DerekD

I prefer the approach of what is your budget? The minimal 2-4kg combo (rod and reel) I'd recommend (from personal experience) can be be bought for under $100 then add in braid and leader and you should still be under $150. The outfit I use is a rod which is usually picked up for $130 but has been on special for $100 if you look around. The reel I suggest is $90 but there is a less expensive option available. After restrictions eased I spoiled myself with a Shimano Stradic 2500 as the 2-4kg set up is my most fished outfit.

The plastics I use are usually matched with a jighead in the 1/8 oz to 1/4oz range. As an ounce is 28 grams this would mean with the weight of the plastics included I am fishing roughly 5 grams up to 10 grams. I will also fish lighter but it is not my usual starting point for the areas I fish. Yes that is why you are not getting good casting distances and the stiffness of the heavier line is probably not helping lure movement either. I take it you are under 18 and also on a bit of a budget. The challenge is to get you fishing lures at a cost which is acceptable to you. The least expensive solution would be to take the line off and store it on a spare spool (for later) and then respool it with something more suitable for what you intend. If budget were less of an issue then I'd suggest a new outfit which will compliment your existing ones. This too can be done on a reasonable budget. To be continued.

As an interim solution would you consider running a skinny 6lb (e.g. Shimano Kairiki or Daiwa J braid) on your Samaki? Do you have a spare 2500 sized reel you could use on that rod?

Bad news is that your gear is not what I would be starting with for the bread and butter species. I'd be recommending a graphite 7 foot to 7 foot six rod with a short butt with a line rating somewhere in the 1kg minimum to 4kg maximum range and ideally 2 piece for transport ease. I like a 2-4kg outfit. I run 4lb braid (berkley X5 in white) which is more likely to break close to 9lb. With 15lb to 20lb you are likely to lose substantial casting distance on the lighter lures recommended for these species. The reel should probably be in the 1500 to 2500 size range in the Shimano line up or of similar size as made by other brands. Good news is that your current gear is suitable for the larger species but I use a slightly different technique for them and larger lures. Discussion to continue.

Hi Albert, Firstly, once you get through the learning curve then lure fishing can be pretty rewarding and addictive. I see people get frustrated with lures early on because there is a lot of trial and error and it is a struggle to get information in a format which will help your growth. Most recently @Denisfisho went through this process. Some this is worth a read. In his case we finally worked out his line class (15lb) was not suitable for the gear and more importantly the lures he was using. Once he had changed his line we went out for a practice session and found some further improvements to be made with his casting and how to work the lures. He then did this follow up: What species are you chasing? If it is the bread and butter species like bream, whiting, flathead then the starting point would be the gear and line you are using. More to follow when we get your feedback. Regards, Derek

Bazinga!!! 😃

Based on similar sized crank baits from Atomic Hardz crank and the Jackall Chubby it will be around 3.7 to 4gm. Looking at the bib it should be going a bit more than 10cm below the surface so my question is how far above the surface are you holding the rod. Shroom did two really good videos on using these. Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lMbiLriumw or for further viewing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxPWcAtfqNs The other person I know that has gotten rather good at it is @Mike Sydney

Hi mate, My first (and last) experience drop shotting was chasing Zander in the river at Amsterdam in the Netherlands. I did this report on it. One of the slight differences with what you have been doing is that we used a hook specifically designed to sit off the line at 90°. Specifically these ones: One of the other changes to the fishing technique was that the rod was held like a pencil or pistol (you can see Han holding it this way in my report) so you could do the small lifts required to hook the Zander. It is one of the few times that I have switched the reel handle to the left side of the reel. Good luck with it and I'm interested to hear of your ongoing results. Derek

It is Christmas time.... I think a trip to the tackle shop is required to at least verify the advice in the manual.... While you are there you better have a look around too as you never know what else you might need. You are after all saving a second trip.

My take is that you have to put a few spacers underneath the spool to get the line laying more to the back. It looks like I have 3 (or maybe 4) which came in a bag with the reel. OD is about 14mm. ID is about 5mm. I haven't taken them out of the pack but the thickness looks to be about 0.3mm See the manual.

Hi Mate, There are some spacer washers usually placed underneath the spool itself and on the spindle to help with the line lay. I should have a a manual for the twin power floating around. If I can find it I'll scan it in for you. Derek PS. Found the manual. Scanning it now and I'll post in a few minutes. if you don't have the spacer washers I can measure mine to let you know what you should be looking for,

Hi All, Most people can cast. That is, use the rod and reel to get the line out there but as with most things there are little tweaks that can make a difference. I mentor several people each year and typical issues I see come up time and time again with casting are poor grip, not having both arms working in harmony, letting go with one hand, bail arm in the incorrect position, not pinning the line with the tip of the index finger and how they load the rod up. I try and make most of my lessons relatable and get down to basics. I feel if you understand the core principles of a topic you come out with better overall understanding. I decided to create the topic of EFFECTIVE CASTING as I hope it will help others on the community get that bit of extra distance out of their existing SPINNING reel outfits. Most casting videos don’t go into the little details I teach my students so I’ve tried to break it down into small sections and then tried to tie it altogether with some demonstration videos (links at bottom of page) but will probably need to add to these down the track with someone who is capable of editing (I’ve reached out to a fellow Fishraider for assistance with this). My apologies about the length of this article. I know I could have trimmed some fat out of it (for example, just look at the part about working both arms in harmony and then go to the summary at the end and watch a video or two) but I was worried I wouldn't cover the principles properly that I have worked out over the years between trying to improve my own casting and then passing the knowledge on to others. It usually takes me an hour of casting practice to get people proficient and I know what I am looking for and can correct on the run. It then takes several hours more during the lure lessons for their casting to become more natural. The difficulty with this topic is how to transmit that same information to the level that people will actually get it. When I teach people I go into the "why" aspect of most of what I am doing. Hopefully at some stage the people I have helped go on to mentor others and they will then be able to explain the why of each of the components rather than a simplified, do this, this, this and then that and so on. Disclaimer. I am not a competitive caster for either distance or accuracy but I am someone that refines things to the point I am happy with them. I fish both salt and freshwater. In saltwater I want to cover ground. In freshwaters such as small rivers I’ve learned to cast around or under objects such as trees to place the lure within about a foot of the opposite bank. I also fly fish and some of the stuff I learned from that has made it into my spinning outfit style. Most of the people I teach are beginners in either a particular aspect of fishing or have taken fishing up in the last few years. I’ve also taught people that have been fishing as long or longer than I have but because their casting technique was sufficient for their needs they haven’t looked for those little improvements or as one person said “no one has ever shown me this”. In some ways it is easier training up beginners as I don’t have old habits to break. I can get them casting very quickly but then it takes time to get everything coming together to get the full benefits of the casting technique. With experienced casters I often have to reprogram muscle memory and the autopilot. They hear what I am saying. They see what I am doing. When it comes to actually copying what I am demonstrating they go back to what they were doing before. To break the habit of letting go with the dominant hand I get them to cast one handed with the dominant hand (I haven’t had anyone let go of a rod, yet). To get them bringing the supporting hand into play I have them physically watching that hand and nothing else. To get them releasing at the right time I have them watching the lure and the rod tip to ensure it is loading up properly. To get the most out of the knowledge I am trying to impart you are going to have to put the time in and really work on each aspect till it reaches the point you are happy with it. Ideally work through this with a friend so you can help each other spot where improvements can be made. Film it if you have to. The idea is growth rather than beating yourself up for not doing it perfectly. I spent multiple sessions of several hours with one complete beginner with both light and medium outfits till he reached the point he was hitting the same distances as me. He then went and practiced in his own time till it became second nature. It will take most people some time to get really proficient and as with most things in life the more effort you put into it the more reward you will get out of it. Physical strength: Within reason and physical limitations, for light to medium gear, body size is not a major advantage. Several years ago I taught a woman using a snapper outfit (7 foot 6 inches long, 5 to 8kg rod, 4000 reel, 15lb braid and 30gm lure). She was probably and literally around half my weight. Once she put together what I was teaching her she was pretty well hitting the same distances I was with like for like outfits. Not all the time (and that would come with practice) but I think she was close to hitting the casting limits of that outfit. One fellow Fishraider saw her lobbing a lure out and was impressed at the range she was getting. I rate his casting so that was high praise indeed. Please note that with good casting technique you will be able to make cast after cast with minimal fatigue. Safety: Some people use a cast which I’ve heard referred to as a whip cast. Face forwards in direction of cast, lift rod up and sharply back over your shoulder (or head) and then whip it forward. While I’ve seen it used effectively in tight spots I’ve also seen it come close to hitting pedestrians several times. I came across one muppet using it on a relatively crowded public wharf while wearing a large brimmed hat which restricted his peripheral vision. I had some words with him about the danger he was posing to others and his response was that it would be the other person’s fault for walking behind him in a public area. Several years on and that conversation still makes me really angry at his attitude and lack of care for others. This is not a cast I teach. I try to instill an awareness of what is going on behind as I fish several areas with frequent pedestrian traffic. HAVE A QUICK LOOK AROUND YOU BEFORE EVERY CAST (even if it is just using your peripheral vision). I found this video after I uploaded this post and it is a good demonstration of the whip cast and includes an excellent explanation of loading the rod up and using the hands in harmony to power up the cast. What it doesn't show is how dangerous it can be for someone behind as he keeps his rod tip up so the path of the lure is well above head height for someone inadvertently standing behind. I'll try and find a video demonstrating that too. While technically not a whip cast, with the assistance of the very helpful "G" this is a demonstration of several beginner casting issues which can be improved on. Firstly, the high grip with the hand holding the line means line can sometimes unwind off the spool. Secondly, there is a dangerous backswing which could catch an unwary pedestrian. Thirdly, using the dominant arm only to drive the cast is inefficient and can be tiring over a long casting session. Fourthly, letting go with the dominant hand and just holding on to the butt of the rod puts unnecessary strain on the wrist and there is a risk of having the rod slip out of your hand if wet or slippery. https://youtu.be/5FYZMvJ97Pw Outfits: Most of knowledge I am trying to impart here will scale up from light (bream) to medium (snapper) to heavy outfits. While it was mostly written around the use of graphite outfits with braid due to the way they load up and cast, it should still apply to older fiberglass rods. My outfits are set up so the reel balances well with the rod. My spools are packed with line to within 1 to 2mm of the lip. I use braid and lure weights which fall within the rod makers ratings to ensure I can really punch lures (or bait) out without stressing about breaking stuff due to overloading. I don’t like the main line to leader joiner knot passing through the guides and I don’t recommend a very short dropper (distance from rod tip to lure) when casting. My leaders on the 7 foot range rod are usually a maximum of 80cm but will increase this on my longer rods Glossary – For consistency and to avoid having to make the distinction between left handed and right handed casting practices I will be using the following terms Dominant hand – the hand that is the one closest to the reel seat and is used to drive the cast (e.g. the right hand for most right handed people) Supporting hand – the hand that is used on the butt of the rod (e.g. the left hand for most right handed people) Forehand – as in tennis, the same side of your body as your dominant hand. Backhand – as in tennis, the same side of your body as your supporting hand. Line roller – This is the point of the bail arm under which the line passes from reel and then up the rod. They usually have a bearing system in them to allow them to turn smoothly. Reel leg - This is the leg which joins the reel to the foot which is then locked into the rod. NOTE: Unless you are really ambidextrous your dominant hand should remain so throughout your casting even when you bring the rod across the body to cast from the backhand side. Some quick notes: A good way to practice casting is to use a Halco Twisty or similar metal slice as they cast a loooong way when it is done right (you can take the hook off for safety). I think of them as an amplifier in that it is pretty obvious to see the difference between an average cast and an excellent cast. With superlight plastics the difference might only be several meters. Suggest you don’t start at 100% all out casts. Aim for about 80% of what you can do to get technique right and then slowly start ramping it up and going a little harder each time. You are going to make mistakes so don’t stress or beat yourself up about it and choose areas where the consequences of doing so are minimal. I still stuff up now and then but as we are pushing limits it is to be expected. Growth is the goal. Get into the habit of watching lure on way out. It will help you to make minor adjustment to techniques till it becomes second nature and you can anticipate when it is getting close to structure and then slow down the lure accordingly to not overshoot the target. Mix it up – as you get better try casting from different angles and both back and forehand positions. Turn body to suit casting position. BTW I’m right handed and cast that way and like the handle on the right so I have to swap hands to work lures back fast. The mate I got to assist with the photos further on is English and is right handed but prefers to wind with left. Handle side is up to you. I’ve always done it that way and can wind faster (helpful when chasing pelagic fish such as bonito, kingfish, salmon, etc.) with my right than left hand so I see no need to change at this stage in my life. When working lures you will be doing a lot of casting. Effective casting to me is a combination of minimal effort for maximum result and we can generally improve the accuracy of the casting too. When I teach people, the first practical thing I do is hand them one of my light rods and ask them to cast and retrieve a SP with 1/4oz jig head. For about 80% (a combination of beginners and experienced fishos) of the people I can make some suggestions as to how to improve the effectiveness of their casting. To drive the point home I will then punch the same lure out and get a noticeable increase in distance. I point out that distance is not the main aim but will generally develop from good technique and lure placement. With like for like light gear I can usually get several meters further than those I am teaching. As per the diagram below, if we are fishing along the shore with light gear and the student can get 25m compared to the 30m I am hitting that gives me, in this example, an extra 420m² of ground in which to cover with my lures. On a side note, I used the term effective casting as there are people out there that can cast over 300 yards but can’t do much with it. Essentially they are using a 12 – 14 foot custom built rod with a “smooth-as” overhead multiplier reel (once the drum starts spinning it doesn’t take a lot of energy to maintain it), a 175/150/125/100gm slug, shock leader and line so fine that it would do a spider proud. Once it is out there you can’t do much with it. For further reading about casting records please see: http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/1005004666 https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/topic/751827-world-records/ At its simplest lure speed translates into casting distance. One way to do so is to use the rod and line up to the lure like a pendulum and use centrifugal motion (more on that later). What I prefer these days is to load the rod up like a bow or slingshot and then use it to accelerate the lure forwards. If you are patient enough to work your way through the following you will get a good grasp of several tweaks. The videos at the end will show it all coming together. Even if you get nothing else out of this article, probably the biggest factor in improving casting range is getting the two arms working in harmony to load up the rod. I see people using the butt hand as a pivot and then doing all the work with the other hand. It is an inefficient way to transfer energy and you are missing out on rod tip speed. Consider the two scenarios (rod proportions are not really correct but this is for demonstration only). Assuming overall rod length is 2.7m (or 9) foot and distance from reel to butt is 0.5m. Red dot is pivot point and red arrow is movement of hand(s). I’ve used a typical punch speed of 25kmph for the calculations. Case 1 – Using the rod butt hand as a pivot Case 2 – Moving both hands in opposite directions (which also changes the pivot point) That increase in rod tip speed will increase casting distance. There are other factors in play such as wind resistance but you should still see a noticeable increase if you can get the hands working in opposite directions when casting. In the last year there have been two people (Pat and Peter) I have mentored who have really taken the time to understand and practice (and practice) what I have been showing them and I really rate their casting now. In this video Pat is casting a 9 foot rod. Watch how he sets up for the drive forward and then continues to accelerate throughout the cast. In particular watch how the supporting hand pulls backwards for that final punch forwards. Pat could cast before I mentored him but it was hard work (especially with the beach rod he owns) and he wasn’t getting great distances. Since then he taken what he has learned and practiced with the typical gear we use and then tried it with the beach rod. He no longer finds it fatiguing and can get some impressive distances. Pat casting (shown at one quarter speed).: https://youtu.be/1Z-50lvq6kA Now to go into some details which may seem obvious when pointed out or discussed but people often miss the significance of them with respect to casting. The center of mass for most well balanced rods is usually above the reel seat approximately where the grip meets first meets the blank of the rod. I've frequently seen people let go with the hand closest to the reel when casting. Two problems I have with this. If rod is slippery then it can slip out of hand (I know of at least one person this happened to even after I warned them of the danger of holding rod this way). You are creating a cantilever arrangement in that you are having to support both the mass of the rod and the turning moment of the long lever. Another issue is people grabbing the rod high above the reel seat which can allow line to peel /fall off the spool. I use a grip which is close to the centre of rod mass . I highly recommend having the ring and little finger below the reel leg with the middle finger just above to lock it in. This puts the index finger square to the line coming off the spool. There are several advantages to this. The rod is extremely unlikely to slip out of your hand (which can happen to those people that let go with one hand and hold onto the butt of the rod). It makes it really easy to cast with one hand such as when flicking the rod around obstacles such as trees when freshwater fishing. As you are pivoting very close to the centre of mass of the rod it reduces the forces required when casting (helps when doing frequent casting). Bringing the second hand into play by holding onto the butt gives you slightly better control of your casting and will help when casting heavier set-ups. I highly recommending using the pad of your index finger to pin the line to the rod grip. The tendency for some is to put it in the groove at the first joint as it sits so nicely but I found it would sometimes catch when released throwing my cast slightly off. The other thing is the braids these days are fine enough that with enough load (especially on a heavier outfit) they can cut into the skin at the joint but the pad of the finger is a bit tougher. Once you have a cut in the joint it takes a while to heal up. Locking the line between the finger pad and the rod handle increases the friction and really locks the line into place and stops the cutting as the line tries to peel off the reel. The bail arm roller should always be square (at the closest proximity) to the rod. The other reason for getting into the habit of flicking over the bail arm when the line roller is closest to the rod is to prevent the line getting caught up. With a particularly aggressive cast it can pull the bail arm back over. The energy stored in the swinging lure has to go somewhere so this may result in a snapped line and lost lure or worse still having the lure coming back at you and fast. See photo to see where the line can catch (although it is unlikely to happen it still does). The distance between the rod tip and the first piece of terminal tackle (e.g. sinker or lure) is what I refer to as the “drop” or “dropper”. I try to avoid a super short drop (e.g. 10 – 20cm) as any movement of the rod tip results in a wicked side to side swinging of the lure. I use a longer drop of say 80cm for two reasons. Firstly, I personally hate the feel of a knot going through the runners in either direction (and don’t see a need for it either). This 80cm ensures my leader knot and leader can hang outside of the top rod guide. The second reason is that it minimises any side to side motion as transmitted down from the rod tip so when I cast the primary motion of the lure is in the direction of the cast. Ergonomics: If your casting is putting stress on body parts such as the wrist or shoulders then it may be as a result of a previous injury or you probably need to make the motion of your body and how you use the equipment a little more ergonomic. I’ve been fortunate enough growing up to play tennis, golf, hockey, squash and pool/snooker. In each of those sports I learned about how to position the body and move the body relative to the shot. If playing a squash or tennis backhand shift feet to line up for the shot. Have a good comfortable stance depending on the stroke you need to take. I’ve found the same for fishing. Once I have a solid stance I then try and use several different muscle groups to power the cast (especially for the medium to heavy outfit). Rather than trying to do everything through say the arms or the shoulder, try using those hip muscles to provide the initial acceleration for the cast. As you are turning bring the forearms into play and increase the rod tip speed. For the final burst of speed either flick through the wrist with a one handed cast or have both arms working in opposite directions for a two handed cast. It will take a bit of practice to get the timing right but when you do it will feel relatively effortless. For the one handed cast I want to you consider how you use a claw type hammer for knocking in nails. There is a plane of movement which is most effective when hitting the nail. If you have to hit sideways you turn your arm and hand and use that same plane of movement but in a different direction. We want to do the same with our casting. It should feel comfortable and not put strain on your limbs. Change the rod, hand and your body positions to find the comfortable arcs of movement. There is no need to put undue strain on your joints. This is especially applicable to the one handed casts (but is also to a degree applicable to a two handed cast). While the drive comes from the forearm movement, the final burst of speed comes from the flick of the wrist. As per the example of the hammer consider the arc of movement through the wrist in the following four photos. Note how we turn the wrist to achieve the most comfortable arc of movement. For the two handed cast I often see people allow the reel to flip the wrist out of line with the forearm as per the attached photo below. To me this does not look or feel comfortable. Just twist the reel up so the wrist is in the same plane as the forearm. Both the wrist and forearm can now follow the same plane of movement during the cast. With the side cast the forearm can be dropped but the wrist still kept in line with the forearm to minimise strains on the joints. Loading the rod up for the cast: As mentioned, I fly fish too. For those not familiar with fly fishing, the energy used to drive the fly forward comes from loading the rod (typically 9 foot long) with the fly line which has weight. On a good day I can send a fly which weighs less than the fingernail of your pinkie up to 25m away. I have two 7 weight outfits (one freshwater and one for saltwater) for trout, bass, bream, snapper and the smaller bread and butter species. I also have a heavier 9 weight outfit I use off the kayak for the pelagic fish in the Sydney waterways. There are several concepts from using a fly rod which have made their way back into my spinning outfit casting. Specifically: Loading the rod tip up to store energy in the rod to drive the lure forward. Increasing line speed generally results in increased casting distance. You need to take up the slack in the line before you can start loading the rod up. The line follows the rod tip, so if you can get that rod tip moving along an imaginary rail it sets the direction for the cast. For example, if I send the rod tip moving towards the ground that is where the fly line will aim. Moving the rod in an arc creates centripetal motion and flings the line outwards which wastes energy and reduces line speed. I can use my hips and my stance to assist with creating line speed and help keep the rod tip moving in a relatively straight line. In fly fishing you will hear reference to the rail as a means to keep the energy used for the cast going in straight lines. This is one video discussing this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY-My8Txez0 Here is another video showing how effortlessly long casts can be made with a fly rod using good technique (the reference to unicorn farts still puts a smile on my face): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsriHxnDSSo To tie this back into the spinning outfits let us have a look at pendulum casts versus straight(ish) line casts. Swinging the lure like a pendulum is a valid way of getting speed but the problem is that if you are slightly out on your release timing you will find the lure traveling in a direction you didn’t want it to. The following diagram applies equally to an over the shoulder cast or a side cast (think like swinging a baseball bat). If I start with the lure straight down from the rod tip it takes a little while to get the slack out of it before the lure starts trailing the rod tip on a perpendicular angle. In this diagram as I move the rod tip forward the lure will start to follow the rod sideways but the other part of the motion is that the lure will also lift up. This upward motion can continue through the cast and fling the lure upwards on the release. I can still get a decent cast out of this technique but we can still do better. It can also be seen in this video but it is less clear. Casting heavy rod from a standing (lure hanging straight down from rod tip): https://youtu.be/4WxEeguv3r0 What I try and teach people is to slowly and smoothly swing the rod backwards to line up for the forward stroke. On the stop or pause the backwards momentum of the lure will force it to swing upwards. Just before it reaches the apex of the swing start to drive forwards on the cast. Please note that bringing the rod back as fast as possible to set up for the cast is generally more trouble than it is worth. The lure whips around and you throw out the timing of when you need to load up the rod. The body is not a spring so twisting back faster will not help you accelerate forwards faster. For those of you who play golf and tennis think about how you set up for the actual shot. Smoothly back. Maybe hold for a split second. Watch the target and then accelerate into it. The better you get, the shorter that pause needs to be but it is still there. For those that haven’t played golf watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkrOXZ0-pEs On the forward stroke we now need to keep accelerating until we reach the release point. I have a tendency to use my hips to get the initial momentum and then add to it by bringing the forearms into play. The final punch can be done in one of two ways. If casting one handed I can use the wrist flick for that final burst of speed. If casting two handed I both do a jab (like a boxer would – relaxed but fast) with my dominant hand while pulling back with my supporting hand. At the correct point in the cast release the index finger to let line peel out. Wrist action with light rod to get the final acceleration as viewed from underneath (will redo this clip): https://youtu.be/XIRqC704P_A This is the full cast one handed on the forehand side. I’ve used a medium outfit with 28 gram lure to demonstrate how the technique can scale upwards and if I can do it with this rod think about how easy it is with a light rod. The fact I am holding the rod close to the centre of mass allows me to do this without putting too much strain on the wrist. I have exaggerated the movements to make it easier to follow. Casting medium rod one handed on the forehand side: https://youtu.be/KQLDuHNFb4U This is the two handed forehand overhead cast. In this video it is a bit difficult to see the pause and lure hitting the apex but watch the straight lines as the lure comes back: Casting medium outfit two handed on forehand side viewed from behind: https://youtu.be/7haAIp6qe6k The sideways cast versus overhead cast: While I comfortable with an overhead cast on either forehand or backhand I am also a big fan of the side cast and especially on the forehand side. The overhead cast guarantees the lure will go in a specific direction as per Newtons 1st law of motion (a body in motion remains in constant motion along a straight line unless acted upon by an external force). The problem with the overhead cast is that if your timing is off as per the pendulum cast diagram it can go high and this wastes forwards momentum. The reason I like the side cast is that it is easier to get the optimal angle of attack for the longer casts – a bit like a golfer hitting a drive shot. It also allows me to cast underneath objects such as tree branches and is slightly less affected by the wind. The problem with this cast is that if you are a little off it can swing to your left or right but this is solved by using the slingshot casting style. The power stroke for this is a bit like bunting a baseball rather than trying to swing it out of the park. Once I’ve released the lure I then point down the direction of the cast for minimum resistance as the line comes off the spool. Casting medium rod two handed on the forehand side: https://youtu.be/d7AzXDR_RWA Wind is slowed down by friction the closer it gets to the ground so by side casting low with an upwards trajectory you are in the slowest band of wind. If the wind is coming from behind then I will pop the lure slightly higher than usual to get the wind to assist with the cast and get me that bit of extra distance. Zen (a state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort) and the Science (a systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject) of casting We’ve covered the mechanics or science (teachable and repeatable) of casting. Now let us look at the mental aspect. Over the years I’ve heard several people say I make casting look easy and casual. The fantastic thing is that with good technique it is easy. With casting there is sometimes a mental game at play. Golfers will know what I am talking about. They will do multiple practice swings or strokes perfectly and then stuff up the only swing that counts when trying to hit the ball. Physically very little has changed but mentally it suddenly has become important and you are no longer relaxed or casual about the shot. One recent student had this issue and I could see the stop and then start motion of the rod as he hesitated. When you commit really go for it. When casting try for a “I don’t care as I do this every day” attitude – almost like you are brushing your teeth. Fake it till you make it if you have to. The little inconsistencies will work their way out of your casting. Concentrate on the things you can control such as watching the lure swing smoothly backwards, seeing the rod load up, timing the release and seeing the lure fly off into the distance. Watch your hands to make sure they are doing the right thing and working in harmony. Note when you did a good cast. Learn from the casts that went slightly wrong. Your subconscious will make the small corrections you need to get those little improvements but you need your conscious to identify what needs to be corrected. Try and make each cast look casual and relaxed and over time it really will be. Feel the rod load up and listen/feel what the gear is telling you. This may mess with your mind but listen to your cast. This is especially the case with the medium outfit using metal slices. I can tell by sound alone if someone is doing an average cast (as they get better the distance will still be improving) and an excellent cast. I refer it to the Wooosh (like an air swing) and the Vuuup (sounds a little like a silenced gun in the movies). I believe the wooosh sound is an air swipe as the caster has released too late and the rod has lost the energy stored in it. When you get it right the rod tip will fling the lure forward on that final acceleration and that is the Vuuup sound. Keep mixing up your casts. Try overhead and side casts or even come at a 45° angle and split the difference between the two orientations. Try forehand and backhand casts (by the way don’t swap roles of the hands when casting backhanded it will force you to use the right technique as the hands need to cross back over each other on the forward stroke). While I strongly recommend you get the two handed cast (as the supporting hand can stabilise and help power the cast) right keep practicing the one handed casts till you are competent at them. Try casting from low down or up high as if you are trying to get around objects. Stand with your back to a wall and then bring the lure slowly back and close to the wall and then try driving the lure forward with just the forearm and wrist flick. It should surprise you how far you can actually cast it. This is one of the big ones. Accuracy versus distance. I probably sound like a hypocrite when I talk about distance not being the goal but then go on about how I can usually get people casting farther. Concentrate on putting the lure where you want it. Both at short range and longer distances. Pick a target such as a floating leaf. This will help refine your technique. Once you can do this you can make your target a little further away each time till you are starting to hit the limitations of the outfit. The final big one - Have some fun. Maybe get a friend there and look for where you can improve the casts. Film it if you have to. I know what to look for but you are going to have to work it out yourselves. This is a journey and the fastest one there isn’t the winner. Now to tie it all together: You can also watch the additional video links to see forehand or backhand casts done either one or two handed. Use a comfortable stance depending on if you are casting forehand or backhand. It should allow you to achieve some body twist to assist with acceleration. Have about 40 to 80cm of line length between the rod tip and the lure. Make sure the leader knot is not going to be passing through the guides. Get the two fingers below grip on the reel leg with your casting hand. Do the final correction for position of the line roller with your supporting hand Use your index finger to grab and pull the line into the rod grip Flick over the bail arm and then shift your supporting hand to the butt of the rod for a two handed cast. Have a quick visual check around from the direction you are casting to what is behind you to ensure it is safe to cast. Slowly and in a smooth motion bring the rod back to the cocked position and give it a little push at the end to start the lure swinging upwards. Before the lure swing hits the apex start to move your arms forward and twist the body to drag the lure forwards. This will ensure the rod is already starting to load up. As you feel the rod loading up now really start to accelerate the rod by moving your driving hand forward and pulling your supporting hand backwards. Near the end of the driving stroke give a final jab to really punch the lure out As the lure is flying away from you point the rod along the line of lure travel to minimise friction losses. Get ready to flick the bail arm as the lure hits the water to minimise the bow in the line Swap hands as needed for the retrieve. Final acceleration for the two handed cast is done with the jab from the dominant hand. In the case of a one handed cast the final acceleration is done by the hand at the wrist joint. This will be along the plane of the hammer stroke but with a fishing rod this time. Additional video links (as mentioned before some of the movements have been exaggerated for demonstration purposes. As you get better the movements will become smoother and tighter): Casting light rod one handed on the backhand side: https://youtu.be/zSDqIAnwfIQ Casting medium rod one handed on the backhand side: https://youtu.be/lU7liUHK7J0 Casting medium rod two handed on the backhand side: https://youtu.be/ACrtweYL6tg Casting 9 foot rod two handed: https://youtu.be/aSJDf7zAdhk Casting heavy outfit two handed overhead on forehand side: https://youtu.be/b-LZPJhCBsg Deliberate fail 1 (I tried to imitate a typical poor cast I’ve seen multiple times but this was actually hard for me to force myself to let go of the rod): https://youtu.be/pu1Ls166YCY Deliberate fail 2: https://youtu.be/kG2ckP0ilbg Outtake - failing at deliberately failing: https://youtu.be/aP1nuZvJ6Gw Hope this helps you getting more casting distance out of your spinning gear. It is a lot to process but each little component adds up to help. Regards, Derek

Measuring a fish while it is jumping around in the kayak is a pain. I don't really want to have it lying between my legs without really good reason. This was my work around to get a really quick legal/not legal check. If borderline then I can get the tape measure out as required.

I've been asked for photos of my kayak set up as an extension to the article above. Been able to get some photos today which I hope will clarify any queries people had. It takes me two trips from the car to bring the kayak down to the water. The wheels can make this a little easier. The rest of the photos are the process of me setting up the kayak to head out. As mentioned before I'd rather have the gear and not need it than need something and not have it so I rarely travel light.

I call it as a snook too. The tail is yellowish but unfortunately it is not showing up in your photo. Still a new species. Nice report Mike.

Well done @Denisfisho When I started on soft plastics I picked up a book by one of the fishing personalities in Oz. One of his comments was that if you can't catch flathead on plastics give up. The second comment which is more relevant comment for you was that if you can catch bream pretty consistently on plastics then you have nailed it. Two bream so far and I suspect many more to come. Looking forward to hearing about more of your successes. Derek

PM sent.

Sorry to hear it JD. Have you thought about using a rod tube in the future. Most of the stories I hear about rods getting damaged are due to unlucky/poor handling (usually in the car during transport) rather fishing (with the exception of high sticking). I've got rods in the car that have lived in there for over a decade. It costs me a little more time to set up as the reels are stored separately in neoprene bags but I find a little care goes a long way. Regards, Derek

Hi @Denisfisho Due to some work issues I got the day off and went back to the same spot again and scored this one on the same topwater lure. and pretty well the same spot we met. Have to go back there when you have some time free. Went 34cm.

Hi @Denisfisho, It was a pleasure to meet you on Sunday. The wind made it a bit of a challenge so I was extra impressed at how your casting confidence and distance grew over the limited hours we had. You are right in that we want to focus on soft plastics (and probably squid jigs) in the next session. Looking forward to see how quickly you can get the sub surface walk the dog. If the hook had set when it grazed my arm I'm not sure I'd still be considered "the catch of the day" but that is the occasional hazard of flinging sharp bits of metal around. I went back a few days later and picked up this nice little 28cm bream on an OSP bent minnow. As the weather warms up we will be heading back to those bays to see if we can get you to tick topwater bream and whiting off your to do list. Regards, Derek PS: We still need to find you a lucky fishing cap

Hmmmm..... Hi @frankS you have given me something to think about.... I'm trying to frame my thoughts as I write this so I hope I don't give offence. I'm kind of jealous of the people starting out these days in any new venture as there is a wealth of information available on most topics of interest. As you said starting out many people have the theoretical knowledge but not the practical. On that I am in complete agreement with you. Where I may differ from you is I don't really look upon it as a bad thing as you have to start somewhere. I was born in 1970. I learned how things work helping my dad around the house on little projects like fixing the flush mechanism in the toilet. I only had to be smart enough to understand how they worked but not necessarily smart enough to invent the things in the first place. I studied mechanical engineering at the University of Technology, Sydney. Back then it was referred to as a sandwich course in that you studied for 6 months then did a practical stage for a minimum of 22 weeks (you could also do part time). By the end of the course you were supposed to have had 144 weeks of experience in the workforce (at least 20 weeks in a workshop and 20 weeks in a design related office). This was later dropped to 90 weeks all up. The advantage of this was you ended up with a more rounded engineer that could balance the theoretical with the practical. You got to experience several different industries and could work out along the way what suited you and maybe walk straight into a job on completion. You got several references and generally earned some money too. The downside was that a 4 year honours degree took 6 years. In short I'd like to think I've learned by doing but that was the only practical option back then. The other big take home I had from learning engineering that way is how far away the practical could be from the theoretical. They may not have someone to show them the way so I really respect the people starting out in a new field of knowledge if they have taken the effort to learn what they can by themselves. The problem is that it is often difficult for them to grow beyond a certain point as often they won't find the little tips and tricks which are only minor improvements but when combined can result in a noticeable advantage. Years ago I was watching three young women trying to use a handline to get a bait in the water. One held onto the spool and the two others dragged some line out then threw it into the water. They saw me standing there with a big smile on my face at which point I told them that I really respected (and I truly did) how they worked out a method of getting the bait into the water. I then showed them how it was designed to work and how the line peeled off if the spool was held in a certain way. I don't have a problem with having no idea if you are willing to give something a go and also be prepared to ask for guidance to get improvement. I mentor several people each year and we pretty well always start with casting (if the basics aren't right then I have to keep coming back to it). For the majority (say 80%) of people (a combination of beginners and experienced) I can make several suggestions to help them with both accuracy and distance. Even though there is a lot of information on line and they do practice they often don't know the potential they are missing out on because they don't have a benchmark to work against. In my own case I'd love to go back to myself back in 2009 and spend a day with myself going over the things I'd worked out in the coming years. PS. I saw a quote recently which I think kind of applies here to what I am trying to say: “Never make fun of someone if they mispronounce a word. It means they learned it by reading” - Anonymous.

Hi mate, Depending on the weather I should be heading out on the kayak with another Fishraider in the next few weeks and I'll get some photos at the same time. Keen to catch up with you when the kings turn on in the harbour and we can spend some time with the medium outfits. Regards, Derek

Hi JamesH. I fish the slapstix landbased and they have been very effective for me in the past when the kings are around. Part of it is the retrieve I use which is the sub surface walk the dog with pauses thrown in.. I'm not a big fan of the worm hooks. They work but I find they make covering the full water column really slow. I use the TT bullet head jigs. I did something about this previously.

Hi @kingie chaser You’ve raised a very good point for further discussion. This is my view only and the professional photographers out there may have a different view. Yes, there probably is, if you have time. I try and get as much right at the time as historically I’ve not been interested in post-processing. While it is a hobby I do the odd wedding and social event each year. There is a lot of moving about under different lighting conditions so I really don’t have the time to get the lighting settings perfect (and not just exposure). My usually technique has been to get three quick photos under 3 different pre-set camera settings (e.g. no flash, portrait, black and white) and then move to the next group of people. The camera these days is pretty good at light meter interpretation but you still have to select evaluative (whole scene), centre weighted average (concentrates on central part but still takes overall balance into account), partial (central area) or spot metering (very small section of central area). In my case white balance is the killer. For people not familiar with this, whites can appear different under different light conditions (sunlight, dusk, shade, incandescent, tungsten, fluorescent) and these can change the colour or warmth of a photo. Being old school how did you deal with this? Did you use a colour temperature meter? Actually I don’t even know how well the older film cameras dealt with this. I could change the settings (sunny, cloudy, flash) but I don’t know about the impact on the photos (some more reading for myself later). I photographed a colourful wedding reception last weekend (unfortunately can’t post photos at this time). The ones in the banquet hall came up beautifully and I would be happy to leave them as is. The portraits taken in the entrance hallway were another matter. They are well lit, the subject matter is sharp and I am really happy with the composition. Tiny problem is that due to the yellowish lighting in the hallway they have an excessive warmth. As I have the raw photos I can adjust them to true colours but they lack pop so in this case I reduced the warmth far enough that the colours are still vibrant. This is harder to do with JPGs. Discussion continues.

The longest casts are done with overhead reels but it is a specialised area. There are people out there that can cast over 300 yards but can’t do much with it. Essentially they are using a 12 foot custom built rod with a “smooth-as” overhead multiplier reel (once the drum starts spinning it doesn’t take a lot of energy to maintain it), a 175/150/125/100gm slug, shock leader and line so fine that it would do a spider proud. Once it is out there you can’t do much with it. For further reading about casting records please see: http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/1005004666 https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/topic/751827-world-records/