# Surf Casting Techniques



## Guy (Jan 25, 2012)

I'd like to ask a question about surf casting techniques. I typically fish around the local spots such as Johnson Beach, Pcola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Pickens, etc... I try and just sling the [email protected]#$% out of my rod and hope I get it out far. Well, I've only managed to hit right in front of what I believe to be the first sandbar. I think I've got a rod with every type of setup known to man. Braid, no braid, big guides, little guides, lots of guides, big reels, little reels, whew!!! lol... And then I've tried the pendulum casting technique, the flat pendulum casting technique, the wading out to the sandbar technique... I guess my question is... Is there a better technique out there? And if so, what is it? Or am I casting about as far as a person can? Thanks!!!


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## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

Have you ever casted with a smaller convetional reel??? They cast miles further than a spinning setup... Try a smaller conventional with braid and a 10'+ rod...


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## Bubba Feesh (Jan 16, 2009)

Look up tommy farmer on youtube. lots of good video on him and some of the english guys. 


Stephen


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

penn 10/0 said:


> Have you ever casted with a smaller convetional reel??? They cast miles further than a spinning setup... Try a smaller conventional with braid and a 10'+ rod...



What do you mean by "conventional' reel?


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Bubba Feesh said:


> Look up tommy farmer on youtube. lots of good video on him and some of the english guys.
> 
> 
> Stephen


The dude is pretty fat. I imagine all that weight gives him a huge advantage in that technique.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

penn 10/0 said:


> Have you ever casted with a smaller convetional reel??? They cast miles further than a spinning setup... Try a smaller conventional with braid and a 10'+ rod...


 I disagree with this statement completly,there have been threads on other forums that go on and on about this subject. If you want proof let's set up a time next weekend and I will show you what I am takin, bout.

Guy, the only way to know for sure how you are doing as a caster is to get out onto an open field when nobody is around to get hurt by a wayward piece of lead, make a few casts and measure them. 
I can cast a 3oz pyramid and apiece of shrimp 98 yards out on the field.Bellive me I have spent hour after hour and and a small fortune on rods and reels, with the wind at my back it goes a little more than that,with the wind my face a lot less. I always want to put a bait over that sand bar but depending on what sand bar you are takin bout some times it just won't go. then other times it will go and you discover that there are no fish in the vicinity or you have launched your rig into a bunch of slimy little catfish.

Mat C and I usually fish Johnson beach Saturday and Sunday AM, we are both distance casting fools, well Iam anyway, come on down some time, it's fun.


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

Are you catching any fish Jim?


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## Guy (Jan 25, 2012)

LoL... I can't do it this weekend of course, but how about on the morning of 21st. Just pick the letter and time and I'll be there. I wanna see this!!! I'll bring a rod and if ya don't mind, I'l like to pick up some pointers too...

It looks like he's just barely throwing it. And that's kinda a modified pendulum cast. And it don't show how far he's slinging it either.

Right now I gots a penn conguer 5000 (courtesy of pomp joe). Nice reel. And a 12ft 1-piece e-glass with big quides custom. I switched back to mono because I thought I was gonna lose my finger with braid lol... 

I'm kinda doing the same type of cast as in the video and I'm hittin about 20yds short of the sandbar at JB. Which ain't bad... It might be like ya said that I just need some more practice and tweek some here and there...

Catching fish is the most important thing. I thought I alreay caught all the catfish out of JB... I swear they out number the pompano...


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

For me its not the distance, its the location. I rarely cast more than forty yards or so from the beach in my two favorite pomp holes. So far this year Ive caught at least thirty pompano including a seventeen inch fish.


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## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

A conventional is like a baitcaster with no levelwind... and why disagree??? Just a question, i know alvey side casts held the record for years but when i tried to cast one i couldn't outcast my conventional... But you do have to know how to cast a conventional to get any distance...


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## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

And if you want proof that a conventional can cast farther than a spinner look up the the guys who hold the current world record casts... they ALL use conventionals... Gotta be some reason for that...


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## chicon monster (Mar 7, 2012)

penn 10/0 said:


> A conventional is like a baitcaster with no levelwind... and why disagree??? Just a question, i know alvey side casts held the record for years but when i tried to cast one i couldn't outcast my conventional... But you do have to know how to cast a conventional to get any distance...


and watch out for bird nests I believe there called. When I use them my thumb will fall off for a half a second and get all tangled up


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

Pompano Joe said:


> Are you catching any fish Jim?


5 trips to the beach this week a few small whiting and two pomps.
bunch of catfish this AM. either it's been tough fishing or I am in a terrible slump. Belive me I have tried everything the last two weeks different rigs,different spots, all kinds of beads,floats ,lures fresh shrimp,peeled and unpeeled, salted clams, different sized hooks, walkinig down the beach for a half mile or so, I don't know whats going on. Fishin is not that good right now,but I have a lot of other things that are going well. business is begining to come in, health is good,generally all is well,life is good.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

Guy said:


> LoL... I can't do it this weekend of course, but how about on the morning of 21st. Just pick the letter and time and I'll be there. I wanna see this!!! I'll bring a rod and if ya don't mind, I'l like to pick up some pointers too...
> 
> It looks like he's just barely throwing it. And that's kinda a modified pendulum cast. And it don't show how far he's slinging it either.
> 
> ...


 
Ron almost had me talked into one of those rods I would like to cast it once or twice. Anyway maybe next weekend we can meet up. I'll try to get in touch thursday PM


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Spinning vs Conventional*

I won't get into a spinning vs conventional contest.

I can cast a long ways with either one. I cast far enough to catch fish.

I believe that it's up to the individual. He/she can cast better with what they use most.

Jim: Went with my daughter and caught two Pompano and a bunch of whiting. Salted shrimp on a Charlie2 Rig. First gut. Could of used a cane pole. 

She wants to go again so maybe we can get together. She's good luck! C2


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## Bubba Feesh (Jan 16, 2009)

Got a good point in placement rather than distance. Can be ten yards beside guy catching and if you are not placing bait in right place it dont mean a thing. 

Not trying to get you to throw it 200 yards but a little technique will go a long way in basic equipment. Learn a little more with what you have. 

Stay with the spinner and learn how to throw. Learn how to read the beach. Placement of bait means more than most care to learn. 

Keep it simple guys! 

Stephen :thumbsup:


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## Guy (Jan 25, 2012)

Thanks for all the info. Just PM me and if I don't hear from ya, I'll send one. I definitely would like to learn some more.

But I do believe that it's in the placement and learning how to read the beach. I've been out there and have literally had a guy no more than 10ft from me snatching pomps like they were growing on a tree. And here I am weeding the catfish out for'em... And he ain't casting no further than me... Maybe even less...

But I think I'll stick with the spinner till I get some more time in the saddle...

Thanks again!!!


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

penn 10/0 said:


> and why disagree??? Just a question, i know alvey side casts held the record for years but when i tried to cast one i couldn't outcast my conventional... But you do have to know how to cast a conventional to get any distance...


Jim disagrees because he and Charlie 2 have mastered the technique to a point where the type of reel doesn't matter as much. I'm new to distance casting, but learned very quickly from these guys it's technique, technique, technique. Yes, some of the great casters are big, strong guys, but without mastering the techniques they'd be average at best. That said, it sure doesn't hurt to have a hopped-up Akios reel and a AFAW graphite rod to chunk with.

My switch to a conventional reel added an easy 30 measure yards to my cast. I agree that placement is key, but that extra yardage helps when they're out deep. For whatever reason, my "go to" holes haven't produced short this season. 

Maybe I need some schooling on placement?!?


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

jcallaham said:


> Fishin is not that good right now,but I have a lot of other things that are going well. business is begining to come in, health is good,generally all is well,life is good.


Got to like a guy who looks on the upside. Praise God for good health!

I'm right there with you on fishing. We're getting a lot of weed over here. I'd be tempted to try the piers if they weren't so packed!

I've still got a couple of Breakaway Cannons for you. Let's hook up sometime.


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## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

OK Joe, thanks, i'm glad i'm not the only one who added instant distance to his casts by switching to a conventional... But i would still think that if you have mastered casting to that point that a conventional would still cast farther.... And if not why??? Is it just what you're use to... I know the Daiwa Emblem and Saltiga Surf have very tall spools and this helps ALOT for casting distance... Is this what the long cast guys who use spinners use???


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

penn 10/0 said:


> And if not why??? Is it just what you're use to... I know the Daiwa Emblem and Saltiga Surf have very tall spools and this helps ALOT for casting distance... Is this what the long cast guys who use spinners use???


I know this will open a can or worms (fishing humor!), but here's my theory on that...Once you're proficient in the technique, the next most important factor is the rod, then the reel. Consider the distance casters that use a modified Ambassadeur 5500! I've got a couple of really cool hopped-up Abus, but I know by the amount of spin I've got at the end of a cast that I'll never be able to cast them to their full potential. I don't think anyone could. I can cast a weight out of sight, but the spool is still wide open when the weight hits the water. My technique is the real limiting factor. So if you take friction out of the picture as the ultimate limiting factor, I think I've sufficiently beat it with a 2.5 minute freespool, theoretically at least, a spinning reel that can cast to the absolute maximum potential of the combination of technique and rod can chunk as far as a conventional reel that no combination of technique and rod can match. Woah! Deep thoughts will Pompano Joe! 

I hope you guys won't chew me up to bad on this, but that's what makes sense in my overly analytical mind. I don't profess to be an expert, but I am a student (of Jim and Charlie) and I am making some progress.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

Guy and penn 10/0 here is the way I see it.
in tournnament type casting monofilament line is mandated,no braid allowed. With distance engineered spinners,that mostly come from europe or Japan Mono line puts them at a disadvantage,if things were reversed, everyone has to use braid, Iwould expect more spinners would be used in tournaments and there would be some records broken.

but that is tournament casting not pomp fishing which is what we all wanna do around here. So what we are wanting to do is cast where theres gonna be some pomps. Heck, for all I know they might be 10' feet off the beach or 600' some how I belive that if I can fish that whole area I have a better chance than one who's limited to 150' or so.


I have caght some big ones at distance, but not very many compared to the hardheads,stingrays,and bluefish. my friend Matt got a huge redfish out there recenenly.

but back to this conventional reel thing, these things are very tunable,they can be set up real slow so you can't backlash em, but then they won't cast very far, sooo we start messin with em get more distance,until there runnin right on the edge of disaster every cast,one little mistake and it's zing POW there goes a sinker, two hooks,some beads,a swivel and 100' or so of line and that reel is done for the day unless you're gonna reline it there on the beach. my personal best in this catagory is four reels in 45 minutes.

spinners aren't perfect either,wind knots, lines catching on guides,my fav orite is the line sticks back on the pad of my finger causes the rod to unload in weird way that snaps off an expensive rig or darn near cuts off your finger. I have been out on the field with both a baitcaster and a spinner,I prefer 4000 size spinners,medium priced ones, no more than $125.00, and small conventionals, abu 5500,akios 5500 daiwa makes some killer casting reels. I made casts in a pretty scientific manner, same rod same weights , same day conditions and there was about a five yard difference in the casts, I forget which one casted farther, the conventionals had to be relined do to backlashes and I went fishing with the spinners.


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## Guy (Jan 25, 2012)

WoW... I didn't realize that I was gonna create such a ruckus... lol... But I just wanted to catch some pomps... And I was thinking that since the water was still a bit cool that they would be a bit deeper out... I thought I was doing pretty good surf fishing... But I guess I ain't even scratched the surface... lol...

Now I'm really lookin forward to gettin together... I'm gonna print and publish this thread... lol...


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## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

I can understand and respect that.... I understand that trying to get a monster cast off the beach with a conventional can result in one hell of a backlash if your thumb slips, i have done it myself and spent 15+mins trying to get it out... lol and with BIG spinners i sometimes wind up with the braid wrapped around the bottom guide somehow....


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