How do you guys cast past the breakers?
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Landbased & Surfcasting
Forum Description: From rocks or beaches, here's the place for the landbased fishos to share information
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=134190
Printed Date: 28 Jan 2026 at 12:08pm
Topic: How do you guys cast past the breakers?
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Subject: How do you guys cast past the breakers?
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2020 at 9:38pm
|
Just went for a visit to the beach tonight and noticed the breakers reach out 50 metres which is right at the end of my casting range. My question is; how do you guys get your baits out past the breakers while surf casting? I tried pulley rigs that those didn't seem to add any extra distance to my cast. I know to use one small bait and no floats on the rig for aerodynamics. Do you guys wade out waist deep to make your casts?, or are the fish in front of the breakers? |
Replies:
Posted By: macrayfish
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 3:17pm
| I use a drone... |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 5:28pm
|
Dont surf cast but watched my dayn wade out into surf back in the late 50s /60s.. and in those days the rods where cane and glass just coming in. So he built a kon tiki out of 2 bit galv drain pipe for floats.. and platform, square sail and a hose reel of mono. A barley sugar took 20 mins to dissolve, dropping the sail and the sinker off the back. |
Posted By: taurangatroutmaster
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 5:35pm
| With the right set up and a bit of practice you will be able to hit 50m without even trying. I only wade west coast beaches. Don't need to where you are |
Posted By: OuttaHere
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 6:03pm
| 50m is a short cast for an experienced surfcaster. Practice, practice, practice. And/or maybe see if your local fishing club has a "casting" group that you could tag along and learn a bit from - yes, competitive casting is a thing. |
Posted By: Far Quirk
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 6:40pm
|
Some good info here, but not much on casting technique. https://www.google.com/search?q=surf+casting+distance+techniques&oq=surfcasting+distance&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l6.12511j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow - https://www.google.com/search?q=surf+casting+distance+techniques&oq=surfcasting+distance&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l6.12511j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Use the lightest possible main line with a 6 metre topshot of 60lb mono. I'm using 15lb mono for open beach fishing. This is pretty good: https://www.fishing.net.nz/fishing-advice/how-to/surfcasting-casting-tips-and-techniques/" rel="nofollow - https://www.fishing.net.nz/fishing-advice/how-to/surfcasting-casting-tips-and-techniques/ This is a guy who has cast over 250m during competition. Skip the intro and go to about 2m 15 seconds and you will get a good tip about extending your arms out from your body. It really helped me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiAxmzIrif8" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiAxmzIrif8 ------------- Far Quirk - I'm goin' fishn! |
Posted By: kitno
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 7:49pm
|
Most of Papamoa beach has a sand bar about 60 to 100m from the high tide line depending where you are. The inner channel holds fish, taking into consideration the tide. My girlfriend, 5ft 2 with little upper body strength can cast far enough to catch fish here. Casting to the horizon is not necessarily the best approach, but can definitely help sometimes.  Papamoa beach October 2019 |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 9:18pm
Bro, can you fly my line out? Seriously though a drone is a lot of investment to commit to. I'd like to make sure I don't totally suck at surf casting before forking out money for other gear. I am jealous though
 |
macrayfish wrote:Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 9:24pm
Yeah my Grandfather fished with an old school home made kontiki similar to that setup you're talking about but he used an ice cube instead of barley sugar. He caught a 30lb Snapper on it once.
|
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 9:33pm
I can cast to 50 metres but that is right on the breakers at the back. I estimate that I need 70 metres to comfortably clear the breakers. I just went for another look at Papamoa Beach around 8PM tonight and it wasn't as bad as it was yesterday night. Less wind. Looks like I'm going to be a bit busy for the rest of the week and won't be able to get out till next week now.
 |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 9:39pm
50m is where the last breakers are. I need 70 metres so I can clear the breakers by 20 metres. You're right, I'll practice my casting technique on the beach , and continue practicing until I can cast to 70 metres. Good idea.
 |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 9:53pm
That's two really good videos on technique, especially that second video. And great tips from this very site. Looks like I've got some homework to do followed by some practice. But first thing is first, I'll have to re-spool my reel with lighter line and full the whole spool up. Thanks!
|
Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 10:03pm
|
Lighter nylon (6kg) with heavier shock leader (say 40 lb) will help. You can even use braid with shock leader as well but would need a casting glove or at least tape on finger. Rod should be at least 12 feet, 13 to 14 ideally. I used to use a 15 foot butterworth paired with Mitchell 489, 10 kg maxima mainline straight through and could with a running rig sliding Tournament 3-4 once sinker throw 100 meters with small piece of mullet on a Kahle hook. Even with same reel on a beach baron 12 footer could probably get at least 80 meters. If there is reasonable surf (or sideways rip) you will need breakout sinkers with wire, rather than standard tournament sinker. Have fished papamoa once, and remembered waves being real dumping stuff on quite steep beach which may make wading a problematic wet affair. As you have said, work on your technique. Pulling rod butt down hard with bottom rod hand just before you release can generate enough power to create quite a few extra yards, provided you get timing right with a standard straight over shoulder cast. Also make sure no tip wraps before casting, to avoid breaking tip and sending sinker and rig out without your mainline. Currently have 14 foot killwell alvey rod and 650 alvey for long distance floating bait work from rocks and 600b alvey ( with lighter line) for beach work with sinkers. Quite different but highly effective. Need to use em more.
|
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 10:07pm
Now that's a good snapper and very motivating.  Interesting information about the sand bank. In the Western Papamoa area where I plan to go surf casting, at high tide the breakers at the back are at the 50-60 metre mark so I'm guessing that must be the sand bank. I've got to go have a look at low tide to survey the environment a bit better. Will do this weekend. Thanks |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2020 at 10:20pm
Great tips. I will be implementing these. Thanks!! You're right about Papamoa, it's quite a steep beach and I also wondered if wading out there is going to be problematic. I'll practice my casting and I might not have to get wet hopefully
|
Posted By: lips/hooked
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2020 at 8:13pm
|
I have just started getting into this in the north, west coast in the last 12 months. But I don't wade out far, but look for channels etc rather than trying to get over breakers and a shockleader and min 4oz breakaway sinker. Pulley rig with floats I smash those big kawhai but I'm after something other and have been salting tua tua kawhai and mackerel and since using no pulley rig and only a ledger rig I have trevs and those smaller tasty kawhai all on salted baits. Head for another try tomorrow I hope. May try a running rig? But there is a hard current/rip ------------- $hit happens |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2020 at 10:56pm
You've got a good point. I've never really done much surf casting and I'm only just studying up on it now before I head out to do it. I didn't think to look for channels.
I've never been a fan of pullley rigs because there is no way of knowing if the pulley worked as designed, or the hook is still stuck in the pulley. Plus pulley's don't seem to add any distance to casts.
|
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2020 at 12:47am
|
My advice is to take the advice offered
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2020 at 9:41am
That is good advice Smudge, is that your subtle way of saying you couldn't cast a rig off a beach to save your self?!  ------------- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau |
Posted By: taurangatroutmaster
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2020 at 10:23am
| Pulley rigs are overrated imo |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2020 at 11:07am
Excellent advice and yes that's what I usually to do. |
Posted By: BlueMarlin
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2020 at 11:21am
Yep. I think I'll just try a standard running rig starting off with and see how things pan out. |
Posted By: lips/hooked
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2020 at 7:59pm
|
Tried the running rig this evening for no luck but big side ways rip and even the 5oz breakaway wasn't enough, so I don't blame the rig at this stage. ------------- $hit happens |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2020 at 9:59pm
yupp ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Griff the dog.
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2023 at 1:32pm
|
I know old thread but Your rig makes a difference I find pully rigs time consuming and expensive My usual rig is tapered shock leader running swivel and about 800 mm dropper to sinker another swivel at end tied to a 800mm forty lb trace. Seems to be almost as effective as pully rig yet far simpler and no issues releasing when using a half pilly. Converted a mate to this rig and it gave him another twenty meters over the sinker running direct on main line and trace at end he was using. Start your cast with your leading hand high and rotate pulling leading hand in to chest and trailing hand pushing up . Good gear helps I can do easy75 meters with cheap rod and reel . On my better gear 95 meters with cd surf and penn surfblaster 110M with penn fathom oh and okuma mad dog. @ 5'6 " 70 kg 60 winters you do not need to be big and strong just hone your technique.
|