Talk to Lou about the casting he is better at explaining, he helped me getting started. I think you are casting to hard to get distance. you need to just throw nice easy motion. start with more brake, short distances, bake off the brake and add more thumb pressure until you get the hang. Light lures just ain't gonna go as fat as heavy plus a little better reel would help too......a good reel in the 150 got a few choices, lews, daiwa, quantum, Abu Garcia. I personally like my quantum energies, i also have a lower end daiwa and like it as well. But I would say get a lews. Hear a ton of good things about them in that price range you would be set.