[puppydrum45]

I'm new at using a conventional reel and I need some pointers on getting a longer cast. I'm using a 12ft Tica with a Saltist 20 conventional reel with 17lb mono and a shock leader. I can get it to 80 yards with a 5oz or 8oz with tennis ball. I do not have any blowups so that part is good. I've tried the Hatteras cast and off the ground cast and both usually go about 80 yards. Any pointers for getting more distance?

 

[jcbrock]

I watched some of Tommy's videos on YouTube and picked up a lot of good stuff. My biggest problem was trying too hard and pushing the rod too far forward. Are you shooting out wormburners? That is what I was doing at first. When I started pointing the rod up when I finished (looking at where you want it to be helps) then I started getting altitude on my casts and the distance came on quick! It is an amazing feeling to expect the weight to hit the ground and the reel to stop and it just keeps turning and turning...

 

[justinstewart]

Take off the tennis ball!

 

[kingfisherman23]

What I've picked up from the site:

Focus on the ground cast. Once you have the timing down and you are getting around 160 yds, then you can work on the Hatteras. You will find that your distance on the Hatteras has increased drastically without practicing it at all, just because you know how a cast is supposed to feel.

Slow down. You are likely trying to put too much speed into the cast. I thought I was going slowly until I posted a video up. So slow it down.

Take a lesson. If you can make it out to Wilmington go and see Tommy Farmer. He is one of the best in the business, if not the best. He will show you how to put that weight way out there.

If you can't make it to a lesson, find someone to cast with or videotape yourself. I taped myself for the first time two weeks ago and saw lots of things to improve upon. Then I posted the video on here and got a ton of great advice.

Welcome to the DAC! (distance addiction club)

Evan

 

[justinstewart]

Seriously, you can only cast a tennis ball so far.

 

[puppydrum45]

Thanks for the advice
The weight goes inside the tennis ball so it doesn't get stucked in the dirt and it's easier to reel back in on the football field, stewart.

 

[ffemtreed]

I am not a distance caster, but if I was trying to get better I would be worried more about improvement rather than actual distances. If the tennis ball works for you to practice keep using it. Just keep things consistent and work on increasing that 80 yd tennis ball to 85 yards and 90 yards. Your true casting with bait and weight will also follow the same improvement curve.

 

[lil red jeep]

One of the things that has helped me get more distance, and I'm by no means one who can bomb it out there, but I'm casting farther than I used too, is when I accelerate through the cast I make a point to aim high over the horizon. I had the hardest time getting used to aiming high. I had cast for years aiming at a spot to target a bass or something, but aiming high helped me the most.

 

[dawgfsh]

Take off the tennis ball!

I have to agree, and if you are dragging the ball back each time instead of winding down to it, how do you know the cast was longer or not ?

but if you need some pointers, from a long time drummer, I'm right down the road in Greensboro and I have a field (sort of ).

 

[triple t]

If you stop at an angle, about level hip to chin, you can really focus on loading the rod up. I'm not a "distance caster", but I can chunk it about 125-160 yards on a good cast.
I use a Avet MXL 5.8 ratio on a tica 12ft' 4-10oz. rating.

 

[SALTSHAKER]

If your casting a saltist 20 I think they get 36" a handle turn, just count the turns and times 3'. But use the ball for technique, not distance,,,,salt

 

[ffemtreed]

If your casting a saltist 20 I think they get 36" a handle turn, just count the turns and times 3'. But use the ball for technique, not distance,,,,salt

That is not accurate at all for distance. The amount of line on the retrieve varies by the amount of line on the spool.

Now if you use that as a measurement indicator you are fine. Example it took 200 winds of the crank to get my bait in, next cast it takes 210 winds to get the bait in, you can surmise that the second cast was farther. However you can't say that 200 winds * 36 inchs = how ever many yards

 

[Drumboy]

My dad and I were casting at the airport with Tommy one and my dad was hitting 80 as well. Then Tommy told him to put his arms out away from your shoulders instead of compact. Something about giving you a bigger arc not quite sure about the whole distance casting things, but whatever it was about it gave an average of about 5-10 yards on every cast. Hope this helps

 

[Furball]

A bigger arc will really help as it gives the rod more time and room to load. Timing/how you accelerate is is also critical. Tom

 

[Tommy]

The Hatteras cast is a unique cast that developed to serve a a specific need - casting for good distance in a shoulder to shoulder crowd of drum fishermen.

The HC was the first powercast I learned back in the mid 90's. Compared to other casts like the groundcast and the pendulum cast it is very compact and happens quickly start to finish. What this means to the caster is a very timing critical cast. The best way (IMHO) to perfect the HC is to spend some time learning the groundcast. By practicing getting the arms away from your body and in the right position for the push / pull "hit" at the end you will develop a skill that will help with any cast. Since the HC happens so quickly, you need to develop muscle memory that you can count on to get that left hand up and out.

If you watch guys throw the HC, even guys that hit it good, most keep the left arm tucked in nice and safe close to the body and just smack it with the right (right hand caster). It looks impressive and you can get distance if you're big and strong but only 50% of the available "arm power" is being tapped.

To really get the most distance from the HC (or ANY powercast) you must involve the left. Getting good extension and then pulling aggresively when the left is out in front of your face is like adding a turbocharger to the cast without adding a tremendous amount of effort. It is not natural for most of us and does take practice to perfect.

It is time well spent.

Tommy

ps, puppydrum45, take dawgfish up on his offer. He's a very experienced hastteras caster and can help you improve.

 

[FishinMortician]

There you are.

 

[dawgfsh]

Thanks for the kind words Tommy, see ya on the beach

 

[05 grand slam]

anotherthing i know everyone here has experenced. you are expecting too much out of your self to quickly just take it slowly and learn it step by step. you may think wow big woop im only casting 80 yards compared to these guys that are casting 150 this makes me look so stuped. i used to think like this but now i could careless i just care on working on my tecnique and trying to get that extra 5 or so yards and build on that, then add on to that 5 and so on, before you know it youll be casting like a pro.

 

[Stevie Wonder]

This was an enjoyable thread to read.Fellow P&S'ers helping & sharing their knowledge. Kudos to you all. :beer: