cdog; We at Anacostia are not out of your league. Anytime you can make it I guarantee we will make you feel at home. The regulars that come do cast over 600 ft but if you come every weekend and think about NOTHING else, in a while you'll be able to do the same. I hesitate to comment on the very "dead elephant" (8&bait), because I have done it for so many years, I have a different perspective. I will try any combination of weights and bait sizes to get baits out there when distance is important and there are new weights that hold much better, so you can use less weight that will go further and unless a very strong wind is in my face it will rarely be as heavy as 8oz, and never a "dead elephant" 8oz pyramid weight. Unless, and here is the part that is hard for me, since I remember a time when it wasn't so: Unless you are fishing the "conga" line at the Point. I guess it is ok for a locality to have a particular method that MUST be followed. At the point everyone uses the same rig and it rolls along and the anglers amble along with rod in hand, all at the same speed. It wasn't always like that but now it is and its the only way the spot is fished, no other method can be used, only "dead elephant", all else is verbotant! When ever I hear about 8&bait casting compitions I feel like it's rubbing salt into a wound. It just seems(to me) like a distance compitition is blasphemed when a localized, restrictive technique is glorified on the distance field. As a separate event, held out there on the sand at the Point or anywhere but the distance court, I guess it's ok to have some fun, but I,ve done it (been there, done that) and just wouldn't consider using those old sinkers (that are in a pan in the garage).I'd use the new breakaway impact leads that are neatly aranged in the camper drawer according to color code ready to fish.