getting back into spinning - can cast pretty accurately....usually... and feather a bit

[fishhugger]

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning.

in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised.  casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance.  but if i cast sidewarm,  a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm.

i seem to aim by - just going for it. i pick a spot, and just am committed. it's like i used to hit a tennis ball, etc. 

is this how other guys aim spinning casts? 

and feathering - yeah, i do that with my off hand.  and skipping - i didn't know enough that spinning equipment is actually great for that. 

spinning is pretty darn fun...

[QED]

1 hour ago, fishhugger said:

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning.

in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised.  casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance.  but if i cast sidewarm,  a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm.

i seem to aim by - just going for it. i pick a spot, and just am committed. it's like i used to hit a tennis ball, etc. 

is this how other guys aim spinning casts? 

and feathering - yeah, i do that with my off hand.  and skipping - i didn't know enough that spinning equipment is actually great for that. 

spinning is pretty darn fun...

 

I fish mostly UL spinning gear and BFS casting gear.  If you are having difficulties timing the release on sidearm casts, then try practicing more as well as learning to roll cast.  Feathering the line with your off hand seems kludgy to me but if it works for you, then more power to you.

[GRiver]

I’ve found being accurate with casting is consistently keeping everything the same. You know the distance from the tip of your rod to your bait….1 1/2 eyes down, 3 eyes down. Hold the line in the same place on your finger and rod every time. Try to use the same swing of your cast too…. Just your wrist, or swing your arm.

I kept a rig by the door and practiced at home, had targets in the yard and, if I had a few minutes, got out and toss for a little while.

 

[Deleted account]

7 hours ago, fishhugger said:

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning.

in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised.  casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance.  but if i cast sidewarm,  a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm.

Yup, if you are casting overhead, and are close to it, and somewhat consistent with the mechanics, then the lure can't help but travel in line to the target, any variation in timing or stroke will manifest in missing the target short or long. When casting off that angle there will be an X and Y component which will vary independently (reason why your second serve in tennis should be primarily a topspin). So one isn't more or less accurate with an overhead v a side arm, it just appears that way. Like a golf stroke, tennis serve, or acquiring a target and pulling (misnomer) the trigger, the key is consistency derived from the muscle memory of repetition. While the stroke and release are different in BC and spinning, they share a lot in common, I find that besides the timing of the release, the follow through direction is off when folks can't cat accurately. 

[islandbass]

8 hours ago, fishhugger said:

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning.

in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised.  casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance.  but if i cast sidewarm,  a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm.

i seem to aim by - just going for it. i pick a spot, and just am committed. it's like i used to hit a tennis ball, etc. 

is this how other guys aim spinning casts? 

and feathering - yeah, i do that with my off hand.  and skipping - i didn't know enough that spinning equipment is actually great for that. 

spinning is pretty darn fun...

If you’re referring to sidearm casts being unpredictable, simply a timing issue regardless of whether it’s a casting or spinning rig.

 

I will admit, feathering with the off hand feels cool. People who see me do it say, “Dang. I didn’t know you could do that, lol.”

[PhishLI]

8 hours ago, fishhugger said:

if i cast sidewarm,  a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm.

You hit targets by locking your eyes on to them regardless of casting/pitching technique. The rest is muscle memory and self calibration built up over time. A dose of god given talent is the icing on the cake. YMMV.

[bulldog1935]

@QED the klugey part may not be quite accurate. 

Feathering works just like thumbing your baitcaster for final elevation (distance), and combined with manual bail, it adds tight line for near-instant fishing. 

This is also how you deal with wind and runaway line issues. 

My experience with almost exactly matched spinning and BFS rods, the latter can cast lighter lures farther than the former. 

 

@islandbass trying too hard to get the distance is often a factor.  Effortless casting always improves accuracy. 

[MN Fisher]

I guess I'm a little different...I feather with the same finger I use to pick up the line before a cast...long fingers.

 

Course I'm a '3-in front, 1-behind the stem' holder....that might have something to do with it.

[flyfisher]

I honestly didn't realize people didn't feather their line with a spinning rod until a few years ago when i saw someone post about it.  It is a natural process as I manually close the bail so my off hand is already located at the spool.  

I fish from a kayak so sidearm casting is the norm for me and accuracy is much about consistency in process.  I have been fishing this way for so long that I don't use overhand too often unless I am really trying to bomb a deep crank or something.

[TOXIC]

The fundamentals are completely different between baitcasters and spinning.  It’s all about how you load the rod.  With baitcasters, it’s done with the whole arm to the shoulder.  With spinning is done more with the wrist.  Confuse those 2 and you get backlashes on a baitcaster and reduced accuracy with a spinning setup.  If I’m overhand casting a spinning rod, more than likely I’m going for distance not accuracy.  Most of my spinning casts are timed so that it’s like shooting a rifle with the tip of the rod pointing my target and my finger releasing at the exact point of maximum load on the rod.  Overhand usually puts too much line in the “arc” that subjects it to wind and excess line.  

[QED]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@QED the klugey part may not be quite accurate. 

Feathering works just like thumbing your baitcaster for final elevation (distance), and combined with manual bail, it adds tight line for near-instant fishing.  [stuff deleted]

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely pro-feathering.  But I feather the line using the index finger on my casting hand rather than using my off hand, the latter of which is what I was referring to as kludgy.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

The fundamentals are completely different between baitcasters and spinning.  It’s all about how you load the rod.  With baitcasters, it’s done with the whole arm to the shoulder.  With spinning is done more with the wrist.  Confuse those 2 and you get backlashes on a baitcaster and reduced accuracy with a spinning setup. 

Only because in bass fishing the BC set ups are heavier than the spinning ones. Step up to larger set ups, and the motions are almost identical.

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

My experience with almost exactly matched spinning and BFS rods, the latter can cast lighter lures farther than the former. 

Yes, but that is misleading. When optimized, a spinning outfit will always outcast a BC with lighter lures.

[Cbump]

6 hours ago, flyfisher said:

I honestly didn't realize people didn't feather their line with a spinning rod until a few years ago when i saw someone post about it.  It is a natural process as I manually close the bail so my off hand is already located at the spool.  

I fish from a kayak so sidearm casting is the norm for me and accuracy is much about consistency in process.  I have been fishing this way for so long that I don't use overhand too often unless I am really trying to bomb a deep crank or something.

 

Yep. 
 

I also pitch with spinning setups often. Like pitching a Finesse worm at a dock piling. Super accurate.
  

I tell my wife to stop overhand casting all the time. 

[TOXIC]

14 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Only because in bass fishing the BC set ups are heavier than the spinning ones. Step up to larger set ups, and the motions are almost identical.

3 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on that.  Being a guide and teaching hundreds to throw a baitcaster 95% of the problems came from trying to throw it like a spinning setup which is what most of them came from (and a few push buttons).  I would venture a guess that any of the newer baitcasters are probably lighter than a 2500 spinning setup.  Nevertheless, if you flick your wrist with a baitcaster (unless you are very experienced), you’re gonna bird nest. Gar-on-teed. ??

[bulldog1935]

I've done the same for fly fishermen, and only spinning cast benefits from wrist flicking. 

 

But I'll cast toe to toe with you any day. 

 

Above will cast 2 g to 130', below will cast 2 g as far as you need to fish any creek. 

[Darth-Baiter]

i have gotten super accurate with spinning.  i never do an overhand cast because i have rods in holders behind me.  it would be disasterous.  i sidearm it.    accuracy will develop.  

 

stick with it.  i'll stay out of the pecker measuring contest that is sure to develop.  hahaha

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on that.  

Makes the world go around. 

[fishhugger]

8 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Yup, if you are casting overhead, and are close to it, and somewhat consistent with the mechanics, then the lure can't help but travel in line to the target, any variation in timing or stroke will manifest in missing the target short or long. When casting off that angle there will be an X and Y component which will vary independently (reason why your second serve in tennis should be primarily a topspin). So one isn't more or less accurate with an overhead v a side arm, it just appears that way. [snip]

it just seems that the finger release for overhead casts, as u say, you can overshoot or undershoot. sort of simple.  but sidearm, a slightly mistimed finger release (for me) can result in casting way to the left or right, or actually whichever direction the arc of your cast is taking... i just feel a lot more can go wrong, that's all, with the sidearm.  

i agree with others here about muscle memory, etc... the eye looking at the target - yes, that seems to result in best accuracy. but then there's dodging the tree or cliff next to you, or the little opening in the trees you're casting thru - i'm focusing on that...not exactly where my cast will end up. so, much less accurate, for me. but it gets my bait where i want it. 

the other thing is, i'm using two rods, one five foot, one six foot.. they just seem so different... same 4# line, but the lures might be 1/16 oz vs 1/32 oz... more variables...

but ultralight spin casting is a total hoot! i miss bait casting, but that's, for me, 3/8 oz weights  on up.  

14 hours ago, QED said:

 

I fish mostly UL spinning gear and BFS casting gear.  If you are having difficulties timing the release on sidearm casts, then try practicing more as well as learning to roll cast.  Feathering the line with your off hand seems kludgy to me but if it works for you, then more power to you.

uh - you can roll cast, like with a bait caster, using ultralight? i don't no how to roll cast a bait caster - i had to use youtube to see what it was... and i'm just saying sidearms seem like, well, nfl passing, vs overhand, which is college... i normally sidearm, but yeah, i've got to be focused doing it, if i need accuracy.

i'm still working on my feathering --- it's basically my 'oh ****' helper.

[islandbass]

7 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

 

 

@islandbass trying too hard to get the distance is often a factor.  Effortless casting always improves accuracy. 

Indeed! I always emphasize when I teach someone to cast to let the rod do the work for you. I teach them how to use the lure’s weight to load the rod and let the rod catapult the lure away. Optimal and efficient casting mechanics that provides the greatest of ease with minimal effort. Spinning anglers with poor casting mechanics (you hear the whip of their rod passed their ear before the rod ever gets loaded) is nearly a pet peeve, lol. It can be a tough habit to lose when they try casting gear. ?

[LCG]

A little trick I learned from a video a ways back was to use your index finger the same way you use your thumb for a baitcaster.

 

Hold the line by placing your index finger on the lip of the spool, feather the same way. I found I had to adjust my grip with two fingers on each side of the reel stem. 

[FrnkNsteen]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:52 AM, QED said:

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely pro-feathering.  But I feather the line using the index finger on my casting hand rather than using my off hand, the latter of which is what I was referring to as kludgy.

See I get what you're saying, but I can't seem to get that down. It just doesn't work for me.

 

I cast with my right hand and cup the spool with my left to feather it for accuracy, then while my hand is already there, I close the bail and give the line a little tug.

 

As for throwing motions,.. I use pretty much the same throwing motions for both spinning and casting and is mostly in the forearms pivoting at the elbow. I have very little movement in my shoulder, but I'm not just flicking my wrist either.

 

Don't get me wrong,.. There are times I will just flick the wrist on a spinning cast, especially if skipping a Senko or tube under a dock, but normal casting motion for me is arms tucked and casting using the elbow and very little wrist. 

[fishhugger]

1 hour ago, FrnkNsteen said:

See I get what you're saying, but I can't seem to get that down. It just doesn't work for me.

 

I cast with my right hand and cup the spool with my left to feather it for accuracy, then while my hand is already there, I close the bail and give the line a little tug.

[snip]

i completely agree with your feathering, and manually flipping the bail with the off hand. i assume guys who use their index finger of the grip hand to feather, that they're not flipping the bail manually...  but idk.

with a bait caster, feathering and controlling the speed of the spool with your thumb, it's so automatic.  that seems like a big positive for bait casters

 

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, fishhugger said:

i assume guys who use their index finger of the grip hand to feather, that they're not flipping the bail manually...  but idk.

Sorry to bust your bubble - I feather with my index finger, but still flip the bail closed manually with the cranking hand.

[galyonj]

Simple solution is just not to worry about feathering. Just send it.

 

[fishhugger]

14 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Sorry to bust your bubble - I feather with my index finger, but still flip the bail closed manually with the cranking hand.

no bubble to burst. gtk.