Casting Technique Questions

[Catt]

The reason I teach over head casting first is regardless of what structure or cover I'm fishing I start at casting distance away from the outside edge of my targets. Next I move up to pitching distance & then flipping distance.

 

Most anglers go straight to pitching or flipping distance.

 

If ya learn proper technique (let the rod do the work) over head casting is easy on both you & your tackle.

[new2BC4bass]

11 minutes ago, Catt said:

The reason I teach over head casting first is regardless of what structure or cover I'm fishing I start at casting distance away from the outside edge of my targets. Next I move up to pitching distance & then flipping distance.

 

Most anglers go straight to pitching or flipping distance.

 

If ya learn proper technique (let the rod do the work) over head casting is easy on both you & your tackle.

Absolutely.  I just wish I had someone to teach me.  Would have cut learning time significantly....I think.  Never know with me. 

[sully420]

Bryan thrift has a great you tube video on dock skipping really helped me improve thay skill.

[RPreeb]

On 4/17/2018 at 10:20 AM, Sharkicane said:

I have watched the beginner videos and read a few articles. I ordered a bait caster and in a few days I will be able to start practicing with it. I have a few questions on what to start with and when. There are so many different casts I have learned about in the past few days, the straight forward overhand cast, side arm cast, back hand cast, roll cast, pitching, and flipping. Most guides recommend starting with the overhand cast. It seems to me the overhand cast while seeming the easiest is also the loudest in terms of lure entry. Now I might and probably am wrong but it is just the conclusion I have drawn cause it seems crankbaits are about the only technique that really uses an overhand cast since distance is a big factor with them. 

 

Would it be more beneficial to practice a few different casts on a rotation since I am just starting out? For example to 5 overhand casts, 5 side arm, 5 back hand, and repeat. I am 29 years old, which to me is a pretty late start to get into bass fishing. I am just trying to maximize my time and be as efficient as possible with smarter practice. My hope is move from the back yard/pool to using my bait caster out on a pond or lake as soon as possible. 

I've only just begun the journey myself - last year was my first time in at least 55 years using a baitcaster.  I picked up the sidearm roll cast quickly - accuracy isn't that great yet, but I can put the bait out there without backlashing almost all of the time. 

 

Overhand has been a bit more difficult.  I have a tendency to release too late, and that splashes the lure into the water about 15 feet away, so unless the thumb is really ready to brake the spool, you will get a birds nest of historic proportions (I do have this tendency with the roll cast too, but it's not as potentially fatal as with the overhand cast).  

 

It helps to have your reel set correctly (and a decent mid price range baitcaster doesn't hurt either - I have 2 Tatula CT 100's, 8.1:1 and 6.3:1 ratios).  The setup for these doesn't change much for me from one bait to the next unless I'm trying to go from a weightless Senko to a nearly one ounce Whopper Plopper.  At my novice level I set the Magforce brake dial at about 8-10 and it's good for most of what I use it with.  I've never used a centrifugal brake, and the setup is different so I won't even try to discuss that. 

 

I also don't worry about distance - I'm not trying to win any contests.  I can cast far enough even from shore to catch fish, and now that I have my canoe, I can get off shore and be as close to my target as I need to be to get the job done.  Now I need to focus on actually hitting that target more consistently.

[Boomstick]

First, I need to correct you. 29 is not too late to get into bass fishing! Hell, I never fished for bass a day in my life before 35!

 

Second, I would start by learning the sidearm cast. Basically, draw a Nike symbol with the tip of the rod and as it swings around and you start moving in a downward angle, pickup the pace of the cast. Once you get it, you'll never bird's nest again short of line digging into itself or snagging a low hanging branch.

 

Next you can then work on your accuracy. Once casting is second nature (which really doesn't take long), this will be a lot easier.

 

Next, work on your backhand and overhand casts. These are a bit harder, but remember that the overall motion of the tip of the rod should more or less mirror that of your sidearm cast, just in a different direction. And the one thing that got me for the longest time is I would tend to cast too light, which can result in a bird's nest -- be sure to really throw it to where you want it to go quickly (although you don't have to force it). Also release timing can be tricky.

[P.A.L.]

Pull out about 25 to 50 yards of line and then put a layer of electrical tape on the spool. Reel the line back up and practice casting. This will significantly reduce how bad your bird nests are. Making the learning curve a little less frustrating.