Pull just enough line off the spool that the weight is the right distance below the rod tip, while at the same time bringing the bail roller close to the reel stem and extended index finger. The bail roller must be properly positioned to allow the finger to easily grab the line and to touch the lip of the spool.
To open the bail manually, grab the line at the roller with the tip of your forefinger and flip up the bail with your other hand. To open the bail automatically, depending on the reel, either extend your forefinger over the roller and grab both the line and the trigger, or simply grab the trigger.
Keep tension on the line with your finger; the tension will be released at the optimum point of rod flex in the forward motion of the cast. When this tension is released, line flows off the spool and out through the guides, carried by the weight of the object at the terminal end of the line.
To execute the cast, the reel should face away from you and you should be looking at the back of your hand. Point the rod tip at and slightly above your intended target. When you are learning, and whenever you’re striving for accuracy, get the rod and reel out in front of your body and make the rod follow an imaginary line from your nose to the target. Bring the rod back sharply, using your wrist and forearm (not the whole arm) and allowing the weight of the lure to flex the rod. In a continuous and unhesitating motion, and still using the wrist and forearm, bring the rod forward in an accelerated motion, releasing the line with your forefinger during the forward stroke when the rod tip is pointing above the target.
The degree of flex in the rod will depend on the rod design and material; pure graphite rods require only a short hammering type of stroke, whereas more-parabolic composite or fiberglass rods require a back-and-forth motion. With a bit of practice, you’ll learn what adjustment to make for the rod action as well as for different lure weights, and you’ll learn at exactly what point in the forward stroke to release the line, which is a major element in attaining the proper trajectory for accurate placement. If the lure goes too high in the air, the line was released prematurely; if the lure lands a short distance in front of you, the line was released too late. It shouldn’t take long to get the hang of it, which is one of the benefits of using this type of tackle.
The released line can be moderately controlled during a cast by allowing it to brush against an extended index finger from the rod-holding hand; the finger should be held near the spool lip. This is called feathering and is the most common method of controlling line that is cast from a spinning reel, although it is only moderately effective at achieving accuracy.
Better accuracy can be obtained by allowing the outgoing line to brush against the forefinger of the noncasting hand, although the open bail wire may make this difficult. To do this, the front of the reel has to be in the palm of the other (usually left) hand; extend the left forefinger out and press it against the lip of the reel’s spool, keeping it there during the casting motions. When the cast is made and the weight released, keep the left hand in place and control the line by applying slight pressure on it with the left forefinger. This method puts your left forefinger on top of your line as it peels off the spool during the cast.
On some reels, the location of the open bail arm makes this two-handed method of line control a little difficult, but it can nevertheless be done. An improvement is removing the bail arm, as described later.
In lieu of feathering the line in either of these manners, many spinning reel users simply stop the cast altogether either by pressing the extended index finger against the spool, by closing the bail, or waiting for the end of forward momentum when the lure or weight reaches its target. Abruptly pressing a finger against the spool and closing the bail may cause the plug to stop abruptly and even lurch back toward you; allowing the lure to stop when it loses its own momentum is suitable only for open-water situations and cannot be used when obstructions are present or when pinpoint accuracy is necessary. These acts are not conducive to pinpoint casting, although they may be acceptable in situations where exact placement of a lure or bait isn’t required.
Several options to the basic casting motion need to be pointed out. Although casting is often accomplished with one hand holding the rod and making the backward and forward motions, many people find it more comfortable and more secure to use two hands on the rod; they are able to attain greater distance and/or straight-line casts by using two hands. Two-handed casts are made by placing the secondary hand on the lower part of the rod handle and using both forearms and wrists to execute the proper motions; the secondary hand can be released from the rod while the casting weight is airborne, and moved up to the reel if desired. Many anglers use two hands for nearly all casting with spinning rods; when using large tackle and heavy lures, it is virtually mandatory.
Lowering your casting weight, lure, or bait a short distance below the rod tip is a necessary component of casting, but exactly how far is variable. You can put it too far or not far enough. This depends to some extent on the rod you’re using as well as the weight of the object being cast. When using spinning gear, leave a longer drop from rod tip to practice plug than you would with a baitcasting outfit; timing on the cast seems to work out better if you do. Usually, the lighter the object you’re casting, the longer drop you’ll want between it and the rod tip. Practice will determine what works best for you. Try letting out different amounts of line between your rod tip and the plug. When you find out what you like best, stick with it.
An alternative to releasing the line with your forefinger after you’ve opened the bail is simply to drop the forefinger straight down to trap the line against the side of the reel’s spool. When you cast, release finger pressure; then use the same forefinger to feather the line while the plug is in the air.
Line loops that form on reel spools often occur because of slack line that is momentarily present after a cast. To minimize slack line, don’t crank the handle right away after a cast. Instead, reach out and manually close the bail arm with your left hand; then grab the line ahead of the bail roller with your left hand and pull off a few inches. Raise your rod tip at the same time. If you discipline yourself to do this after each cast, you’ll eliminate a lot of problems; however, this technique obviously is not applicable in situations where you must begin retrieving the instant that your lure hits the water.
Tension controls
Preventing an overrun by screwing down every tension control device on your baitcasting reel is indeed possible, but it is not a good idea, even for beginners. The key to becoming proficient and really accurate with baitcasting reels is to practice. Timing, coordination, and a trained thumb are developed through practice. Don’t depend on mechanical features to eliminate your backlashes.
The best exhibition casters, who are able to unerringly put a casting weight into a cup at 40 feet by using a baitcasting outfit, find it unnecessary to use the magnetic antibacklash device or spool tension adjustment. They set the magnetic tension at or near zero and the spool tension so loose they can feel the slightest side-to-side movement in the spool if they use their thumb to push it back and forth. This kind of free-wheeling allows a baitcasting reel to perform at its best and enables accuracy with minimum effort—provided you practice.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use these controls at all as you learn. Read what the manufacturer has to say about tension controls in the manual supplied with the reel. But no matter what the best of these reels promises, realize that you will lose casting efficiency when you rely entirely on those controls.
Most reel manufacturers suggest setting your controls so that a casting weight drops slowly when you take your thumb off the spool, and the spool stops turning as soon as the casting weight hits the ground. This technique is all right for starters, but strive to train your thumb so you can depend on it to control the spool.
First spooling
The following advice about putting on line arose from difficulties that were posed by baitcasting reels with V-shaped and semi-V-shaped spools. However, this advice has proven useful with all baitcasting reels and is an aid to effective casting, especially for people who are new to this equipment. Instead of putting new line on the reel by using the levelwind mechanism to guide the line back and forth, bypass the levelwind, tie the line onto the spool, and then carefully guide it onto the spool with your fingers as you reel. After you’ve filled the reel, run the terminal end of the line back out through the levelwind guide. You still use the levelwind guide when casting and retrieving; you just don’t use it when you first fill the spool with line.
By doing this, you avoid a buildup of line along the sides, or edges, of the spool. Such a buildup leads to loops of loose line at the end of a cast, no matter how careful you are in thumbing the spool. Those loops will cut down on your efficiency and may cause a snarl or backlash. If you put on the line in a way that avoids edge buildup, you can minimize the likelihood of this happening.
Types of Casts
The basic casting information provided here for spincasting, spinning, and baitcasting tackle applies to all types of casts. The example used is the most common and straightforward situation, known as the overhead cast or the straight-ahead cast because the rod tip is raised vertically and the line is projected directly in front of the caster, whose eyes pick up the flight of the line and the cast object immediately. There are many situations, however, when it is not possible, or beneficial, to cast in this manner, either because of the nature of the cover in which some species are found or because of the necessity for accurate lure placement. Such situations give rise to a side cast, underhand cast, lob cast, and flip cast, which will be discussed shortly, and to such specialized procedures as flipping (see), pitching (see), and making bounce casts (see), which are detailed separately because they are more involved.
To recap the overhead cast, the wrist and forearm do all the work, using the top section of the rod for thrust. The cast begins with the rod low and pointed at the target. The rod is brought up crisply to a point slightly beyond vertical position, where flex in the rod tip will carry it back; then, without hesitation, the forward motion is started sharply, the lure being released halfway between the rod’s vertical and horizontal positions. The entire casting action is a smooth, flowing motion; you are doing more than just hauling back and heaving.
The side cast, or sidearm cast, uses essentially the same motion as the overhead cast, except that it features horizontal movement. It begins with the rod low and pointed slightly outward. The wrist and forearm are used to flex the top section of the rod back and then forward, releasing the line just before the rod tip is pointed at its target, and following through with the forward motion after line release in order to bring the rod in front of you.
Getting the timing down, especially the proper moment to release the line, is a little more difficult and requires some practice, as does achieving accuracy, and accuracy is affected by the fact that the line, lure, and rod are not immediately aligned with the caster’s eye and the lure is not as quickly picked up as it heads toward its target, although it does have a much lower trajectory than the overhead cast.
You can modify the conventional side cast into a side lob cast by starting with the rod tip pointed low toward the water and raising up the tip on the forward motion; this action raises the trajectory but produces a soft landing, which is good for shallow water. The same thing can be achieved by reaching across your body and sending the lure out with a backhand motion.
The conventional side cast is advantageous when overhead cover (like an overhanging tree limb) has to be avoided, or when there is a lot of wind; keeping the line and lure low to the water minimizes drifting off course and is a good way to deal with a blow. This cast is not very effective when distance has to be achieved, and it can be dangerous if performed next to another angler in a small boat, so you must be mindful of the position of your companions at all times.
To make an underhand cast, hold the rod waist-high, angled halfway between vertical and horizontal positions and pointed at the target. The rod must be flexed up, then down, then up again to gain momentum for the lure through the flex of the rod; on the second upward flex, the line is released.
This cast has very little arm movement but plenty of wrist action and can be useful when other casting motions are severely restricted. Many rods, how-ever, are too stiff to permit this kind of casting.
The flip cast is another cast used in special situations. Employed in tight quarters or for short ranges, the flip cast is a cross between the sidearm and underhand casts (different from flipping). It starts with the rod horizontal to your side, but you bring it backward only a short distance and then make a loop with the tip so that the tip springs around in a 270-degree arc and flips the lure straight out and low. This cast is used for short-distance (under 20 feet) work in areas where you can’t bring your rod up or back for a conventional cast. It is a very efficient and very accurate cast when mastered but is almost impossible to accomplish while sitting down in a boat.
Another cast is the bow-and-arrow cast, which is a short-distance cast used with a limber rod in tight quarters. In this cast, you hold a lure by its rear hook in one hand and simultaneously release the hook and line from a freespooled reel. This cast is rarely used in actual angling situations, since many rods, especially graphite baitcasters, are not limber enough for it, and a flip cast will do just as well. Obviously you have to be careful about holding the hooks if you try this cast.
Casting Distance Issues
What angler, seeing a fish rise or break water just out of normal casting range, hasn’t reached back and heaved a lure that extra distance to get the offering closer to the quarry? What person hasn’t tossed a lure farther than normal to avoid spooking wary fish? What angler, caught up in the flow of casting and intrigued with testing his or her skills, hasn’t “let one fly,” especially downwind?
In football, a quarterback is said to “air it out” when he makes an extremely long pass. A long pass usually doesn’t occur play after play in a game. However, a lot of anglers do “air out” their casts routinely. Unlike the quarterback, whose job is over when the ball leaves his fingertips, the angler has much to do until the lure or bait being cast returns to the tip of the rod. The distance of the cast has a substantial impact on fishing efforts.
Although surf anglers and people fishing in special situations, like casting to schooling (see) fish, have always had to make long casts, in recent decades the emphasis on achieving distance in casting, especially with the use of spinning, spincasting, and baitcasting tackle, has increased.
One reason is that most tackle manufacturers tout products whose chief virtue is achievement of distance. This claim is especially prevalent in spinning reels where spool design, line-wrapping systems, and spool rim materials have been modified to make it easier for line to flow off the spool. Rods, too, have had more attention with respect to enhancing distance, particularly guides and products that are part of a matched system. Baitcasting rod manufacturers started producing longer models for ordinary fishing years ago, mostly at the prompting of bass anglers, partially because longer rods help anglers cast greater distances.
The burgeoning of thin-diameter/conventional-strength lines as well as high-tech microfilaments (see: line) has intertwined with the distance-casting game. Better-quality lines have proven to be slick, limp, and eminently castable, and they improve ability to achieve distance.
Another, but lesser, factor, was an emergence of truly deep-diving plugs for freshwater fishing. To take advantage of the diving capabilities of these plugs, anglers must make long casts so that the lures run at the desired depths for the greatest amount of time possible in a cast-and-retrieve circumstance (this dovetails with longer rods). Thin-diameter lines allow lures to dive even deeper; combined with long rods and improvements in reels, they help the caster toss a lure almost as far as a quarterback can throw a football. And that’s a long way.
So, casting a great distance with all forms of casting tackle except fly gear is now easier to accomplish than ever. But is it necessary? There is no correct answer; fishing success is influenced by too many different variables and situations/waters/lures/etc. Many anglers tend to think only in terms of the main advantages to casting greater distances: getting lures to fish they wouldn’t have reached otherwise and covering more ground than otherwise possible to attract more fish.
Long casts are of course achievable, though perhaps not necessary. With some species of freshwater fish, and in some types of water, seldom do anglers need to cast great distances. Most walleye, largemouth bass, pike, and panfish anglers, for example, do not need to routinely make long casts because of the nature of the fish, the cover they inhabit, and the fishing techniques used.
The clarity of the water is one criterion for distance. Generally, fish in clear water are spookier than those in turbid water. The more difficult it is to see the lure as you drop it in the water, the murkier the water is; this is an indication that you can probably get fairly close to your quarry.
A prime benefit of getting close is simply the ease with which you can achieve accuracy. This is especially true when fishing in heavy cover, such as timber, or in places where casting is difficult, such as a small brushy creek. The effect of wind is also minimized at shorter distances; when using baitcasting gear, a shorter distance means that the chance of a backlash is lessened.
Backlashes occur in baitcasting reels when the spool turns faster than the line departs the spool; even highly experienced casters get backlashes when they give extra punch to their forward casting stroke in order to get a lure farther out. The best magnetic spool braking reels often cannot prevent such misfortune, although they are suppose to.
With practice and with continued long-distance casting in actual fishing conditions, you can lessen the chance of backlash and also increase accuracy. If you start long-distance casting efforts by not shooting for the moon at the start, but by building up to greater distances gradually (which is hard to do when a fish breaks water just a bit beyond your normal range), then you will overcome this problem.
One of the drawbacks to long-distance casting with any type of tackle is the loss of fish; at long distances, more fish that strike lures and get hooked are lost before being landed than fish that strike lures and are hooked at shorter ranges. How many more are lost cannot be known, but it is likely quite a bit. There is a good reason for this occurrence, though, and it is one that many anglers don’t realize but can do something about.
The key here is hooksetting (see). Anglers are more effective at setting the hook at short and midrange distances than they are at long distances. Most people simply do not set the hook well when a fish takes their lure a long distance away.
Sometimes the reason is that they don’t detect strikes as well, and this may be a function of their attentiveness or their savvy, or more likely the tackle they are using. Not all rods are the same, for example, and it is possible to receive a strike but not feel it because the rod is soft and the fish nip the lure rather than slam it. With more appropriate tackle, such a thing won’t happen. Nonetheless, certain types of lures are still hard to fish when cast long distances. Lures that you work by feel, which are generally made of soft material, and where you have to know what the lure is doing as you fish it, may not be struck the same way as other lures, so you have to be fully tuned into a long-distance strike when using these types of lures.
A noted fishing film once showed a largemouth bass swimming up behind a quickly moving diving plug, engulfing it, and then expelling it, all the while the lure kept swimming forward. The angler working that lure, which had two sets of treble hooks, reported that he never felt the strike. How could that be possible? As already mentioned, the reason could be that the rod wasn’t sensitive enough, but it could also be that his line was too elastic. Elasticity, or stretch, in fishing line is an element that works against anglers where long-distance strike detection and hooksetting are concerned. In this particular instance, the fisherman used a nylon monofilament line that had 25 to 30 percent stretch, and the stretch had to be a factor in not detecting the filmed strike.
The stretch feature of line has been reviewed in detail elsewhere (see: line), but it should be remembered that some lines stretch more than others; the greater the stretch, the more problem with lures (or hooks) that are a long distance away. The simple act of retrieving a hard-pulling plug can stretch some lines a little. Setting a hook and playing a fish, especially a large or strong fish, stretches some lines much more. It is harder to counter the effect of stretch when setting the hook if you have a long length of line. At short distances, you can generate more force and be more efficient at setting the hook.
You don’t have to be an engineer to appreciate this fact. Take the hooks off a plug sometime, and with the help of a friend try a simple test. Soak the fishing line so that it absorbs water and you have simulated its condition when being fished. Have your buddy hold the rod as if retrieving a lure. Take a practice casting plug or hookless lure 40, 80, and 120 feet away, grasp it firmly in your hand at waist level, and tug on it to have your friend set the hook at each distance. Can you feel a difference in the force your friend applies? The force is more obvious if you use a scale or force gauge, because you’re likely to measure a high percentage of loss from the shortest distance to the longest.
To counter the effect of line stretch, an obvious solution is to use a line with little or no stretch, provided that it offers the other characteristics that you need. Using such a line may remove or reduce one of the problems associated with long-distance casts and long-distance fishing.
However, you also need to pay greater attention to the fine points. A super-sharp hook can make all the difference in landing or losing a fish that strikes a long distance away. Most long-distance fish are lost because the hook slipped out or was thrown when the fish jumped. A super-sharp hook penetrates easier and increases your chance of landing a fish. Sharpening your hook (see: hook sharpening) is a fundamental, but mostly overlooked, fishing technique.
Sharp hooks, of course, won’t eliminate line stretch, but combined with a lower stretch line, they can make a big difference. You should also pay close attention to what you’re doing. Be alert. Anticipate strikes at all times so you can react properly and swiftly. If you are casting surface lures, for example, make sure that slack is always out of your line.
The position of your rod, and your body, is important as well. The rod should be held at a low level; when setting the hook, you should be reeling and striking all in one motion, keeping the pressure on constantly and not yielding unless the fish is strong enough to pull line off the drag. Good hooksetting technique is never more important than when long distances are involved, and the same is true for fish-playing tactics (see: playing fish). Fish that are a long distance off are harder to control than those up close. It is more difficult to keep a strong fish away from an obstruction when it is 125 feet from you than when it is 40. When fishing from a boat, you may have to maneuver the boat in order to change the angle of pull on a large fish and steer it away from obstructions. You have to anticipate and react quickly, however, to do this.
Rather than casting long distances as a matter of habit, you might try making a stealthier approach to fish. Wading river anglers know that it is possible to get fairly close to rising trout or to salmon in their lie by going slowly and as unobtrusively as possible, by not making excessive above-water motions, by keeping movement to the barest minimum in the fish’s direct viewing window, and by being patient and not casting until achieving the most advantageous position for making the best possible presentation.
Pond and lake anglers, whether boaters or bank casters, should do likewise. Most lake and pond anglers are impatient; they want to cover lots of water, and in doing so they often don’t make the best possible presentation. Certainly this statement isn’t applicable where schooling fish are chased, but it is in most other circumstances.
Achieving distance isn’t always necessary or advantageous, but when it is, there is more to being effective than just being able to air out a cast. You have to bring many elements together. However, when you do, you are usually on top of your game, and that means more success and enjoyment.
See: Baitcasting Tackle; Spinning Tackle; Spincasting Tackle; Surf Fishing.
1
2
3
1
2
3
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons,Inc.,(Fish illustrations © 1999 David Kiphuth.)
Buy Ken Schultz's encyclopedia at Wiley.com See more about Ken Schultz
