Author: Ryan Carson
Important Factors To Consider When Learning How To Cast
Everyone can cast a plug or bait out into the water but are you good at it? Mostly everyone will say of course they are good at casting which they might be right maybe they are good compared to when they first started. But there is an art to be able to skip a plug under a dock or low hanging tree or to drop a lure a few inches away from a concrete wall or to be able to sight cast a fish without spooking it. This is something that not many people who start out fishing can do right away. This takes a lot of time and practice and getting us to the gear you are using. Not only is it the ability to cast but the understanding of the rod you are using, what you are casting, what line you have on your reel and the weather.
The type of rod
You may think you can switch from pole to pole and cast the exact same and have the same precision. Even if the rods are the same size they might have a different rod action or rod power. Both of these will make a difference even if the rod heights are the same.
Understanding what you are casting
There is a big difference if you are casting a ½ oz. swim shad compared to a 2 oz. popper. Just off of simple math the popper is 4 times as heavy so if you are looking to cast it 20 yards, you don’t have to put as much effort into throwing the 2 oz. popper as you do the ½ oz. swim shad. This is something that can be very helpful when targeting areas where you are aiming for a certain distance. There is nothing worse than casting out and falling just short of the area you were aiming for. A great way to practice this is to use a weed-less lure or practice throwing in an area that you can wade out to if your lure gets stuck. Pick a target and aim right in front of it. Try to consistently cast and hit as close as possible to your target. To add some challenge to it, pick multiple targets at different distances. You can also switch out lures of different weights to change it up.
Size of your line
Using monofilament, braid or fluorocarbon the same rule applies to each. The smaller the line the less resistance it will have when you are casting. This is something to remember if you ever change the size of line you are using.
The Weather
This is something simple. If you have the wind in your face you might have to throw a little harder. This goes for no matter which way the wind direction is going. You will have to adjust to compensate for the wind.
Other tips for casting
Once you have taken all of the above factors into play there are multiple different styles of casting to achieve hitting your target. Some of these can also be useful if you are aiming to skip a plug under a dock or low hanging tree or if you are in a tight area where you can’t just swing your rod in any direction.
Side arm cast: Just like it sounds. You are holding the rod at roughly 90 degrees. If you are holding the rod on your right side you are going to hold it directly out your right side and swing the rod towards where you want the lure to go. I use this style of cast when I am fishing an open area with no obstructions. If you are attempting to skip a lure under a dock or low tree try to keep the lure as close as possible to the water when doing this. (This takes a lot of practice to get skipping a lure down. Think of it just like skipping a rock.)
Back hand cast: Just like the side arm but in reverse. If you are looking to cast toward your right side hold the rod straight out and give it a quick flick towards where you are trying to cast. This might be a little difficult for some at first if you are fishing on land because if you over shoot your lure will end up on land. I use this a lot when I’m in tight spots where I only have enough room to do a quick flip of the wrist. (I am probably most accurate with this style of casting) If you are attempting to skip a lure under a dock or low tree try to keep the lure as close as possible to the water when doing this. (This takes a lot of practice to get skipping a lure down. Think of it just like skipping a rock.)
Overhead cast: Straight up and over your head. I only really use this style when I am trying to throw a piece of bait or lure as far as I can without caring about where it lands my only goal is throwing it as far as possible.
Spring cast: This is a different kind of cast which isn’t really a cast at all. I use this style if there is no room to the left, right or above. This can be used anywhere but I find it most useful for tight areas. I literally will set up just like any other cast but rather than swinging the pole I will grab my lure and pull down while point the tip of the pole where I want the lure to go. I will pull to bend the tip of the pole enough to put a good amount of tension on the tip of the pole to create a spring like reaction. No cast needed the spring of the tip of the pole will launch your lure out for you. This is typically for shorter casts as you are limited to how far you can pull on the lure and tip of the pole. (Don’t pull to hard and snap the tip of your rod)
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If you have any questions or would like help please feel free to email me at carsonscharters@gmail.com or personal message me on facebook
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