Factors effecting casting distance

[GobbleDog]

In other threads, I've read where some posters say they are having a hard time getting good casting distance with certain baits or situations. After 10+ years of serious bass fishing, I consider myself a pretty good long-distrance caster. It might help that I'm using a spinning reel and a lot of the time I'm fishing off-shore hydrilla just casting it out as far as possible into the briney deep and working back through the grass. In any case, I figured a thread devoted to casting distance might help some folks. So, some (not all) factors effecting casting distance:

1. Weight of the bait ... this one is obvious.

2. Rod length... generally longer rods equal longer casts. (I use 7' to 8' spinning rods.)

3. Line type.... the lighter the line, the longer the cast. Braided line casts even further.

4. How much line on spool... after cutting off line due to knotts and whatnot, you're line gets low on the spool, making it harder to cast. I'm not sure if this really applies to baitcasters.

5. Prior to cast, you have to leave a foot or two of line at the end of the poll. If you reel it all the way to the rod, you get no whipping action.

6. Form. Most of the cast comes from the wrist. Like snapping a bullwhip.

Anyone have any other factors I missed or thoughts?

[RoLo]

Whether you have the wind at your back or in your face

Roger

[GobbleDog]

Good one. Wind. When I'm off-shore fishing, I usually anchor up and position the boat so I'll be casting with the wind for that very reason.

I know a lot of bass fisherman don't even bring a small anchor, but I think that's a mistake.

[dodgeguy]

a softer tip loads better and cast further than a pool cue.

[Master_Hunter_1977]

"a softer tip loads better and cast further than a pool cue"  This is dependent on #1 on gobbledog's list.  If you have a pole that has a "soft tip" then a lighter bait will cast farther but if you have a hevier bait like something that is 1 1/2 oz or hevier then you can load up the stiffer pole better.  Other factors are

7.  Casting reel-  dependent  on spool tention and magnetic drag.  

8.  There are some spinning reel spools that are designed to cast farther by having a slightly tapered spool.  

9.  Also size of bait.  Smaller bait will cast farther.  And type of bait.  They have certain baits like the X-Rap that is designed for casting and casts like a rocket.

[roadwarrior]

Maximum distance: Lure weight and aerodynamics, rod length, rod action and wind. The smoothness of the reel (resistance to line release) and the overall diameter of the spool combined with line size will also impact casting distance.

A perfect example is a Lucky Craft LV-Max-500 (3/4oz lure), 7' Slow Action Rod and of course, casting with the wind.

Generally a longer rod with Moderate or Slow Action will cast the furthest. On a practical basis, fishing treble hook lures (crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater) on these particular rods reduces the chance that hooks will be pulled out of the fish's mouth, another huge advantage in addition to casting distance.

[Garnet]

Size of reel will add distance. 4000 size will cast further than 2000 size.

Garnet

[Guest whittler]

RW, hit upon a couple factors which can make a serious difference in casting distance. The lure design, not just weight, can make or reduce several yards from the cast. A lure should not roll and tumble on the cast, cuts distance plus fouls its hooks too often, which not only make a short cast but a wasted cast.

One lure in particular that comes to mind is the old Bomber Speed Shad, a bass catching machine but  it is like casting a kite.

[Chris]

The angle of the line from the reel to the first guide and how the line tappers through the guides and how slick the guides are helps distance also. On spinning rods the size of the guides and how far up the first guide is helps also. How far the guide is from the blank allowing the coils of line to flow through the guides without slapping the blank.

[Raul]

1.- Weight of the bait, true to a certain point or truth halfways; it doesn 't matter if two baits weight the same, aerodynamics of the bait count a lot. Minnow shaped baits cast like crap.

2.- Rod length, another truth halfways; material, composition of the material, action and power of the rod affect your casting distance. A longer rod may not necessarily means you 'll make longer casts.

3.- Line Type, another truth halfways; material from which the line is made, diameter, friction coeficient count, abrassion resistant nylon mono has a higher friction coeficient than less abrassion resistant nylon mono of the same diameter, therefore it will affect your distance.

4.- How much line in the spool, truth half ways, it 's not the ammount of the line but the shape and design of the spool, in a deep spool reel yes, the ammount of line is important, in a shallow spool it 's the shape of the spool what counts, shallow spools have a lot less capacity.

5 and 6.- Casting TECHNIQUE, the way you stand, the way you handle your rod, the way you move your arm, the way you snap your wrist all that counts.

Aside from those we also have to consider more factors like wind direction, humidity, air temperature, etc.

[GobbleDog]

Nit-pickin Raul to the rescue!  

[GobbleDog]

Agreed about the shape of the bait being a big factor. Curly tails are good example of that. Despite their weight, that tail catches the wind and definately lowers the distance.

On a side note, ever take a newbe fishing who can't cast further than a spit away from the boat? And then stare in amazement when they actually reel in a bass!   :-?

[Raul]

No problem !  

Actually the thread is quite interesting because casting distance is one of the big concerns of most fisherman, it affects you performance and effectiveness throughout a day, we can 't say that X and Y elements are what affects your casting distance just because there are a huge number of elements that play a part; you can compare casting to music, casting is like a symphony, in one of the instruments in the orchestra is out of tempo the symphony is not going to be played well; some of those elements in casting are in the gear, others are in elements we can 't control, others are in ourselves, the combination and balance between them is what makes the whole; some can be corrected others are can 't.

That is why it is so important to understand the elements and when you understand them you can correct those that can be corrected.

I think it 's more important to cast accurately than to make long casts, but if you can make long accurate casts better for you.

[-Drums-]

One lure in particular that comes to mind is the old Bomber Speed Shad, a bass catching machine but it is like casting a kite.

One lure type I personally find difficult to cast  sometimes (especially on a baitcaster) is a buzzbait.  I don't know, it almost seems like that big wide/flat blade can catch the wind wrong and generate lift like a wing - such that it kinda goes up instead of out.  Anyone else have that problem?

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Age/condition of line. New line casts farther than frayed, kinked, nicked line, but I KNOW most weekend anglers seem to prefer worn out line ;D I see it on their rods way too often.

On a baitcaster I get better preformance and longer casts with a 2/3 full spool. The spool turns faster, line peels off quicker.

Altitude of cast makes a huge difference. I see folks cast like they are trying to bounce a lure off the moon, only to fall 50 feet away at best. Put the cast energy into a low trajectory, high speed bullet like cast which is also quieter entry if you stop it above splashdown target.

Trying to cast a smaller lure requires a softer tip if trying to use a baitcaster, no problem with a spinning combo. But a heavy lure on a soft baitcaster tip will lose momentum, needing a fast tip and plenty of small diameter rod line guides to keep the line peeling without flapping.

Jim

[GobbleDog]

Altitude of cast makes a huge difference. I see folks cast like they are trying to bounce a lure off the moon, only to fall 50 feet away at best. Put the cast energy into a low trajectory, high speed bullet like cast which is also quieter entry if you stop it above splashdown target.

That's especially true when casting directly into a stiff wind.

[Pond-Pro]

Minnow shaped baits cast like crap.

 :question I have had great succses casting minnow baits. The Long Cast minnow, the Sammy, and Flashminnow all cast great for me.  Maybe you ment floating minnows which are light.

[Raul]

Pond Pro, the ones you are mentioning have weight balancing system, which makes them too small in numbers to speak about them when we talk about generalizing the minnow class, most minnows do not have the system and they cast like crap.

[roadwarrior]

Weight balancing systems are one of the technical advancements that seperates the minnow lures I use from the one's I don't!  Rapala X-Raps are not cheap, but they are the only minnow shaped lure with this system that I know of for six or seven dollars. Besides catching big fish, the other thing I like about the Pointer 128 SP (my favorite lure) is that you can cast it a mile with the right equipment.

[New Bass Man]

And then there's that question about how far is "good casting distance".......

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

If'n it reaches the target it's "good". Crankbaits generally need maximum distance to have room to swim down to the rated depth so it will stay in the strike zone the longest time possible. A "good casting distance" with crankbaits will fish the lure at its maximum potential.

Jim

[GobbleDog]

A "good casting distance" with crankbaits will fish the lure at its maximum potential.

I agree with that. Those lipped crankbaits need to be cast out as far as possible.

After that it helps to have braided line if you want em to dive even deaper.