Casting with a longer drop

D

Driftbait

New member
I know a lot has already been said about casting on various topics on this forum but I need some assistance before I pull my hair out ........ Fishing in Cape town (false bay) usually requires you to have that extra distance particularly when targetting Kob and that is why I am always trying to improve my distance by practicing and experimenting. I am currently throwing btn 75 - 90 metres with a bait and maybe 105 metres on a good day. I just cant seem to hit that 100-125 metre mark cosistantly. My setup is waft musselcracker rod with Daiwa 50 spooled with 0.50 KfGA and shimano exage medium tip with torium 20 with the same line. In both cases I throw 6 ounce sinkers.

One of the things I am trying to improve upon is lengthening my drop which is currently about 1 metre only. This could be my problem but i just dont feel comfortable throwing with a 1.5m drop. What are the advantages of throwing with a longer drop ? How do I prevent my clip bait from touching the ground(and disengaging) when I load my rod before casting ?? and thirdly I tend to get more overwinds because I am either off balance as I am releasing or my rod seems to whip just after my release causing my line to slow down as it runs off my spool!!!

Sounds Depressing ,I know.........:::S

Maybe its because i went practicing after watching the proteas this morning and started casting like a Duminy..............

However I am very determined to hit that 120-130 mark and will continue trying until I get things right. When I revert back to throwing with a shorter drop I dont have many problems but my distance is not so wonderful......So if there's any sealiners who have advice on the above I will gladly appreciate it and put into action regarding the technique used for throwing with longer drops.

 
 
C

Chris Shelton

Sealiner
Go out with Ray Hall one day and watch his technique closely. He has mastered the pendulum cast, casting 9oz sinkers and big throw baits to distant horizons. Quite a thing to witness
 
R

Redhawk

Senior Member
Hi Driftbait

Yes it does work when you increase your drop, provided you don't go off balance and your own length.

Not to divert the subject, but do you keep your dominant arm straight through the cast, elbow locked?
 
D

Driftbait

New member
Thanks redhawk.....I keep my right elbow locked as i prepare to cast and my elbow naturally straightens as I execute the cast
 
R

Redhawk

Senior Member
This might sound odd: Try keeping your right arm straight from the start, elbow locked, and follow the whole cast through while keeping your right arm straight and elbow locked. Obviously you will need to take a higher grip on the rod with your right hand.

 
 
H

Homie

Sealiner
" My setup is waft musselcracker rod with Daiwa 50 spooled with 0.50 KfGA and shimano exage medium tip with torium 20 with the same line. In both cases I throw 6 ounce sinkers. "

Try using .40 or .45 line, the 6 ounce will "pull" the thinner line easier.

With the Waft, maybe use a 7-8 with the musclecracker tip and the .50 line


my 2c
 
R

Redhawk

Senior Member
Yes, the arch resembles more the top half of a circle that way, and the rod tip travel a bit further on it's trajectory. The rod tip speed is about the same from the 2 o'clock to 10 o'clock position, thus if you're relase is a "bit" off it is a bit more forgiving. It is also easier this way to learn muscle memory for the perfect release position.

Another "silly"-one: Ask someone to video tape you on your cast, things will be obvious from there.
 
F

Feesh

Senior Member
Driftbait,

I‘ll give you some advice, to gain easy distance without trying to hard - it worked for me.

Use the following setup Your Waft Musselcracker rod, your Torium 20 (well serviced) use 0.40 to 0.45mm nylon K/F is good (don’t go any thicker) use 0.65mm leader, 6oz lead and a streamlined chokka bait, about the size of your pinky.

This alone will add at least 20m to your cast!!

As for the drop you should really practice your timing as the Waft Musselcracker will cast better with a longer drop 1.5m to 1.8m.
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Here’s a practice tip, something you can do at home:
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Set your rod up with the sinker only, increase the drop to 1.5m, now swing it back as if you are going to cast, watch as the sinker reaches a straight line with your fishing rod, the sweet spot.

That’s the point when you need to start casting, not before and not later as the jerk in the slack line will almost always end up in an overwind.

That’s all, keep on doing it and just practice swinging the sinker out so that you can recognise the sweet spot time and time again, say to yourself NOW at the sweet spot.

Vary the drop a bit longer and you will soon find what’s more comfortable.

Keep your Left elbow up and your Right arm extended ( if you cast right handed, otherwise visa versa)

Keep practising this timing and by the time you do go casting you will be much more confident in your timing!!

Once you have practised your timing in finding the sweet spot you can go and practice the cast, here’s what you do:

[/b]Swing the sinker out as you have practiced and at the point of the sweet spot where you would say Now, you bring the rod forward in a smooth action.

At first don’t try to cast far just get accustomed to the feeling

Rotate your hips as if you would when throwing “Shot Put” (Gewigstoot)

 

It’s that simple just practice and before you know it you would have added meters to your cast!!

 

Good Luck
 
C

Chris Shelton

Sealiner
Some excellent tips coming to the fore here! Another thing that one should become consciously aware of is the point of release. Just as you have a sweet spot on your back stroke, you also have a sweet spot on release and this sits at round about the 11 o'clock mark, which is the final point of maximum loading! Releasing any later will result in loss of loading as the tip of the rod unleashes in the opposite direction, sending your sinker off in a flat trajectory with a resulting loss in distance. Releasing too early will cause it to fly too high with a similar resulting loss in distance. 11 o'clock is just right. The sinker will fly high but not too high, and with the higher trajectory it will have the carrying power and loft for an extended flight as it were, and this can only be tantamount to greater distance!
 
D

Driftbait

New member
Thanks Fees ar man, Chris and Redhawk, your guys advice makes alot of sence and is much appreciated, Its guys like you that make this site such a wonderful forum. 
 
S

sportcast

New member
Length of drop: The shorter the drop the harder the feel. Here in the UK the accepted drop is about the But ring or just abve your right hand (If right handed). This gives a bigger arc & powerstroke with a softer feel.

Hiting the ground ,this can be due to trying to heave the rod over your shoulder. What happens is in trying to hit the rod hard, you acually drop your right sholder allowing the lead to hit the ground.

Start the cast slowly and gently. Take your time & come round slowly hitting it hard at the push pull stage ( Term is: slow in fast out).

Over runns : We all get overrunns, the best way to eradicate them is to try and cast smoothly, no jerks or snatches. Just let the rod unwind .

Easy for me to say, but keep it slow & smooth then you should see your distances improve.

Good luck Shaun :fishn:fishn
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
Welcome sportcast. Hope you find the site informative and make many new friends and learn as you teach

Welcome to the family
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
The bigger the weight the longer the drop. As sprtcast says the longer the drop the softer the feel and the better the rhythm to the cast.

I also find that the bigger the weight the longer the drop which allows this older gentleman to get a faster speed before the release.

What I do, especially on the bricks is to position myself and then let out the drop. I then go through a slow motion swing and make sure that nothing hit's any rocks etc Then if necessary adjust the drop and try the slow mo thing again.

Make sure of your footing make sure now passersby in the way and let it rip, wind it up and punch it through with all you have and if you're prone to overwinds, watch the spool and not the sinker, your mate can do that and in this way you can easily control the flaring of the line during the cast
 
K

kitefisher

Sealiner
sportcast wrote:
Length of drop: The shorter the drop the harder the feel. Here in the UK the accepted drop is about the But ring or just abve your right hand (If right handed). This gives a bigger arc & powerstroke with a softer feel.

Hiting the ground ,this can be due to trying to heave the rod over your shoulder. What happens is in trying to hit the rod hard, you acually drop your right sholder allowing the lead to hit the ground.

Start the cast slowly and gently. Take your time & come round slowly hitting it hard at the push pull stage ( Term is: slow in fast out).

Over runns : We all get overrunns, the best way to eradicate them is to try and cast smoothly, no jerks or snatches. Just let the rod unwind .

Easy for me to say, but keep it slow & smooth then you should see your distances improve.

Good luck Shaun :fishn:fishn
Click to expand...
:welcomesea:Welcome Sportcast,looking forward to having you around.Very usefull advice there from your side.

We just need to clarify here that in general what Saffa Rock and Surf anglers refer to as a pendulum-cast ,is in fact what you would know as the Hatteras-cast.Pushing the lead out back to roughly 7 or 8'o clock(if 12 was target,on a horizontal clock,that is)and then commencing the cast with the lead at its furthest point away.

The drop-length you recommend(just above top hand) and all the ensuing advice is 100% for a high-swing pendulum in the context that you guys cast pendulum.Once again very sound advice and guys wishing to persue the full-blown pendulum should store it in their memory-banks.

Welcome again,and looking forward to your interaction on the greatest fishing site in the world.

@Driftbait,Any changes you make should be in small doses,for example if you decide to lengthen your drop,then do so at 6 inch intervals,make 5 or 6 casts, and measure your casts.Like Enigma once quoted "Om te meet  ,is om te weet"You have received a phletora of great advice,but try them one at a time,or else you may not know if your tecnique is improving or if it is merely the thinner line,reel or rod, etc.

Cheers
 
S

sportcast

New member
Nice to meet you guys
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Reading the info again, the Hatteras-cast makes perfect sense of the advice given earlier in this thread.
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Fees ar man, Chris, Redhawk & Enigma are all spot on with the info given.

Here in the UK we also go for body rotation and holding our arms away from our bodies.

If you are fishing from rocks, please make sure your footing is good. This winter has been a bad one here. several guys washed off or fallen into the sea & drowned. One guy had a cliff fall on him!
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D

Driftbait

New member
Welcome Sportcast......... Thank for the advice guys. I'm going to buy one of those line counters to give me accurate distance and after some practice I'll give you guys a report on my progress and what technical adjustments makes a difference.

 
 
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