[WarMachine]

Hey Folks,


Is there a chance of having better luck fishing the point at PLO or fishing the Pier? I Have always fished the Pier but never fished the point and i was wondering which spot tends to produce better results.


MC

 

[SeaSalt]

I used to fish PLO alot. From my experience of the pier unless you are fishing the left or right corners, you are pretty much out of luck.

I fished the point couple times and left side of the building produces. I also have seen people catch fish on the right side by the bathroom where the structure is about 75 ft. out.

Now when I go, I strictly fish the causeway because of convenience and last year I had good day fishing on blues. Since you are right next to your car, there is no need to unload your stuff. When it rains, I can stay in the car while I watch the poles. My friend caught a 25inch rock last fall using Rattle-trap on the causeway. I also caught puppy drums, flounder, spot, rockfish and croaker from the causeway.

 

[Hat80]

Hey MC,
I stopped and talked to the people at the causeway on my way out Sat. It sounded like it would be as good if not be better than the pier. That said, they did no better Fri. night than we did. It just go's that way sometime. My concern about the causeway is that they have signs posted that say reserved for campers. I'd hate to get setup then have to move out of the spot. I'll call the office this week and see what the deal is...Tightlines

 

[TRIGGERFISH]

Hat80- you have to be a camper in order to fish in those spots and yes if they catch you in those spots they will tell you move. There are two places on the causeway(non-campers) can fish,the two spots are at both ends,I don't know about the beach and the jetties,If I were you I would call and ask is there any fishing on the beach(Bay side) if so you will need your rod holders and sand cart. TRIGGER

 

[LongRanger]

Hi MC,

Everything works and nothing works. To be successful you need to try it all. I remember when Jangwuah first started fishing PLO. It was tough for him at first. Now he is a pro. He's learned to fish the area and catch fish. Before I setup I drive the park to see who is catching. I also walk the pier to see how things look. I have filled my cooler by fishing the corners as well as fishing the middle of the pier. PLO almost always has fish biting somewhere. Most people are too lazy to scout or move when their not on the fish. Sometimes I come home empty. Nine times out of ten I catch fish. I also fish both sides of the point. I fish the side that is giving up the most fish that night. If I'm fishing for Croakers, Blues or Trout I fish the calm side. If I'm going for Rock, I fish the rough side. If you have a long cast you can catch Croakers from spring until fall on the river side across from the parking lot at the point. It holds Croakers all season. I think there is a shell bed about 500 feet off shore. We offer free casting lessons if you want help reaching them. Try it all; you'll quickly decide what is best for you.

 

[TRIGGERFISH]

LongRanger- when's your next session and what lenght should I bring(I use spinning gear). TRIGGER

 

[LongRanger]

Hi Trigger,

I expect us to be out on Saturday. Check back with me on Thursday for a final rundown. A 11' - 13' rod is best if you have one. Otherwise, bring whatever you have. It is the technique that is important. Please understand that distance is just another piece of tackle in your box. I use mine only when I need it. I cast 50 feet if that is where I find the fish. It allows you to expand your catching zone giving you access to more fish in the water. On some days we are the only people catching fish. On others we get skunked with the best of 'em.

 

[WarMachine]

Hey LongRanger,


where will this casting session be held? I am very interested in attending. Can you please provide me with more details on this. Thankyou.


MC

 

[Wrong Way]

I would really like to see how far some of you pros cast with bait and all. How much distance is lost when casting with weight only compared to the whole rig?

 

[DFishMon]

Hey LongRanger,

I would like some info on this casting too. I sure could used some tips.

 

[BLUEFISH]

i fish there as much asd I can during month of late October.....
Causeway is a safe bet if you just wanna relax and enjoy but it seems like left corner at pier is turned into some sort of religion.
There are always people fishing there I once saw like 20 rods in left corner alone..Can you say Bird nest....... Even when left corner is available i rather fishe right corner.... it's lot easier.....
If you can cast ciuple hundred feet and beyond do try your luck at middle of pier. I saw many big fish when cast over that notorious cable. For those who can't....... there is a reason why middle part of pier is always empty........Don't trust me? go ahead..give it a try......

 

[LongRanger]

Hi All,

The amount of distance lost depends on the bait and the rig. Please do not get the impression that we are casting 600-700 to catch fish. It would be too much work. Some of us tournament cast 400 feet and some cast over 700 feet. On average we cast 400-500 feet for general fishing. That is a long way to reel in a fish. The advantage is having the reserved distance when you really need it. On a crowded beach or pier we use very safe fishing styles. If we are fishing an area with enough space we can send a baited hook a fairly long way. For example our top casters can send a piece of bloodworm and short leader nearly 700 feet. If you add a chuck of bait it falls to over 600. If you use a small perch it could be down to 300 or 400 feet. Larger baits cause a chopper effect and shorten your cast. I read that the average surf angler is casting less than 300 feet. If you add another 100 feet to the cast you increase the catching zone by over 33%. We catch a lot of fish at 200 feet. But, when other people are NOT catching at 200, we ARE catching at 400. That is the why you need to increase your effective catching zone. I also try to observe everything around me when I fish. For example if everyone is catching but me, I try to find out what I’m missing. If no one is catching I’ll move to better spot unless I’m sure that the bait always starts at a certain time. Casting will not make you a super angler. It’s just another resource in your tackle box. You still have to know how and when to use it.

DIRECTIONS TO KENILWORTH PARK:

From Downtown DC: Take East Capitol Street, East, past RFK, cross the Anacostia and bear Right towards I-295, immediately take the Left fork on to I-295 North. Exit at Burroughs/Minnesota, turn Left at the stop light and pass under the highway. At the five way stop Kenilworth Park is directly ahead of you. We use the first two fields on the right.

From the South: Take I-95/495 North (towards Baltimore) cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and take I-295 North. Exit at Burroughs/Minnesota, turn Left at the stop light and pass under the highway. At the five way stop Kenilworth Park is directly ahead of you. We use the first two fields on the right.

From the North: From I-95/495 South (towards Richmond) take Exit 22 on to the Baltimore/Washington Parkway/I-295 South. This turns into Kenilworth Ave. Exit at Burroughs/Minnesota. At the five way stop Kenilworth Park is to your Right. We use the first two fields on the right.

 

[DFishMon]

what are the dates and Time?

 

[Wrong Way]

Longranger, that's pretty impressive if someone can cast a perch that far out. I unfortunately can't make it to your seminar.

Does anyone know if there is an online tutorial for casting? What type of stiffness do you need in your rod to increase your distance? Is a 12' Ugly Stick too flimsy?

 

[LongRanger]

Hi Wrong Way,

Mark Edward just set e new US spinning reel record with a cast of over 758 feet. He casted eight and bait over 500 feet on measured field at a Cast-A-Muck. Mark uses his same fishing gear on the tournament field. Believe me casting a perch that far is too much work for me. I keep my live bait within 200 feet. The goal is the catch fish.

I do not know of any online tutorials. There are few good videos that you can study. Distance increases occur over time. The more you use them to fish the longer your cast will become. If already own a 12’ Ugly stick learn to use well. If you don’t have an Ugly stick, I’d recommend you consider the Okuma Solaris for under $100. It is always a tradeoff. You sacrifice bite detection for distance. A one pound Croaker can bend the tip and the rod can through over 600 feet with a 5oz sinker and small bait. I slow my cast when I am using a softer rod. This allows the rod to store more energy in the butt section before I release the line. Please keep in mind that you still have to go where the fish are biting. You can’t catch what is not there. When Mark Edwards first started coaching me my best cast was 220 feet. I never dreamed of 600 feet. It came in stages; 300, 400, 500, 600, and now 700+.

When I’m fishing, anything over 400-500 feet can stay in the water unless I’m getting skunked. At that point, I reach into the bottom of my tackle box, pull out a power cast and pray that I catch a fish so that I don’t return home empty. Like everyone else I win some and I lose some.

 

[Wrong Way]

Thanks for the wise words Longranger. I use many different rods we have mostly 9' and 12'. I have a new Pinnacle rod that is fairly flimsy like the Ugly Stick and still learning to maximize my casting. How much slack do you guys leave on the end of the rods when casting? I know my leaders varies but it's anywhere between 30-50". Is that enough slack when casting or would I need more?

 

[LongRanger]

Hi Wrong Way,

Before I start, this is MC's post so did everyone answer the original question about the pier vs. the point? It would be good if everyone put in their 2 cents.

I use a shorter drop (slack) on a soft rod. Other people may do it differently. If the drop is too long the rod will bend but never recover. I start with 3 feet and see how it feels and performs. The rod is a spring. The faster it springs back to its resting position the further the cast. So you can see that if you slow it down with a long drop you will lose distance.

The length of the drop also controls the timing of the cast. Let’s assume that we are talking about a simple overhead cast. The sinker should normally leave the rod at 45 degrees to the ground for the best distance. If your cast is a line drive you can change the angle by changing the drop. If you make the drop longer thing will slow down at the rod and the sinker will fly higher. If you are casting too high, shorten the drop and the cast will fly lower. You can also change the angle by changing the aim of the cast. It is your choice. The length of the drop will also affect the feel of the rod. If the rod feels too stiff you can make the drop longer and it will feel softer; shorten the drop on a soft rod and it will feel stiffer.

You can practice while fishing. Get on the water before sunset and watch your sinker on each cast. Make adjustments as needed. How does the rod feel to you on each cast? If the wind is at your back and you want more distance cast higher and let it ride on the wind. If it is in your face cast lower and get under the wind. Once you understand it you will do it automatically. Good luck and keep on catchin’.

 

[markedwards]

OK i have watched this post long enough to weigh in.let me star by saying i have been tournament casting for 8 years now and 5 yrs ago i stopped caring about the tides i'l go when me and my sons feel like going. i have seen days whan a guy using X-mart gear and casting 50 feet outfished me and my high performance gear but i have seen more days of the opposite.don't get me wrong this is no commercial for anyone.i won't mention any brands.as far as my casting accomplishments yes i tourny cast with my fishing gear if i'm going to compete with it why not fish with it?yes it's true i once cast an 8 oz sinker and a 6 inch sassy shad 500+ feet and that is a testament to the distance you can cast under fishing conditions,but o'm not a stupid man if everyone else is pulling fish from 200 feet out guess where my bait will be?
for the poster that asked about spinning gearthats all i use and i remember an unnamed caster coming to me for guidence and all he had was spinning gear and somewhere along the way somebody swithced his reels.just rember this regardless of what you use increasing your distance comes down to increasing the length of your lever(rod) and/or increasing the arc that your lever travels.for example i have a 7 ft boat rod with a 1 ft drop and a 60 degree arc i can cast 30 yds.now same rod with a 3.5 ft drop and a 150 degree arc i can cast over 100 yds.thats double the distance @ half the work. MC i'll answer you question with a question why would a guy that can cast 700 ft go to the end of 1200 ft pier nad cast another 500 ft?

 

[WarMachine]

Hey MarkEdwards,


THats a good question. I would think to get out further to where the big fish are. If im wrong then shcool me in the right direction.


MC

 

[markedwards]

MC you're right,but you've gotta give me a sec here you registered this year and you're a senior member.i registered 2 years ago and i'm still a jr member?29 posts?thats all?i'll be back after i finish sobbing.