The art of casting off

The art of casting in a specific zone and presenting a lure or bait as naturally as possible is a skill developed through experience, practice and honed technique.

Ultimately, your skill level will dictate whether your cast is millimetres short or long of the target. The difference can mean the difference between drawing a blank and enticing a strike.

Your casting technique can also be influenced by the environment.

THE SIDE-ARM CAST
A side-arm cast is particularly useful when fishing in restricted spaces or with overhead hazards such as low hanging trees. It is also a great method to use when casting along the water’s edge.

When casting your bait, try feathering the line with your finger on the spool just before your rig hits the water. Your line will lay the rig out a lot more neatly, with less chance of it plonking down in a tangled mess.

KIDS AND CASTING
When teaching kids to cast, start in a clear open space away from water. Attach a casting plug to the line and start with them casting towards a large target. Gradually reduce the target size and then increase the distance. Be patient and have fun.

Where possible use a short leader and leave it short of the rod tip when casting. The reduced friction because there's no joiner knot passing through the guides means longer more accurate casts, less line wear, and less chance of snap-offs.

BUBBLE FLOATS
Bubble floats are versatile and assisting casting. Squeeze to open the slit and add water to the float for extra casting weight. This is very handy when casting small live baits and flies. The float weight also helps to maintain your bait's position in choppy conditions. Being clear makes them well camouflaged, too.

FLY CASTING TIP
When fly fishing, the fly can only effectively catch fish when it is  in the water. Keeping this in mind, work on limiting the number of false casts to as few as possible.

False casts can spook fish, especially in clear water. Work on delivering your fly quickly and effectively for more fish.

CAST SYSTEM
So remember efficient casting involves more than heaving your line as far as possible.

Finesse, accuracy, targeting structure and zones are the essential skills. Think about the how, where and why’s of casting your line for more hits, hook ups and successful fishing sessions.

Yours in fishing,
Paul Worsteling