How Important Is Distance To You?

[Rippinlips14]

I want to here what yall think. To me distance is important when I'm throwing a crankbait, or the fish are getting pressured hard. I personally like to make short accurate cast (30' pin point) that's usually when I'm throwing to small patches of reeds or grass. but when I'm throwing off a ledge where they are stacked on, I feel as if distance is important if they're getting pressured hard. So I'll place myself about 50' off the ledge or point. So what I'm saying is in your opinion how important is distance to you?

[flyfisher]

I try to get as close as possible to not spook the fish, get good hooks and keep me in position for working the area, distance varies depending on the cover or structure encountered much like you mentioned.  

[bootytrain]

Fishing from shore, distance is my number one priority to cover as much water as I can.

[Rippinlips14]

Fishing from shore, distance is my number one priority to cover as much water as I can.

When I'm at a pond and not on the lake I always throw parallel to the shore to avoid dead cast. With that being said when I'm pond fishing distance is not at all important except when once again I'm throwing to patches of grass or reeds I will throw from 20-30 feet away I'll try to get somewhere around the edge if not in the reeds. The bass have a 360 strike zone (when not activity feeding) also this is where we get crankbaits known as reaction baits that's why we throw something that throw off their lateral line (reaction baits)

[Bluebasser86]

Accuracy> distance

[Catch and Grease]

Accuracy is more important IMO, but I also fish whatever distance I feel is most efficient.

If I feel bombing crankbaits is gonna get more fish quickly by covering more water then that's what im gonna do!

[iabass8]

Accuracy> distance

troof

[Jrob78]

Unless I'm trying to get maximum depth out of a crankbait, I don't worry too much about distance.  I'm way more concerned with accuracy and being able to get a solid hook set.

[SirSnookalot]

Time and a place for both, bass fishing I don't usually cast that far.  The longer the distance the more opportunity there is for the fish to get unbuttoned.  Other types of fishing I do I can catch fish 10' off shore or need to cast 50 yards or more, fish can still get unbuttoned from that distance.

[Sam]

Depends on the bottom and water color.

 

The Bottom

If there is a drop off, rocks, debris, wood, grass, used tires, humps or the time of year I like to back off from the target area and cast across it to give the crankbait the distance to get to its maximum diving depth when it passes over the bottom structure.

 

Water Color

If the water is clear I want to have distance so the bass don't see me.

If the water is stained or muddy then I just cast away.

[Bankbeater]

Some of the lakes I fish have very heavy fishing pressure.  If I am in clear open water I have to cast a pretty good distance so that the fish don't get spooked.  On the other hand if I am fishing in a lot of weeds and slop I will park the boat right in the middle of it, and make casts that are 10' to 15' away.

[AK-Jax86]

I always make long casts when bank fishing, or boating, when I am fishing topwater or cranks/spinnerbaits. I want to cover a lot of water and I don't want to spook the fish

[roadwarrior]

Long casts and long lining, especially with crankbaits and the Alabama Rig.

Although I have a high appreciation for accuracy in general, it's not really

that important for river fishing other than keeping it out of the trees! 

 

 

 

 

[J Francho]

Not that important to me, though I can cast pretty far.  Smooth, trouble free casting, that gets my bait in the general vicinity is all I care about.  The more you fish, the farther you can cast, and the more accurate you become.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Max casting distance is not irrelevant by any means, but there is no need to obsess over it like too many do. 

[gardnerjigman]

It depends the scenario, structure and style I'm fishing in. I've fished main lake points out to 30fow and sling a 1 oz jig or c-rig as far as I possibly can and tick every rock, stump on the way back. Same thing with a crank. Some baits in certain area's of the water and structure need to run more horizontal and you aren't going to get that fishing directly over the top of it.

[Raul]

Distance is important to a certain point, it all depends on the context.

[geo g]

Distance is important under certain conditions.  In south Florida, canals sometimes have water that is Gin clear.  Long casts are important to help prevent spooking the fish.  Sometimes under these conditions a boat or a trolling motor will move bass off into another zip code.  Long cast to the bank edge and then a very gentle drop from the bank will illicit a strike.  Moving in stealth mode is sometimes what it takes to get a bite. 

[Ozark_Basser]

I feel long casts will make or break a successful day of fishing in certain situations, especially when fishing shallow water with good visibility.  

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Distance is important on every cast made.

 

You can have distance without accuracy but you cant have accuracy without distance.

[WRB]

Distance is relative to each angler. My average cast distance when fishing jigs during pre spawn is about 90', long cast for most jig anglers. The only reason to do this is the bass spook easily and move out into deep water and stop feeding if you get too close.

At night on the same lake a 30' cast works good, no reason to make a 90' cast.

Crank baits longer casts keep the lure in the strike zone longer, same with swimbaits.

Tom

[Justin Mott]

That's a good questions . It seems like everyone falls into two categories. They are more concerned with accuracy or they want to chunk a mile. I would bet money that the two groups represent two different styles of fishermen. Guys that beat the bank or are cover focused are normally more concerned about accuracy. Guys that are working structures want all the distance they can get.

 

I'm convinced that there isn't an absolute to fishing. So for me, I like to select the ideas that fit or an enhance my style of fishing. I love to make short accurate cast running around with the trolling motor on high all day. But a guy that catches fishing casting a mile is just as right as I am.

 

Justin Mott

[mjseverson24]

I like to make the longest cast I can and still be accurate, I believe this gives me the greatest chance of catching a fish on any given cast. So with medium to deep cranks I like max distance, but when fishing shallow cover that has tight targets, the farthest I can effectively present the lure to the correct spot might be 20 yards give or take depending on conditions and lure.

 

Mitch 

[Brnnoser6983]

It's 50/50 for me. If I am dropping it in the weds I don't need distance. But a far cast on a swim bait is important to me. It allows me to cover more distance.

[Josh Smith]

For me, distance is secondary to accuracy and precision, but still pretty important.

 

I've caught spooky bass at 30 yards out that I'd not have caught otherwise.  Braid with fluoro leader helps with this.

 

Some say make five casts to the same area; I find 10 casts are better as bass tend to patrol long certain underwater "paths".  Knowing where these are is like knowing where a deer path is.  The trick is to be there when the bass or the deer is, and use whatever is effective.

 

That's one thing I like about fishing.  Hunting, you locate the critter and shoot it.  Fishing, you locate the critter, and then have to trick it into "shooting" itself.

 

Josh