Casting techniques

[BassProAddict]

Hello guys.Season close is creepin' up and myself, I do a lot of practicing when there's no fishin.Lately, I've gotten the hang of pitching but flipping I've yet to master and appreciate.Why do you flip anyways?

I've also gotten the sidearm cast, underhand cast and skipping down pat.Call me a weirdo but the MOST trouble I have is with overhand casting with a baitcaster.Seems like no matter how hard I try, I'm just hitting close in front of me with big ole heavy splash.I know I'm releasing too late but I just can't seem to correct it.It's too crucial a casting technique not to reliably have.

Any tips?

[SStracker]

good questions, i also have trouble with the overhead cast. I have the rest almost mastered but the overhead usually ends up in a nice birdnest for me.

[Loos15]

my sidearm goes as far as my best overhand...but lands a lot quieter. I hardly use overhand...but then again I fish on shore where overhand might get you in trouble...but On a boat side arm might be a problem. I learned with overhand to tilt the rod side ways like the reel going side ways, i find i get less "float" when i do that.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I think what makes many fishermen better than others is how they present the bait. casting accuracy is huge, even in deep water, sometimes even more so in deep water. So being good at all casts is important. If I have a weakness its backhand skip.

Flipping is for tight situations. I am quite good at pitching, I can put it in a pretty tight area, but with a flip, I can put that lure exactly where I want i much of the time. It works best for stained water in tight quarters.

[slipperybob]

I'm pretty much useless with anything else, but the overhand cast. But with everything else, much practice is needed and winter is just the time for me to do that.

[CarlWBL]

A suggestion for the overhand cast technique is to turn your wrist over so your spool is facing to the side and the palm of your hand is facing downward. This allows for a more natural and greater range of motion in your wrist, which allows for a harder and more accurate cast. Picture your baitcaster as a baseball in a sense that when you throw a ball, your wrist will snap down when you release it. Try it out and your range should increase, along with practicing your thumb timing.

Carl

[Cecil]

I use a sidearm or 3/4 cast a lot more often than the true overhand cast. Overhand is not as accurate and puts the bait in the air a lot more which can cause a larger splash and the wind to take it.

I do not flip too much unless I'm in really close quarters, and have started using my left hand a lot more to pitch with rather than switching hands, saves a lot more time than you think.

[Ray Esboldt]

BPA,

If you're struggling with a certain cast (overhand in your case), might I suggest tieing on a 1oz. plus sinker and just making some light casts in the backyard. The motion I use takes the rod from about 45 degree angle over my shoulder to a 60 degree in front of me. You're really only trying to put the weight of the lure in motion carry your line. I think a heavier object will help you get the feel of things.

[BassProAddict]

In terms of "clockage" wherein full forward is at 3 o'clock, where is the most optimum release of the lure at?

Is it before 12 o'clock or after? The "before" might sound dumb but I'm thinking the rod still has momentum and even if the lure is released before vertical (12), the rod momentum brings the whole thing forward still.

[Deitz Dittrich]

If I had to guess, the release is at about 11 or noon.. the lure should already be going in the right direction at that time.. This will however change depending on how you have the anti backlash set. The more anti backlash you have on, the earlier you need to release.

[NCLaker]

For overhead casts the tip by CarlWBL on turning the reel sidways has worked for me especially when I first started out. Before doing so, I was having much more issues with backlashes.

As far as lures landing short with a big splash close in front of you - I find that happens with me most when using too light a lure for the given power of your rod. When casting overhead, I find if I better match the rod power to the lure weight, so it loads better before the release, then it casts much better. Rods too stiff for a given weight of a lure will tend to give you more issues with casts.

[Bass Whacker]

you need to use a lighter powered rod like NCLAKER said because if the rod dousnt bend during the cast and you release at 12 oclock or even 11 the lures arch during the cast will cause the lure to allready be on on its downward path. I had a huge problem with this when i would muskie fish and try to throw a small spinner on a heavy rod. If you dont want to switch rods you are just going to have to release when it seems like its unnaturally early and yes it will seem to early at first and you will loose alot of distance on the cast because you havet gotten the lure to max speed yet.

and on a side not to make your lure land quiter on a long overhead cast try stopping the lure a sec before its going to hit the water.

[BassProAddict]

I never realized the overhand cast was sp complicated and that lots of work go into it and that a lot have a hard time with it at the start.

And here I thought I just plainly sucked at it.

[jwhjr]

I have the opposite problem. I can do the overhand cast no problem, but the sidearm gives me issues. I need to practice a lot more.

[slipperybob]

The overhand casting is greatly affecting by the lure/presentation technique. A C-rig with a 5/8 oz to 1 oz, I can load the rod on the cast. I probably release about 10 to 11 O'clock. A 3/8 oz to 1/2 oz crank, might not have any load on the rod on my cast and I probably relase closer to 12 O'clock.

I have to say that 3 O'clock is full backwards for me, and 9 O'clock is full forward.

[BassProAddict]

So slipperybob, you're saying the lighter the lure, the earlier you release?

[NCLaker]

Yes, for me if the lure weight is on the lighter end or less then then what the rod is rated for, I release it earlier because it is not loading up the rod tip. Can be easier to go with a lighter power rod. For me on fast action rods, 1/2-1 oz lures work great on Med-Hvy rods, 1/4-1/2 oz work good for Med rods - any less I pull out the spinning reel.

jwhjr, on the side arm casts, if casting from the right side, try reeling the lure within ~6" from the tip, then twirl the lure clockwise and release it when the lure is at the 9 o'clock position. This works great for keeping your casts low (especially into the wind or under docks). This really helps for tossing lighter lures.

[BassProAddict]

Twirling is for momentum build up right?

[jwhjr]

NCLaker - thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try next time out. I'll be doing 3-4 days of fishing this upcoming weekend, so I should have a lot of chance to "practice".

[NCLaker]

Yes the twirling helps it gain momentum & the flex of the rod tip (loading up) as you are doing this giving you distance on the cast. To get more distance, as I am twirling, I accelerate after lure passes the 12 o'clock position and is on the downward arc. For me it provides a smoother, more consistent side arm cast.

jwhjr, On the cast, follow-thru with the reel turned sideways (reel handle facing up). Normally I follow thru with the rod tip pointing in the direction I am casting. Let us know if it helped.

[BassProAddict]

Of all the bass videos I own, NOT ONE OF 'EM has any instructionals on the actual cast and the actual retrieves.

Pros take these for granted in the sense that they might be thinking casting/retrieving is an automatic.Darn it, KVD has a whole DVD on pitching and flipping but he doesn't even "frame by frame" demonstrate how its done.

With all that's been posted in this thread, seems like casting isn't as "automatic" as one might think.Them videos focus way too much on lures and conditions and not enough on the actual ART of fishing.

[NCLaker]

I agree ... I have that KVD pitching/flipping DVD, that is were i picked up on the twirling casting technique. It would be really nice if they had the frame by frame demo. I sat and tried to figure out pitching and burned up my pause/slow-mo buttons on my remote trying to figure out exactly what he was doing. Getting good at casting with a BC boils down to a TON of practice, experimenting with trial/error and forcing yourself to work on various techniques of casting and under both calm & windy conditions.

For the past couple months I have hardly touched the spinning gear and only used my Baitcasters. It's often been a painful road, but the commitment has paid off.

[BassProAddict]

Even YouTube doesn't have anything basic enough as far as casting instructions are concerned.

I did find an awesome tutorial on www.monkeysee.com it's very basic and very good screen resolution.Best of all it's FREE!

[slipperybob]

So slipperybob, you're saying the lighter the lure, the earlier you release?

I'm thinking about it...but for now, there's no absolute rule to it. I think it might have to do with that twirl thing mentioned. It might be like, I start at 10 O'clock, bring it to 1 O'clock release at 12 O'clock or 11:45. But I also point the rod at my lure as it sails through the air and lands, so my rod is moving from 12 O'clock down to 9 O'clock or maybe even 8 O'clock depending on distance.

When I use heavier weights, I'm not as likely to twirl so I start from my back about 3 O'clock and release about 11 O'clock. I guess it's becuase the lure is moving more so in a linear fashion in comparison to the twirl method that gets the lure to move more so in an angular method.

If I use glass/composite type rods with more flex, I suppose I lose that linear movement and it becomes more angular. Hence the rod flexs more and loads the lure/bait on the cast.

[ikeslayer]

You know this casting business has lead me to think we should have a fishingmn casting competetion in about January. We can get together and have a tackle swap and a casting competetion and we can all compare notes. Dietz works at a school and i think a School gym is just about the right size. Sorry for hijacking this thread but i have A.D.D. and that is what i do. What do you think? ike