Getting serious about casting

[trowpa]

Ok- I've got a new resolution this season to improve my casting. I've got a couple breakaway canons and had to relearn my timing anyway to get these little gadgets to work - figure now is a good time. I want to see what I can get out of my spinning gear before I take the plunge into a conventional setup.

I know i need to find a big field to practice in - but first I need to know what to practice. I see a lot of people on the beach with their own "technique". A lot of them don't get any further out than I do. Some seem to get distance in spite of technique through sheer power. However, some seem to get the distance gracefully through proper technique -that last group is what I'd like to follow

I've looked at the OTG, Pendulum, etc techniques online...and am looking for something simple to start with - where I can keep my eyes on the water.
For those of you that are getting good distance (especially those using spinning gear) what type of cast are you using? For those that have struggled but eventually got better, how did you improve?

Now - where in the land of strip malls and drugstores can I find a practice field.....

[Charkbait]

I'm scrapping my happy gilmore technique in favor of something more repeatable and that I can use while wading out. After fishing with the gitter for a day I'm going all hatteras (modified pendulem) casts, he can really bomb it out there consistently and looks to use about half the energy I do.

Got all my reels rebuilt last night after dunking every single one of them at one point or another and now the practice will start.

Here is a decent link but you really have to break it down to see what Tres is doing.

The Hatteras Cast | Hatteras Cast Video | Tres Irby Demonstrates the Hatteras Cast | Surf Casting Video | Beach Cast Video

I think you'll get more out of your spinners with it and then you'll be set when you switch over. Although I wouldn't start conventional casting with a hatteras.

[trowpa]

Thanks Ben - yep some sort of happy gilmore technique is what I started with...then I stopped the running start and am left with what I can only describe as a "Half pendulum sidearm chuck and hope" technique. After looking at the videos, looks like the hatteras is actually pretty similar to what I'm "TRYING" to do ....this should hopefully show me how to do it correctly.

[Pier_man0909]

the hatteras is not a modified pendulum, more like a half pendulum. there is an actual modified pendulum that is used for fishing. the pendulum action is an outswing then an inswing while the hatteras cast is just an outswing. it is hard to do a pendulum while fishing because of the weight.

[Charkbait]

didn't mean to say it was, trying to give Steve an idea of what I was talking about.

[Pier_man0909]

the off the ground cast will get you better distance than the hatteras if you do it right and is "foundation" of many other casts. the pendulum and OTG cast require a bit of room because of the arc you form. I could be wrong but I think the hatteras cast came from fishing the crowded hatteras beaches and piers where there wasn't much room to cast so they had use a technique that fit their surrounding.

[Charkbait]

I'm sure you've seen the vid I posted but that's a substantial arc Tres creates. You can actually see the sinker come by the camera.

[Pier_man0909]

Originally Posted by trowpa

I've looked at the OTG, Pendulum, etc techniques online...and am looking for something simple to start with - where I can keep my eyes on the water.

oops.. thought I mentioned this but apparently didn't.

unitech cast

[Pier_man0909]

note the baseball right behind his feet.

when he starts his cast the ball swings away from him and then out foreward. pay close attention and you can tell what I mean.

YouTube - Uni tech cast

[Coop]

I don't think the pendulum is good for surf fishing for most. Accuracy can be a problem and the forces applied could cause a flying sinker if not using the proper shock leader or the bait flying off. For me, when I do a pendulum, I have a seriuos accuracy problem. One thing is for sure, you can create some seriuos lead speed. For me, I have treid the hatteras cast, but much prefer to leave the bait on the sand with 6' of drop and load it up.

[trowpa]

Thanks for the info guys - this is helpful. I think when I get out on the field i'll experiment first with the the hatteras and perhaps the unitech. Maybe it's my flyfishing background, but I have a problem feeling natural doing any cast that doesn't include some sort of back cast to help load the rod.

[trowpa]

On the breakaway site, they show a standard unitech, but also a "swinging unitech" that looks an awful lot like a Hatteras - doesn't seem to be any difference.

Here it is

[Pier_man0909]

the off the ground that coop uses will get you better distance than those others. I have problems with the pendulum while fishing too sometimes, if I'm usin 6 n'bait it is alright but 8 and a chunk is really heavy and it is hard to be accurate and with over half a pound flying in an arc the line wants to come off the reel and it's hard to keep the spool from slipping. I tried to do show a pendulum to sam once when my rod was new and I wasn't used to it, it got out there and was fairly accurate but didn't go as far as it should have and it threw me off balance a little. If I practice some more I'll get a lot better at it.

[Charkbait]

The big issue I ran into last week was wade casting, I agree OTG is the most consistent for me as well, I want somthing I can bomb waist deep and hatteras does it for me. Pretty sure I'll just go to all hatteras until I can do it in my sleep then I have something I can pull off a big cast with under almost any conditions. Not a big deal striper fising on North AI but down low drummin it will make all the difference in the world.

I can keep it reasonably accurate with a small drop, as I get better I'll lengthen the drop.

Trowpa, that's the easiest thing to change to make any of these more managable, I think shorter drops will help you in the learning curve.

[trowpa]

Cool - thanks Ben. can't wait to try these techniques out this weekend on the field.