# Distance + Accuracy



## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

Has anyone ever _seriously_ considered an accuracy challenge mixed with distance? Maybe an archery target at say 500' to try to hit, scoring points the closer to the center someone hits? I know it sounds a little crazy at first, but I bet it would be interesting. I know personally, I enjoy hitting targets at distances (never tried or even thought about that distance though). Now don't get me wrong, I am not talking about trap shooting with 150 grams, though that would be an excellent exhibition. 

Seriously, it isn't that far fetched to want to hit the edge of a slough, or a pocket when fishing, it translates. All you have to do is be the last one setting up on the end of the pier on a Saturday during king season to know the importance of accuracy and reading the wind. opcorn::beer:

Robert


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## Lip Ripper (Dec 8, 2003)

hit an archery target at 500ft!!!! maybe a Volkswagen. 
when i was casting in the 400' range, i used to practice at a football field, and used to love to put it through both uprights. but i think its easier than it sounds. now stopping it on a target would be challenging.


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

I just remember how much entertainment it was freshwater fishing challenging each other to get a plug into a small gap in the foliage, or to skip a spinnerbait off a log up into a hole no one thought could be found, you know like up under a dock or something. Maybe it is the old bassfisherman in me coming out.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

In years past there have been casting tournaments that recognized closest to centerline as a prize catagory. It added another element to the game.

Sometimes it's hard enough just to keep it inbounds... 



Tommy


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## RockhopperUK (Jul 13, 2005)

There you go....a new sport *Skeet Casting*

No offence meant....Tommy is right though, most comps will award a prize for nearest to centre line.

Tom.


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## F I LetsGoFishin (Apr 24, 2007)

*Not to far fetched of an idea*



Lip Ripper said:


> hit an archery target at 500ft!!!! maybe a Volkswagen.
> when i was casting in the 400' range, i used to practice at a football field, and used to love to put it through both uprights. but i think its easier than it sounds. now stopping it on a target would be challenging.


 I saw some vidioes posted on another board by HighPlainsDrifter that were pretty amazing in accuracy at what I believe was 450 ft. his plug was landing in what appeared to be within 3 ft of a stake in the ground. and some of the guys here in N.E. Florida cast at pogie pods beyond the breakers.


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

Now that is what I am talking about, maybe 500' was too ambitious, 450' would work great. I know I have set up balloons at 300' and tried to hit them. Maybe setup an old dinner bell and take turns trying to ring the bell. Not necessarily try to make it a sanctioned event, but it sure would be an interesting way to waste time.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

OK...but who would hold the target??? Any nominations???


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## RockhopperUK (Jul 13, 2005)

If *Led *is readingg this perhaps he'd like to chip in...he undertsands it more and may know some websites to direct you guys to...

Last year in Ireland they held the world casting championships....Fly Casting...Plug Csting..everything. To watch the Japanese guys casting plugs with the short one-handed pistolgrip rods was something else....I dont know the size of the hoops ring (this is where Led should come in) but they were small enough to me....then there was the guys casting Fly's into floating hoops....it was all awesome to watch.

Tom.


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## Led (Feb 1, 2001)

Hi All,

The plug accuract targets where 70cm (27.5") and where placed at 10-20m (31-62') for the single handed event.

The fly targets where 60cm (24") and where placed from 8-13m 26-41'.

In the UK we have had other accuracy events at local club events. My own club decided to place 2 concentric hoops at 125yds (375') the outer hoop was 5yds (15') and the inner 2yds (6') first one to get their sinker to land & stay in the inner hoop won - it took 8 rounds of casting for a bottle of whiskey  though is was one of those supersized bottles :beer: that hold 90floz's (4.5 UK pints).


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

See, I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew I couldn't have been the only one that thought the challenge of accuracy was entertaining....LOL


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## kthrift (Nov 22, 2007)

Tie a lawn dart to your line and hit a target with THAT.


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## Led (Feb 1, 2001)

Now that is a great idea.

It has the correct ingredients to make it.
Easily visible - spectator friendly - watchable and fun.

Greate a big dart baord at a given distance and away you go.

Another one is to use a condom filled with talc or paint - explode on impact.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Accuracy vs distance*

We used to play 'golf' with casting outfits. We would 'tee' off by making as long of cast as you could down the fairway then 'putt' until we 'holed the plug. We put up some tremendous scores as it wasn't easy.

This wasn't done with surf casting outfits, but with regular freshwater bass casters.

It was a lot of fun and kept us out of trouble. C2


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## RockhopperUK (Jul 13, 2005)

*"Another one is to use a condom filled with talc or paint - explode on impact."*

Andy,

Perhaps you could get some sponsorship from the Family Planing Clinic 

Tom.


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## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

RockhopperUK said:


> *"Another one is to use a condom filled with talc or paint - explode on impact."*
> 
> Andy,
> 
> ...



NOt likely Tom,,, they would be afraid of the repercursion from all those premature burst of the condoms during the cast of those real power casters!!!!!

I was raised float fishing small streams where you have at best only one cast to catch those lunkers,,, I 'll go head to head with any of those pistol grip casters....

HOw much does a yard dart weight?????
Think about a crackoff of one of those. Bring you kevlar suits to the toruney!

I have appealled to the power to be that a bullseye should be added to the distance casting meets.... maybe 25-40 yard wide...... count points per heate , backing up the casting line after each to determine a winner...... much more interesting


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

We have done some local friendly competitions with a rectangular court inside of a "V" shaped court . Having the court only 100' wide the full lenght of the court makes you focus on accuracy and lowers your power level for control . Guess what ,,,,you will cast just as far as your uncontrollled full power casts


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

I was trying to teach my nephew recently how to cast with accuracy. Mind you we are only talking about 50-60' or so. We were casting at a little knot sticking up out of the water. He couldn't get within 10' or so of the target. I told him that he can hit it, he just isn't letting himself do it. With a look of confusion he asked me what I was talking about. I told him I would PROVE to him that he could hit the target, if we take him thinking about messing up out of the equation. 

Up for the challenge, he agreed to do it my way. I told him to relax and look at the target. Then I told him to close his eyes, and then cast! He thought I had lost all of my marbles. I explained, the target is going nowhere. He is going nowhere. Nothing is changing. Just imagine making the accurate cast. Trusting me, he did it. The first cast he didn't even make it 15' from where he stood. He was nervous. I reassured him he would be fine. His next cast landed within 6" of the target!!!! With his eyes closed. He proved to himself he could do it if he relaxed and didn't concentrate on how hard he would have to throw. He threw 4 or 5 more times with his eyes closed and still was MUCH closer to the target then he ever was with his eyes open. Finally I told him to open his eyes and try. Now he is settled down, and realized he can cast relaxed and hit the target. He was amazed that he improved so much in only 10 minutes. He now loves to come over and practice accuracy. He is dying to get me to start teaching him distance casting.

Right now, I will cast and let him reel the line back up getting him used to leveling his own line. It won't be long before he and I are a team learning the OTG.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Accurate Casting*

My late Dad, many moons ago when I had both teeth and hair ,would sit us in a chair and let(make?) us cast to a bucket. When and if we hit the bucket, he'd move it further, under a tree or something.

It kept us out of his shop fooling with tools etc.

I built my first rod using filched materials and his tools over 60 years ago.

The best compliment that he ever paid me was when he came home early and caught me fishing with it. He thought that I was fishing with one of his(strictly forbidden) unless under strictly controlled conditions. C2


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

thekingfeeder said:


> See, I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew I couldn't have been the only one that thought the challenge of accuracy was entertaining....LOL


The idea has been brought up before, I think an old thread on here discussed it prior to last year's fishermens casting tourny in New Jersey, it's a good idea and better than a simple center line contest, because it takes accouracy into account from both a left to right and too long, too short perspective. Over or underthrowing your target is just as bad as being too far left or right.


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

Led said:


> The fly targets where 60cm (24") and where placed from 8-13m 26-41'.


I grew up fishing and my parents stressed hitting your target. When I was about 10 I had a zebco 202 and my Mom had a 33. She asked me to see how close I could come to a piling sticking up about 30 yards from shore. When I hit it, I earned the right to use my Dad's 33 that had been sitting since he died the prior year.

Many years later I took a fly fishing course at the local community college. The teacher set up hula hoops at 15 feet for the newbies, and anywhere from 20 to 60 feet for the more experienced. We practiced casting every time the class met for 30 minutes and were encourage to practice between sessions.

I can now his a 12oz coke can at 20 to 30 ft; a paper plate at 40, and a hula hoop at >70. Accuracy makes going after rising trout or tailing reds a lot easier.


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