Technique (or lack of)

[beebub2]

Hi,

New to fishing and got myself a 12ft beach caster. My casting is not great to say the least and I have a tendancy to cast to the left for some reason and I don't know why. I cast cack handed (right hand on bottom of rod, left hand higher and over my left shoulder). Clearly this is part of the reason why it goes left. Any suggestions? Is it possible I'l letting go too soon? I tried to let go later last time out but either held on too long or got my fingers caught in the line as I had a crack off.

It got worse in the wind. Wind was blowing right to left with reasonalby big surf (for the beach I was at). I couldn't seem to get it far enough out as it always went left and then got caught in the current/ waves and ended up almost at 90 degrees from the rod. This means I couldn't have been more than 50 feet from the shore in the middle of the sizeable waves.

Only twice in a 2 hour session did I get it far enough out to miss the waves, even then it continued to drift left (though not as much). I had 6 Oz gripper weight in the line.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[gfkelly1969]

hi beebub2
don't worry you will get better,post the area that you fish and i am sure some members on this site will be able to give you some lessons

[paddyc]

There are a few reasons that can cause this,
most likey bringing the power in too soon and cutting the corner (Chopping the cast) try lengthening your drop by a few inches and slow down the whole cast,, another is giving it to much of one arm (i.e left arm if you are going left).. Hope this helps

[beebub2]

Thanks guys.

Paddy, that sounds like it could be my problem. I've had the swivel at the top of the rig pretty close to the end of the rod and I have a tendancy to whip the rod too fast. I'll try your suggestion next time.

Cheers.

[beebub2]

Update.

I tried some of the suggestions above and they appear to be working.

I also realised that casting in a gale (as I was when the rig was going sharply left) is going to make it all the more difficult to cast straight. I was in the same place last Sunday in a gale with the wind going the other way and the line went sharply to the right!

I tried lengthening the drop a few inches and cast more slomly. I also read somewhere that I should watch the end of the rod as I'm casting. I tried all 3 on Wednesday from Bray harbour in not inconsiderable wind and was getting it pretty straight 9 thimes out of 10.

Thanks again for the tips; I suppose now it's just down to practice.

[paddyc]

I also read somewhere that I should watch the end of the rod as I'm casting.

Not the case, once the lead has come back from the initial out swing the first thing to do is turn your head up to your target, (45 degrees high in the sky in the direction you want it to go) this is vital as the lead will only go where your head is looking.
When casting in strong winds you can try cast at a slightly lower trajectory and slightly more in the direction of the wind, its the same in golf you have to take wind speed into account, so if its blowing from left to right you will need to cast slightly more left to allow for the wind to vere you right and on to your target. If you still stuck im in greystones (not far from bray) give me a shout.

[beebub2]

Further update:

Eric very kindly offered to give me a lesson in casting or at least look at my shambolic efforts to see where I was going wrong. So we met up the other night, he came down especially just to give me a hand. He showed me a few simple ideas to start me off on the right road to casting properly. By the end of the night there was a marked difference in not only the distances I was getting but also with the smoothness with which I was casting. He gave me a few bait tips also which were great to get.

I just wanted to publicly thank Eric for taking the time to help me out. It was very much appreciated.

He also managed a pretty amazing feat in the midst of his instruction. To make things easier and just for demonstrating casting technique he suggested I take off the rig and the gripper weight and just put an ordinary, non-gripper weight (sorry I don't know the proper terminology - anyone??) on the lin on its own. He managed to not only get the ordinary weight snagged but also lost it on the first cast. I didn't know it was possible to get snagged without a hook. I suppose it takes years of practice??

[eric]

many many years of practice and perhaps one day too, you can achieve such amazing results!! glad to be of help to you richard, pleasure meeting you and steven

[dbrock]

fair play eric well done

[JOHN1]

good man eric fair play.

thats what its all about,

making money how much an hour do you charge

[eric]

good man eric fair play.

thats what its all about,

making money how much an hour do you charge

1 million dollars , a hug and a cuddle is more than enough,

for real advice talk to paddyc for tuition, he's very patient and will have you casting decently within the hour

[JOHN1]

good man eric fair play.

thats what its all about,

making money how much an hour do you charge

1 million dollars , a hug and a cuddle is more than enough,

for real advice talk to paddyc for tuition, he's very patient and will have you casting decently within the hour

i take it that was directed at me.

looks like you had to turn to him yourself for a bit of tuition.
ah it must be great to be young as you have a lot to learn

you should not be offering hugs and cuddles to older men over the internet

[eric]

actually i did get a lesson of paddy, and yes he did help, (il put a laughing smiley here for no reason i guess)

hate to be as old as you, cause youl never get to learn all the things i will

and i like old men as the generely friendly folk, 'can i have some more sweets sir?'

[kstaff]

Fair play Eric very good of ya!

[beebub2]

a hug and a cuddle is more than enough

I'd just like to categorically state for the record that at no point on Killiney beach in the dark did my gratitude to Eric for helping me with my casting extend in any way to anything approximating a hug or indeed a cuddle.

Whatever happened after Eric left us and headed for home on his own on Killiney beach in the dark is entirely his business.

[eric]

a hug and a cuddle is more than enough

I'd just like to categorically state for the record that at no point on Killiney beach in the dark did my gratitude to Eric for helping me with my casting extend in any way to anything approximating a hug or indeed a cuddle.

Whatever happened after Eric left us and headed for home on his own on Killiney beach in the dark is entirely his business.

[AG]

paddy likes to dish out alot of man love when teaching oh hello sailor boy

[dbrock]

paddy likes to dish out alot of man love when teaching oh hello sailor boy

dear god ill def not be looking for advice now

[JOHN1]

actually i did get a lesson of paddy, 'can i have some more sweets sir?'

i think you might have opened a

can of jelly worms young eric

[paddyc]

I'd just like to categorically state for the record that at no point

I too would like to issue the same statment before this gets out of hand