# casting techniques



## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

well i got this 11' daiwa beefstick a while back and got a penn sargus sg6000 with power pro 20 lb braid to go with it.My only consern is that since its so god*** heavy am i going to get it out far enough?Lets take a minute to examine something, ive got 3 pounds of setup, 1oz pyramid weight with about 4 of bait and im 12 of age and 5"4", what would be the best way to cast?Pendulum?Iwouldnt mind trying out a couple diffrent styles on saturday when i get to juno beach for my first surf cast.how far out would i get my bait?


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

I'm no expert on this subject, but I'd say your setup might be a bit heavy for you. One ounce of lead isn't enough weight either imo. I'm sure some experts will be chiming in shortly. Good luck.


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

drawinout said:


> I'm no expert on this subject, but I'd say your setup might be a bit heavy for you. One ounce of lead isn't enough weight either imo. I'm sure some experts will be chiming in shortly. Good luck.


i currently have 2 on my rigs but it feels heavy so i was thinking about maybe going down to 1 but i dont think ill do that. ill just try it out and well i guess it will feel much better once i get to do the whole pendulum thing, cause i mean im not going to be constantly casting this or anything, im going to just send a chunk of fish out there and leave it there you know, two or three casts a day, or one whenever i get hit, if i do!


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

will the pendulum technique make the cast easier?


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

if you find the rod heavy,,,

a. rod is not be right for you.
b. did you eat your wheaties for breakfast?
c. 1oz sinker ... is barely any weight.

i would suggest you bug your pops to get you a 9' rod instead, 11' might be over doing for yourself right now.

later on the 11' is fine. but not right now.


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

Use 1 oz of weight per ten pounds of test.

Example: On 20lb test you can use 2 ounces.

I would suggest you learn how to tie a shock leader. Its a leader line of heavier line that will allow you to use more weight.

Maybe tie a 40lb shock leader and throw 4 ounces of lead. 

Also, lets not use foul language because it reflects the type person we are. Youre a good guy and good guys dont use bad language. Referance: [email protected]@.

Tight lines my friend.


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## outfishin28 (Jul 15, 2005)

I started out on the off the ground cast. from what I hear that is the cast that will teach you the fundamentals of the power cast. Once you master the OFG, the pendulum will be much easier. for that rod you might want to try a three or four oz. sinker, and like Al Kai said, put a shock leader on your line. 10lb test per ounce of lead. Do a search on youtube.com for some off the ground casts. I think I have a poor example of one here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brqIhA0ZKb8
look for videos of Tommy Farmer, he is by far the best caster I have ever seen or had the pleasure to meet.


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## sudshunter (Jan 20, 2008)

you better think about the 9' rod 11' is just awkward to you and seems heavey to you. I dont no how the currents,waves,ect... are there but up here most people I no are casting 8nbait some 6nbait. I think 1nbait is way off jmo. tight lines


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## mud (Sep 23, 2007)

Yeh watch your mouth young man!! Beefstick is a telephone pole and quite alot for anyone to handle. I suggest maybe a 9ft Tica or Greg has a real nice Tsunami Airwave rod that would be just right for what your trying to do! 4 and bait would be about the minium and for sure learn to tie a shock leader onto your main line. Good luck fella!!


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## Grilled Sardine (Apr 22, 2008)

The beef sticks are real heavy and thick rods. I bought a 13ft Eliminator from Cabelas, which are probably in the same weight class as the beef sticks and couldn't cast the darn thing to save a life. It was like a telephone pole. I used it once and sold it on ebay. I would suggest getting a 9 or 10fter with cork handles. Look into a tsunami or tica. They aren't too expensive and are rather light compared to what you are using. I have a tsunami airwave and its light as a feather. 1oz is way to light. I never use anything that light unless im on a boat. Try casting out 4-5oz. Also, look into buying a casting aid like a breakaway cannon. It will increase your distance and helps when casting 6oz or more.


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## billr87 (Jan 13, 2008)

you have gotten some very good advice there youngman, but if you are going to learn on your own, make sure you do it where no one is around except when you have someone to show you what to do. you spoke of the pendulum cast. if you are on a beach, and other people are around, it is a very, very dangerous cast. if your leader should break, or your line slip, someone could be injured seriously. you wouldn't want that. if you can get to a casting clinic, or casting tourn.you will get some good help.


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

*thanks for the advice, got a resolution to my problem!*

thanks to your advice, i will try out the beef with some 3oz weights ive got layin around somewhere and will try the otg cast, and well if its still too heavy then i will do the sad thing and return the rod and get a lighter rod. Also do you guys know if fresh cut thread herring is good bait for the surf? ive never seen anyone use it for the surf and will be looking forward to getting some on saturday for my big weekend. sorry for bombarding you with questions!you can never be too safe!thanks.:fishing:


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## Danman (Dec 13, 2007)

Ditto...Al Kai:fishing:


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Remember, in surcasting to get distance the sinker has two jobs. The first is to tow the bait during the cast, and the second is to hold the bait in position once it is out in the water.

For a sinker to tow the bait during the cast it needs to generally weigh a good bit more than the bait does. 1-3 oz sinkers may be fine if it is just towing a blood worm or a very small piece of bait, but for larger chunks of bait you will need to go up to 4 oz or more in weight, even if you don't need that much weight to hold in the current.

You do not need to even be concerned with trying the pendulum at this point. Learn the off the ground cast, it can get you all the distance you need, the pendulum will not help with distance until you learn power and timing, and they will only come with solid fundamentals.

Also the beefstick is not a rod designed for pendulum casting, not saying it can't be done, but I will say it can't be done safely with that rod.

At this point I wouldn't be overly concerned with maximum distance, learn how to catch fish, have fun, and enjoy fishing. Distance will come with practice, for now work on timing and accuracy- make sure you cast straight before worrying about casting far.

Good Luck 

:fishing:


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

this will sound like a dumb question but, wont your bait just get ripped off the hook if you do the otg?


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## outfishin28 (Jul 15, 2005)

nope, like surfcat said, the weight drags the bait, the whole setup will glide off the sand like a Boeing 747 gliding off a runway. Just make sure your off the ground is off the ground, and not off the water, even a little bit of water will mess everything up.


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## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

inshoreangler95 said:


> thanks to your advice, i will try out the beef with some 3oz weights ive got layin around somewhere and will try the otg cast, and well if its still too heavy then i will do the sad thing and return the rod and get a lighter rod. Also do you guys know if fresh cut thread herring is good bait for the surf? ive never seen anyone use it for the surf and will be looking forward to getting some on saturday for my big weekend. sorry for bombarding you with questions!you can never be too safe!thanks.:fishing:


I have the same rod you do, only as a conventional rather than a spinner. For those who don't know, the longer "surf" Beefsticks are tubular glass and are really pretty light, not like the solid glass broomsticks in the shorter Beefstick boat rods. They are long, though, and that affects casting ability for smaller statures.

The rod does need at least 4-6 ounces (weight & bait) to load properly, and that can be a handful.

Based on all that you have said, and knowing the areas that you fish, here is what I would suggest:

Return the Beefstick (for now), get a 7-8 foot glass spinning rod like the Offshore Angler Power Plus or Shimano Saguaro, or the graphite Ande Tournament rods, all at about the same price as your Beeftick. They will match up nicely with your Sargus and at your size they are as much rod as you will be able to throw well. You may actually find you cast farther with the short rod.

As you grow you will still find these to be your most-used rods.

On most of the Southeast coast you simply do not need 100 yard plus casts. Nice if you can do it, but not necessary. I hit, and lost, a very nice snook about 2 feet from the sand line this past Saturday. I didn't even cast, just dropped the line in. The only reason a long rod is good here, other than casting distance, is to keep your line above the waves.

With a balanced rod you can handle easily you can work on your casting technique and concentrate on catching fish and having fun rather than fighting your gear.

Fresh cut herring/greenies/finger mullet are all good baits. If the greenies are in close you can catch all you want on a sabiki and then free line them live or put them on a fish-finder rig. 

A good rig to start with is a double dropper with shrimp or cut finger mullet, or a whole dead finger mullet or greenie on a fishfinder.

I find I rarely need more that 3 ounces to hold the bottom unless the current is really ripping. I fish the lightest weight that will hold, usually 1-2 ounces.

I know I am posting this after your trip, maybe you can fill us in on the results.


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

ok thats exactly what im going to do!thanks cerberus and all you guys, thanks!ok so im sorry to disapoint you once more but last weekend(saturday) we couldnt go.Why? they had crashed my dads car a week back and well we were in this rented one and well we had to go check out this very nice 04 and well we were looking around for cars and it took the whole day. so then yea we didnt go, which is somehow good cause im probably gonna ask my dad to take me to bass pro after we go pick up the explorer which we bought finally!and knowing my dad and how excited he will be about the car hell take me!im going to look at the seguaro's prices and well look at the power plus. has anybody on here tried em before?they look kinda stiff!thanks again!


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## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

The Power Plus are at Bass Pro, Miami and Dania both have them. $20-$25

The Saguaros are at the Sports Authority in Kendall by the Turnpike, with a good selection of actions from fast to heavy. $29.99

The Ande Tournament's are at the Walmart at Kendall & 157 Avenue, very nice looking graphite rods, $33

Best thing is that if you buy something you don't like all of these places will take the return, no questions asked.


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## inshoreangler95 (Jun 15, 2008)

Cerberus said:


> The Power Plus are at Bass Pro, Miami and Dania both have them. $20-$25
> 
> The Saguaros are at the Sports Authority in Kendall by the Turnpike, with a good selection of actions from fast to heavy. $29.99
> 
> ...


the saguaros were talking about here are they the shimano saguaro? i love those rods i had no clue they were so cheap! does basspro give you money back if youbuy a rod from them and then return it becouse it was too big for you or do they just give you instore credit?


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## Cerberus (Nov 1, 2007)

inshoreangler95 said:


> the saguaros were talking about here are they the shimano saguaro? i love those rods i had no clue they were so cheap! does basspro give you money back if youbuy a rod from them and then return it becouse it was too big for you or do they just give you instore credit?


Yes I am talking about the Shimano Saguaro. Nice and pretty light, several actions to choose from. The Kendall Sports Authority also had a Shimano FX 9' spinning rod for either $16.99 or $19.99, these are supposed to be freshwater rods but would be fine for saltwater if you took care of them, and they are very light.

Bass Pro should give you your money back if it's less than 30 days and the item is in good shape. They are always eager to please a customer.

If they do give you store credit I know they have the FX rods, maybe the Saguaro's and for sure the Power Plus. 

You can also get an Ugly Stik for about the same price, I have several and I like them, but there are better casting rods available.


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## FishRung (Nov 26, 2002)

*Pendulum cast*

No-one has answered your question about the Pendulum cast (that I've seen in the thread).

The Pendulum is not a technique for use anywhere except on a tournament casting field, unless you're completely alone on the beach. It requires the weight and bait to be powered through a 270deg arc, which presents a danger to anyone standing within about 100ft behind or to the right (left if you're a lefty) of where you're casting.

Off the ground is better, but consider the Hatteras or Brighton casts if there are others near you on the beach.

Good luck,
Brian


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