The typical surfcaster’s mantra is: cast farther, catch more fish, catch bigger fish. While there are some surfcasting theories that are far fetched, this is one that kayak anglers can use to increase their chances to hook up with a monster. Casting farther lengthens the amount of time your lure or bait is in the water, which increases the chance it will pass in front of a fish. Use these tips to bomb your casts farther into the drink and start hooking up with long-distance trophies.
How to Cast Farther: 5 Tips to Extend Your Reach
1 Upgrade the Bug Slinger
The easiest and quickest way to extend your reach and upgrade to a new rod. Over time, whether fiberglass or graphite, fishing rods lose their kick and become slinkies. With a new fish stick in your hands, you’ll feel like you have a sniper rifle compared to your old pea shooter.
The action of your rod also changes the distance your rod can cast. The reason most surfcasters and saltwater flats anglers use fast action rods is because they’re better and carrying line longer distances. If you consistently need more distance, try casting with a fast action rod and see if it takes care of the problem.
2 Plenty of Fast Fluoro
When it comes to fishing line, fluorocarbon is heavier and that weight will carry farther, meaning your cast will go longer. Though it is a bit more expensive than other lines, if distance is what you need to increase your chances, isn’t it worth it? Also, make sure to use fresh line. If the line is old it’s more likely to start coiling, losing its aerodynamic qualities in the air and slowing down.
The amount of line also plays a big role in how easily it can peel off your reel. If you have too little line, with your spool looking sad and empty, your line with need to travel a greater distance to pass through the guides. If you have too much line you run the risk of the line slipping below your reel before the cast, which means it’ll wrap around the reel instead of release, likely snapping the line and losing your lure.
3 Grip It and Rip It!
Like in golf, casting is all about the technique. Once you nail down the right way to swing, you’ll be able to put more power into your casts more efficiently and really see some distance. Take a few minutes before you start fishing to analyze your cast and watch for any inconsistencies. If your cast sometimes looks a little sidearm and other times it is near vertical, figure out which is more efficient for you and dial it in.
Make sure you’re giving your rod enough time to load properly and smoothly. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast” is a saying that many long distance shooters use and it goes for casting as well. Make your cast as smooth and pretty as you can and you’ll get the most out of your rod. Once you nail down the technique in slow motion, speed it up to full speed again, making sure that your technique stays the same as when it was slow. Then, as they say in golf: Grip it and rip it!
4 Use That Wrist
One technique that surfcasters use to increase their distance can really help when casting from a kayak, especially when you’re standing up and have the most mobility with your rod. Grabbing the rod handle with both hands, start your smooth backcast. Start slow, so you have time to speed it up later. If you start fast, the only way to load your rod properly is to get faster.
At the top of your forward cast, right before you start letting go of your line with your finger, use your bottom hand to pull the rod butt towards your gut. At the same time, with your top hand, push forward, like punching with a thumbs up (the thumb already being against the rod handle). This technique gives the rod more low end torque and power, send your lures farther out into the deep.
5 Yes, Order Matters
Obviously, heavier lures will cast farther (within reason), but it also matters where the weight it located along the lure. Take, for example, a soft plastic worm. Which do you think will go farther, when it’s Texas rigged, or drop shotted? The drop shot will go farther because the weight is at the bottom, so the rod has a more even load. The difference might not be much in this example, but sometimes all you need is just that little bit of distance to get a bite.
Use these tips to bomb your casts farther into the drink and start hooking up with long-distance trophies. | Feature photo: Courtesy Vibe Kayaks
