# Hatteras vs OTG



## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

I don't really know the dynamics of the two different cast to understand why my Hatteras cast is always significantly farther then my OTG. I was a pitcher in college and understand weight transfer from back to front aswell as tourque from the hips. It just seems to me that it is more difficult to achieve more power from a stationary position during the OTG cast as opposed to loading up the coil during a hatteras cast. Is this something common amongst novice distance casters or am I just an odd ball. 

On the contrary I can totaly understand how a pendumum cast builds up so much energy. Even with my horrible timing and unbalanced form I can hit the same distances with the Pendulum as I can with my hatteras cast. I just have absolutely no accuracy. I can generally land my lead within a 10' circle with the hatty cast and am lucky to keep it out of the trees with the Pend. Is there any seasoned tourny casters in my area who would be willing to work with my form.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

The reason why a refined ground cast will outperform a hatteras style beach cast is mainly due to body rotation. The uncoiling that you refer to on the beach cast is the key to ground casting as well. Proper lead placement is also key. 90 degrees to the rod tip is much easier to obtain with the lead on the ground.

Here are a couple of video clips from tuesday, I think it shows a pretty good example of body rotation using the ground cast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=098TXXwcnv0

Tommy


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*also*

check the length of your drop, most people I see hatteras casting are using a fairly short drop.

You can increase the drop length with the OTG and pendulum, which gives a wider travel arc to the sinker and ultimately more speed at the point of release- hence more distance.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Confused I am*

Help a brother out.. When I first went to the dark side 11 years ago I started with an OTG cast to get used to and develop timing.. Moved over to I guess whats called Hatteras (don't know if thats what I did) more of a straight back rock and load.. Now I don't know what the h3ll ya call what I am doing but I believe its more of a modified pendulum, big drop back loading the rod @ 2 oclock behind my right shoulder .. Most of what I get is from the back swing pre-loading the rod.. What confuses me is how can and OTG load the rod as much as a back load... Like I said Confused I am.. JAM


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

JAM said:


> Help a brother out.. When I first went to the dark side 11 years ago I started with an OTG cast to get used to and develop timing.. Moved over to I guess whats called Hatteras (don't know if thats what I did) more of a straight back rock and load.. Now I don't know what the h3ll ya call what I am doing but I believe its more of a modified pendulum, big drop back loading the rod @ 2 oclock behind my right shoulder .. Most of what I get is from the back swing pre-loading the rod.. What confuses me is how can and OTG load the rod as much as a back load... Like I said Confused I am.. JAM


I would call it the Hatteras two step bro.  . Your right What I am calling the Hatteras cast is what almost everyone does out at the point. Hell ya seen me cast. Flipt it back reach as far as I can, step forward and rip it to where them drum be hiding.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

I'll give it a shot Jam... 

Think about the sinker arc, or path it takes through the air.

On a Hatteras cast the lead is flipped back, pretty much comes to a stop and is then accelerated from that point ending with the big 8nbait hit. 

On a ground cast, the lead is set up at (or close to) 90 degrees to the tip, normally with a drop that is 12-18" longer than the HC. The path taken by the lead is considerably longer with the ground cast, which allows more time to accelerate the lead. You can still hit it just as hard, but you are hitting a lead that already has more speed that the lead does on the HC. 

With the target being 12:00, most guys throwing the HC toss it back to about 7-8:00 then turn and hit it hard and fast. The lead is basically sent out in line with the rod tip, so the lead is also at 7-8:00, this gives you about 200-220 degrees of rotation to load the rod and get the cast off.

With a ground cast, if the target is 12:00 the rod tip is actually pointing at close to 9:00 with the shockleader/lead at 90 degrees to the tip. This gives the lead up to 360 degrees to accelerate.

The idea is to accelerate the lead through the entire path, ending with a hard punch-pull at the end. Using body rotation and a big arc the ground cast gives you more room to accelerate.

I hope this make sense... lol

Tommy


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Tommy said:


> I'll give it a shot Jam...
> 
> Think about the sinker arc, or path it takes through the air.
> 
> ...



well said Tommy

One point to be added The OTG is not particularly suitable when fishing crowded beaches -aka the point during a drum blitz!

I really prefer the OTG for the distance it generates and use it when ever possible, but at times will switch to a 
unitech or Hatteras (terrible at this one, but when in Rome, etc, LOL) if necessary.


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## WILSON (Aug 27, 2002)

When fishing with the ground cast, say on the north beaches that have plenty of room, would you still use 8nbait or switch down to 5 or 6. Reason I'm asking is would a normal "drum" rod hold up to 8 oz. with a otg cast.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*I generally throw 6 & bait*

if conditions allow. 

Not real clear on the question



> [would a normal "drum" rod hold up to 8 oz. with a otg cast/QUOTE]
> 
> I can toss up to 10 & bait (not very far) but it depends more on the rod than the style of cast used.


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## WILSON (Aug 27, 2002)

With a hatteras cast I generally throw 8nbait but can throw 10 if need be. Since the otg cast seems to be a more powerful cast do you think the rods can handle as much weight? Hope that makes more sense.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

WILSON said:


> With a hatteras cast I generally throw 8nbait but can throw 10 if need be. Since the otg cast seems to be a more powerful cast do you think the rods can handle as much weight? Hope that makes more sense.



IMO I think tossing 10 slows most of us down to the point that we are not going to load the rod much deeper regardless of style- but yes more to the point if you are loading a rod close to the snapping point with a "softer" style cast, I suppose a stronger style may push the rod over the edge.


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## WILSON (Aug 27, 2002)

Yeah, I was just curious. I generally stick to 8nbait, cause thats what the conditions call for, but once I get the hang of the otg cast I might have to use 5 or 6 on my "way far out rigs". Thanks surfcat


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

I aint scared to OTG cast bendulum cast or Happy Gilmore cast with my Lami 150.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Thanks guys*

But with a modified pendulum back loading the rod you'all think the OTG is more powerful than that??? Standing @ 9:00 fully extended, back loading (big high swing back) to about 2:00 with a 7 foot drop, 2steps foward bring it all the way around, and your body ends up @ 3:00.. Gonna have to go back playing with a OTG.. It was one of the first casts I was taught to do, to develope timing.. Again thanks JAM


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

I've never thought putting baits in the water could get this complicated.  I guess I better practice too.


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## WILSON (Aug 27, 2002)

I think all this cold weather and less fishing gets us kinda stir crazy!!! Come on Drum Season!!


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Still fishin Still catchin*

Ain't board yet.. Just tryin to get the terminology down LOL... I think Gillys got it right put a litttle happy into it... JAM


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

*Kinda' off subject*

I feel some video watching is in order to understand all this.
There used to be a man in our club that used to do a "Yarmouth" cast. He used about a 14' stiff as a telegraph pole rod twinned with what looked like a big fly reel, except when he was casting, he would unscrew the reel from reeling position to the reel set like a spinner. Then he'd basically get it moving, spin a time or two and let it fly. I think I remember him hitting 200yrds a few times, and nearly always won the club casting comps. Cracknell was his last name.
Anyone else heard of this? Blackbeard? Tommy? Anyone?
This was late 70's, early 80's.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Sounds like an Alvey reel.

Tommy


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

dirtyhandslopez,

I'm the anyone, in this case........... 

Depending on where you are, a "Yarmouth cast" is a backcast.

Was he facing the direction of the cast or was his back to it when he started his cast?

Blaine


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## sandcruiser (Jan 15, 2007)

*paralysis by analysis?*

Casting broken down easy like:

OTG=slow,steady power curve and technique foundation (makes sense not to start with this cast, you might get better if you do)
M.Pendy=develop timing and build extra power to power curve learned from OTG (help out the fishing line and sinker industry with this cast)
Hatteras=try not to kill others in a crowd with short drop and no extreme power curve (try to use mental imagery of looking cool at the Point with the big dogs with this cast)
Free style=listen to nobody and develop a Lee Trevino like 'one-of-a-kind' cast that no one can duplicate (or would want to)

Finally, start with the cast you can't do first like the Hatteras (to wreck confidence) and work backwards to the more dangerous casts to impress others. Find a beach with nobody to your right if your right handed and nobody to your left if your a lefty. Don't hurt nothing but your feelings. Last but not least, don't listen to me.


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