# Need some casting advice



## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

I am casting a little better than 650' with an off the ground cast.

The video clips of my style leave me with a full understanding that I need better form, more practice. I am leaning forward at the end of the cast ( reaching/pushing), powering up too early into the cast, freeing the sinker too early, failing to launch at a good angle, etc.

My question is- my 525mag birdsnests when I apply loose magnetic control, doesn't when I slide it to half way. I can't seem to get past the half way marking. I know wind will cause birdsnesting, perhaps poor line quality, having eliminated those and some others. Is it poor form that limits my reel from peeling off line smoothly when I adjust to less magnetic control ?

I understand the concept of the varying control that a knobby sideplate provides. Allows for a powerful cast, providing more magnetic control, transitioning into less and less as the risk of backlash decreases. But... I am not sure that I require one at this point. Or do I ?

Also, I think it is time to aquire some tournament sinkers, where does one do that ?

Tonight I shall try the almighty pendulum cast, may the distance gods offer me the grace I so rightfully deserve, so that I don't have to put more line on that &%^#! reel.


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

Fishmort,

Bring your gear over the night of the club banquet (Fri 13th at the Reef restaurant). After a few drinks we all can walk out the back of the restaurant to the beach; you can cut her loose while we all critique. I'm sure between Steve, Brian, Noel and Lyndon you'll get some technique tips. 

Seriously, I don't see your name on the list of those who are attending. You paid your dues, might as well get your chance at the door prize -- a 13' Anytime Anywhere "Surf" rod.

Let's go fishing!


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

FM,

A 650' ground cast is an excellent cast. Very few fisherman ever progress to that point. For that matter most tourney casters cannot hit a ground cast that far. Good work.

Just out of curiosity, what rod are you using?? 

The 525 mag is a great casting fishing reel. It can be a little high strung though. It really doesn't matter if you get the mags backed all the way down to minimum during the cast, what matters is maintaining control of spool speed.

Couple of questions,

What lb test line are you using?? The 525 works best with mono in the 15-20 lb test range. I personally use 17 lb suffix. If you are using smaller diameter line then you will have trouble when backing the mags off. Natural braking occurs when the effective diameter of the line on the spool drops. With smaller lines this doesn't happen as fast and will cause trouble if you try to back off too quickly. One way around this problem is to underspool slightly (about the thickness of a quarter from the lip) when using smaller line.

What oil are you running in the spool bearings?? I would suggest at least red rocket oil. Anything thinner just makes the reel run too fast. 

This all really boils down to reel tuning. Balance the spool, then tune using mags, line level, bearing oil and centrifical brake blocks (not an option on the 525) to tame the beast. It is better to have the reel tuned a little on the safe side than to spend lots of time picking out blowups and relining reels... 

As a 650+ foot ground caster you are developing lots of power. You have to transfer that energy to the reel, accelerate the spool up to speed and then control the centrifical force that wants to overspeed the spool without killing the cast. It's a learning curve bit it is also very rewarding to get off that perfect cast and have it stick together.

Sea Level is right, you need to get your name in the hat for the 13' Surf. That is one sweet casting/fishing machine.

Good luck,

Tommy


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## FishinAddiction (May 9, 2006)

I only use 525s and I would tell you to first balance your spool.....then fill it up......the best casting line I have found is the 16lb Suffix Key Lime IGFA. I use a very different casting style than most but I obtain some very very long distances in fishing situations. I have my mags on 6 and I can put all the power into it I want without blowing up, but definitely balance your spool and look into some red rocket fuel.


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

and what size lead are you throwing. Post a video of your cast. Those AFAW rods are great long casting fishing sticks.


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

Tommy has sinkers. Go ahead and get you a souped up abu for tourney casting, use the .28 or.31 line for the weight you are casting, and you should be able to get past 700 pretty quickly. From there to 800 it's suppose to get exponentially difficult to gain distance. I can vouch for that. Also don't be in a great hurry to go pendulum. I find that when I get stuck, going back to OTG and working on keeping my arms away from my body and hitting the lead gets my cast just as far and sometimes farther. Hope this helps, and the best of all advice I ever got is to practice regularly, that is where the distance comes from.


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## GCsurfishingirl (Feb 28, 2006)

FishinMortician said:


> IAlso, I think it is time to aquire some tournament sinkers, where does one do that ?


Tommy normally has them in stock. http://www.carolinacastpro.com/

Britt


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Thanks GCsurfishingirl,

I missed that and yes I've got them.

Tommy


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

650' OTG cast with fishing equipment is very impressive indeed.

I use a 525 also and for most fishing I will put either 17 lb sufix tri or the 16 lb Sufix IGFA line on it. If I really want the line capacity and max distance I may go down as low as 14 lb Sufix tri, but as Tommy already stated the spool needs to be underfilled a tad whan using lighter lines.

I have thrown my 525 with as light as 10 lb line on it (tournament casting only) so it can be done, but wouldn't recommend it for fishing. 

I did add a knobby mag sideplate to mine and like it better for cast control than the slidey mag, but I gave up the clicker in the process.


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## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

I certainly appreciate the sound advice you fine folks have offered, and I like your attitude. I tried a pendulum cast, wasn't too bad, but I lost my feel for the sinker, and know that that means more practice/ understanding of where and what the sinker is doing, as it relates to my arms, etc.

I read what you had to say about reel tuning, line, oil, bearings etc. I searched old posts to try and get a grasp. I suspect that it will be a while before I open up the reel to try anything, I have a bad track record with such things- getting them back together. Where does one get red rocket fuel?

I read where I can try to get the reel to become 'balanced', less noise, by humping the line, this way or that, then taping it off and spinning it on top of a table, and listening/watching the result. When the reel blows up it is usually close to the beginning of the cast, shock leader is away and line starts to peel off, then a noise, then a snapping sound, and the sinker flies off to never never land.

I have been alternating 20lb big game and 15lb big game line, and different brands as well, like Ande, trying to discover what the reel likes. I will follow the advice you have offered by slightly underspooling the 15lb test line. 

I am ordering some sinkers from Tommy.

I liked the advice of my waiting to go pendulum, it makes perfect sense to me to just continue to develope a smooth swing, by focusing on something simple and something I can visualize and understand. It is hard for me to slow down and wait for the cast to develope. I have had a time with casting in a straight line manner, usually I let go too early and the sinker goes to my right, and of course getting a 45 degree launch angle isn't easy either.

I liked the advice to look into getting a tournament reel, but right now that 525 has all my attentions, it is simple and I need to start with simple. 

Upon further review of my video clips, I see so many faults that I would like to correct. So I am going to assail them one at a time until they all go away. Then I will adjust my reel's inards, or perhaps skip that and just purchase something different altogether and leave the reel strictly for fishing.

I liked the advice of going to the banquet, and shall bring my girl, she liked what she saw on the menu. But I am slightly confused, there Sea Level, why you want the men to have some drinks under their belts- before witnessing my ability to cast. Is it that you think I will appear to be entertaining? Now you know I don't wish to embarass myself in front of my lady, but I will bring the setup anyway. Whether you guys laugh or cry is all up to me anyway, ain't it. One last thing there skipper, I am off this Friday June 29th, and at O'Dark Hundred- shall be down your way to catch sharks and pompano, wanna meet up? I like it just north or south of the java joint thingy there.


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

Fish Mort,

The drinks were for beer muscles -- I can't speak for the other guys, but I'd need that shot of courage to make fun of your casting. I'm too old; you're too big and besides, I've never reached 650 feet.

Glad to see you're coming to the Florida Surf Casters banquet -- looking forward to meeting your lady friend.

Can't meet you to fish Friday; I'll be in Rhode Island to see some friends and hopefully throw plugs at Stripers. At the banquet we can plan a trip. 

Noel and I fished a few hours last evening; I got one Pompano and a few Whiting. Noel had one large Bonnethead pick up a sand flea and pull some serious drag on his bait rod before biting through the 60# rig body. Right now fishing is lame -- water was 84 degrees.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Paul..I'll bring the Zippy and cast with you..we can embarrass ourselves together.


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## FishinMortician (Jun 19, 2007)

I tried some of your advice over the weekend. I underspooled my 525mag reel using 15lb Big Game line. I did not remember the thickness of a quarter part, so I underspooled about 1/8 inch( 2 quarters? ). It did help, but the reel ran out of line and my sinker came to an abrupt stop when the knot pulled tight against the spool. Kind of looked impressive, I thought to myself, but in reality I have no idea if the sinker actually went any further.

My video camera is paying big rewards. I can see where I am inconsistant from cast to cast. Leaning at the end, powering up too soon, hands not positioned correctly at the start, at the end, etc. I think the rod is not completely loaded, it appears to have some more room for bending. So, I figure better technique is needed before I switch it out.

Also, I experimented with openning the reel up for practice. I was VERY nervous, and after about 5 reassemblies I actually did get it back together. The eccentric spring was a trick. I could see the bearings, and the magnets, and now understand what you guys have been talking about. I believe I can maintain this reel, and am going to find the oils that are needed.

Still trying to TUNE the reel with the line trick. I understand the principle, but applying the tape and spinning the whole thing is not as easy as I would like it to be. Not sure if the poor tape job is influencing the outcome.

And.. Barty B, I look forward to watching you cast that thing, and listening to the advice.


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