# HDX and hockey ball practice



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Borrowed this idea off another site.

I know some of you have heard of practicing your casting with baseballs, modified golf ball, etc.

I went to Dicks and picked up a couple of hard rubber hockey balls to experiment with.
BTW these balls came out of the bargain bin and run $1.99. I'd stay away from the larger $4.99 models- I tried one and found out they are actually hollow inside with a harder outer surface.

Here's a pic of the rig after being readied for casting.


It weighed in right at 149 grams- very close to a 150 gram tourny sinker.











Pretty simple to rig up. Drill a hole in center,and thread some heavy mono( I used 125lb here) thru ball. Tie off one end with a double or triple overhand knot and crimp a barrel swivel on the other end. Ready to go


Here is a link to a short video. I am using the hockey ball and the HDX with tourny butt in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgP6Iu4OxOA


The ball makes it easy to view on camera- you can even see it splash down at the end of the first two casts (blowing the video up to full screen makes it easier)- a sinker is much harder to follow and makes a smaller splash.


I found some significant advantage to practicing with this ball.

1. Only travels approx. 75 % of typical sinker distance. This means if you are limited in size of practice facility you can get by with a smaller area.

2. If field casting won't bury in ground- can be cast and retrieved- more casts can be acheived making the practice time more efficient.

3. Easy to follow on video.

4. Im my situation I woulldn't use a baseball, at least not a leather one. This ball is semi-bouyant and retrieves easily when cast into water- with sinkers I wil hit the ocassional snag and lose one- no problem with this ball

5. Last but not least- Safety much less dangerous than an actual sinker if a breakoff occurs.

I can see me throwing this ball regularly- but will add a word of caution- it has a different timing and feel to it than an actual sinker- I will still throw several times with an actual sinker at the end of the session to retain the feel of the "real deal".


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

Reel purty werk SC!!! Will try the ole hockey balls.


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## okimavich (Nov 13, 2006)

Surf Cat said:


> I went to Dicks and picked up a couple of hard rubber hockey balls to experiment with.
> BTW these balls came out of the bargain bin and run $1.99. I'd stay away from the larger $4.99 models- I tried one and found out they are actually hollow inside with a harder outer surface.


That's a field hockey ball and not a street hockey ball, correct?


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

okimavich said:


> That's a field hockey ball and not a street hockey ball, correct?



It was over in the area of the LaCrosse equipment- don't know much about field or street hockey LOL, I reckon any hard rubber ball that has the right wieght will do.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

It's prolly a lacrosse ball. SC, where do you cast around here? Maybe we can get together and practice. I need to work on my Hatteras Cast.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*Crawfish*

I live in the Lake Caroline subdivision. It's on route 1 about 16 miles north of Ashland. 

It's about 2 miles from my front door to the spot in the video. 

If I need measured distances I go to the high school soccer field. Be glad to have some company for an outing. Saturday was great- but looks to be a tad bit on the cold side for the near future. 

Soon as the weather looks good I might host a little get together, have anyone interested come out for some practice. Will post up details soon as I can organize it.


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Nice . . . I'd be game for a practice session. I had a lot of fun with the MD bunch this weekend, we'll definitely do it again.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Fingers, I'm going to head over to dick's tonight to get a couple of these balls. Want me to pick one up for you?


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## nomadfl (Jan 7, 2007)

They bounce real nice....


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

fingersandclaws said:


> Nice . . . I'd be game for a practice session. I had a lot of fun with the MD bunch this weekend, we'll definitely do it again.


Casting Practice/Friendly Competition this Sunday?  I'm getting my 525s lubed up and freshly lined...


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

nomadfl said:


> They bounce real nice....



That's one thing I was curious about,, as I haven't tried em on a field - I guess as long as the ground isn't rock hard shouldn't be too much of a problem.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

AtlantaKing said:


> Casting Practice/Friendly Competition this Sunday?  I'm getting my 525s lubed up and freshly lined...


saw your thread on the 525 "blow up"- sure you have that thing back together in time??


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Surf Cat said:


> saw your thread on the 525 "blow up"- sure you have that thing back together in time??


No worries. If you'll kindly refer to "The Penn Shopping Rush" thread, you'll see that my two 525 Mags bumped uglies while I was at work and now I have three   If I can't get this one back together, I'll just hold off on doing the other one, so I'll still have two for this coming weekend!


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

AtlantaKing said:


> No worries. If you'll kindly refer to "The Penn Shopping Rush" thread, you'll see that my two 525 Mags bumped uglies while I was at work and now I have three   If I can't get this one back together, I'll just hold off on doing the other one, so I'll still have two for this coming weekend!



A back up for the back up , eh - Yep got 3 myself- might just pick up a fourth


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## JimInVA (May 17, 2005)

Surf Cat said:


> A back up for the back up , eh - Yep got 3 myself- might just pick up a fourth


Veals still has stock on the SuperMag Xtra...


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Jim, don't even start. You'll be putting ideas in my head that I can't cast unless I have a Supermag Xtra...and I'll be ordering those, plus backups and backups for backups!  

Is it really worth double the price of regular 525 Mag? Or even the premium over the 525 Mag Knobby?


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## JimInVA (May 17, 2005)

AtlantaKing said:


> Is it really worth double the price of regular 525 Mag? Or even the premium over the 525 Mag Knobby?


Can't answer that yet... but I've got one on the way. 

I figured I was almost at $200 just with HO Mag Kit and bearing upgrades. Didn't know what the knobby kit was gonna cost and certainly didn't want to lose what little clicker the 525 already has. Besides... one of us had to make the plunge for the good of the rest... 

Jim


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

JimInVA said:


> Can't answer that yet... but I've got one on the way.
> 
> Jim


Curiosity got the best of ya, I see   

That's ok someone needed to be the guinea pig and report back to the rest of us--- Let us know


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## JimInVA (May 17, 2005)

Surf Cat said:


> Curiosity got the best of ya, I see
> 
> That's ok someone needed to be the guinea pig and report back to the rest of us--- Let us know


Report back?... be glad to. Better yet, I think we need to get together for a day of "show and tell" casting! There's no question that I could use some instruction and critique!!

Jim


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

JimInVA said:


> Report back?... be glad to. Better yet, I think we need to get together for a day of "show and tell" casting! There's no question that I could use some instruction and critique!!
> 
> Jim


Yep, definitely need a show and tell session to see what everyone horded up over the winter.


I'm hoping this "late" winter weather won't last too long.


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## Billy262 (Jan 17, 2009)

I'm very new to tjis site but want to thank you folks for all the info 

you've provided .Trying to improve my casting and this site seems

to have plenty of good sound advice.:fishing:


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## dsurf (Aug 5, 2003)

CrawFish said:


> It's prolly a lacrosse ball. SC, where do you cast around here? Maybe we can get together and practice. I need to work on my Hatteras Cast.


Yes, these are Lacrosse balls.......in addition to flying well, they will not absorb water from wet grass, unlike baseballs. I've had baseballs that start out as 5 oz and end up with almost 7 oz. 

Dick's does have the best price I've found.


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