Surfcasting - casting tips and techniques

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Achieving better casting distance may be as simple as fine tuning what you are already doing and/or putting some of the easy-to-implement suggestions in this article into practice. And the good news is that this will happen whatever the gear you’re currently using.

One of the main ingredients for getting good casting distance is how quickly the rod straightens following the load of the initial cast. Obviously the more powerful rods tend to do this better, but these rods also tend to be heavier and are unlikely to be the best for actually fishing. So unless you want to get into ultra-long distance casting, your current gear will be fine. Before I get into the actual casting, let’s look at getting extra casting distance by knowing how your gear functions best.

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Reel and line

First up, a near-full spool of line is essential – especially on fixed-spool reels – if casting potential is to be realised (no further than 3mm from the top of the spool’s lip is a good guide). Half-filled spools result in hugely reduced casting distance, as the friction caused by the line being dragged up and over the spool lip sees the cast’s energy quickly dissipated.

Just as critical to the cast distance is the line’s diameter/breaking strain. Basically, the thinner the line the better the casting distance will be. Nylon in the 6-8 kilo range suits open beach and clear ground fishing, but means around five or six metres of heavier 18-24kg shock leader must be attached so you can put plenty of power into the cast without breaking off.

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Prior to casting with a fixed-spool reel, the drag should be done up tightly to avoid finger cuts from line slippage. Some fishers use a finger protector or cast-release device. Either of these adds confidence in the amount of effort you’re putting into a cast.

The cast

Think of your rod as having a lever, fulcrum and load arm. The butt is the lever, the reel seat the fulcrum, and the rest of the rod the load arm. Anglers casting right-handed (i.e. with the left hand on the ‘lever’ butt) will unconsciously put their cast effort into the right arm (fulcrum). But by transferring the greater casting effort into the downward thrust of the left arm, more power is transferred to the ‘load-arm’ of the rod. That’s physics at work. Lefties should do the same with their right arm. This simple change in technique can add many metres to your casting distance.

The accuracy of the cast (i.e. casting straight, not at an angle) can also add to your casting distance. To achieve this, start by pointing the left foot and shoulder (if you cast right-handed) at the target area. Your rear foot and shoulder should form a straight line with these, as should your rod. Practice this technique by not putting too much effort into the cast till it feels comfortable, and importantly, the technique becomes second nature.

The positioning of the arm holding the butt also contributes to the power of the cast: immediately prior to the cast this arm needs to be as straight and as high as can be comfortably managed (see illustration) to assist in delivering maximum power on the downward thrust.

Rigs and bait

Be very aware that the rig selected and your bait’s compactness have huge bearings on the casting distances achieved. Most anglers wanting good distances will use a pulley or similar rig, where the bait clips onto the sinker (releasing on impact with the water), as this can add many metres to casts. However, for the full potential to be realized, baits still need to be of small to modest size, and to be tied snuggly onto the hook, with no obvious pieces protruding to cause excessive drag during the terminal tackle’s flight through the air.

Also, in all cases use a sinker weight that suits the rod’s capabilities (most models have the recommended weights printed on the section just above their foregrip). Sinkers that are too light fail to load the rod properly, while too heavy sees the overloaded rod unable to release efficiently.

Summary

  • A correctly spooled reel accompanied by good casting technique can see casting distance improve by at least 20 percent. Expect as much again upon using compact, tied-down baits on proven distance rigs.
  • Experiment to find the sinker weight that best suits your rod’s strength and flex capabilities.
  • Practice casting with the techniques outlined above when not actually fishing to hasten the learning process.
  • The New Zealand Angling and Casting Association holds regional casting days, where friendly tuition is available and a huge range of rods and reels can be seen in action. Admire, rather than be put off by, those who can cast 200 metres plus. After a short period of helpful tuition, your usual 60, 70 and 80-metre casts will be sailing out well past the 100-metre mark. Details of casting days and a list of affiliated clubs can be found on the website.

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