Surf/Rock casting techniques?

[Physh Tacho]

Hey guys and gals,

I am having trouble with casting from the rocks with my new rod/reel and was wondering if i am doing something wrong or if i'm just a tard.

I got a 12ft Penn Ultragraph 2 combo(8000 reel) and have taken it out a couple of times, but can't seem to get a good casting distance going. I've been trying to cast out whole pillies on a paternoster rig with a no. 4 star sinker, or a running rig with live herring with a no. 4 ball sinker. Using 9 kg mono

Honestly I'm getting further out with my 7ft Shimano GP rod (braid).

So I am wondering, should I try heavier sinkers in some other configuration? Switch to braid? Let the running sinker run all the way down to the hook rather than have it above the swivel? Throw my Penn combo in the bin? Any help would be appreciated as I only got the rod with the idea of being able to cast out a mile.

Cheers

[woody1]

There is a lot more technique involved with casting bigger rods. I like to hold one hand above the reel holding the line, and the other hand goes right at the bottom, I find this gives me more power.

[rosstralia46]

Yer same As woody and you will cast alot lot further with braid as it is a much smaller diameter

[waldo]

So many things can complicate casting distance, especially with baits. The bigger the diameter of the line the less distance. If you dont have enough or too much weight the rod wont load correctly. The less streamlined the bait the less distance. Sinker placement could make the bait helicopter resulting in less distance. blah blah blah blah blah But most distance gains come from technique.

Work out your rod first, using just lead to find out its weight casting range. The JW website suggests 20 to 80gm if you want to take their word for it, some manufacturers overstate or understate this at times. Once you have the sweet spot range, guesstimate the bait weight and match with a suitable sinker.

Pillies will fly furthest with the tail snipped and the sinker sitting on the nose so it can slipstream.

Casting requires a bit of practice. Pulling down with your lead hand gives most of the power and distance, trying to push with your back hand doesnt help a great deal so focus on that. Don't try to muscle the cast just work on making it smooth starting slow and accelerating till you get to the point of line release.

Pillies and herring suggest you are chasing tailor and jew. If you target them during them the low light and dark periods they are usually in much closer to shore during these times, so can be targeted well enough even if you casting needs a bit of work.

[Physh Tacho]

cheers 'loading the rod' hey.. that's got me thinking. i definitely think i'm not putting enough weight on the line even with a whole pilly and a big sinker. the rod has a heavy butt end and its hard to feel the right moment to release the line for a cast. i'll try adding heavier sinkers (gonna be expensive i think with all the tackle i seem to lose to the rocks and those big sinkers are like $1+ each ) i'll also switch to braid when i can afford to buy a big spool and see how that goes.

hope all this rain buggers off soon so i can get to practicing!

[collvan]

If you are moving over to braid and heavier sinkers etc. then you might want to consider getting a good glove for the hand that's going to hold the line when casting. I still have a nice cut on my finger from a session 2 weeks ago.

[bootyinblue]

One hand on the butt of the rod and the other hand just above the spool holding the line to the rod.

Lower the rod behind you as far as your can go down without any of the weighted stuff ie sinker or bait depending on how you rig it touching the sand.

Its a fluid pulling down motion of the butt hand while pushing forward but not too crazily with the other hand and release the line when the rod it at a 45 degree angle pointing towards where you want it to go.

The 'reel hand' does push forward but mostly acts as the pivot point for the rod.

[BassTracker]

Ive mentioned this elsewhere aswell, But when I use a paternoster in the surf, I ditch the sinkers and go for a big metal slug, especialy when fishing for tailor, they are designed to cast long distence and you have a second chance of picking up a tailor even if you loose your pillie..