What do you do in the "off season" to improve your casting?

Assuming you mean baitcasting? Either way, practice, practice, and practice some more in the yard, the drive way, etc.

I like to put "targets" (often what stuff the kids leave around the yard) in various spots and cast at them until I can hit them consistently.

For flipping and pitching I'll put a coffee can, mason jar, or something out in the yard and work at hitting it consistently...

Practices,practices,practices... the drive way is a great place for me too, a coffee cup side ways, a soda can, empty water bottle, the beans bags board. all this are great for practices to me.

use a park bench or chair outside. pretend it is a dock/low hanging tree and try to flip as far as you can under and out the other side.

cast outside in the dark. it will really put you in touch with how to control ur spool via thumb break=IMO the heart of every casting technique.

Offseason??? I never stop fishing, that's how I keep my casting up to par.

My kind of fishing does not require pin point accuracy. Fishing year round I can put my bait where I want to.

By placing various targets around me in the yard, just targets are good help, but by using different weights and line sizes helps a lot too!!

Stay sharp and stay focused, reading up on your maps and things like understanding structure too is just as important as your casting, imo, take the spare time you have and make everything count.

Good luck and be safe !!!

Offseason??? I never stop fishing, that's how I keep my casting up to par.

Haha that's my thoughts too!

Most of us learn by trial and error with much practice. Learning from someone who knows how (see Flukes videos) will save much time and effort. Once you get the basics it's just about developing the muscle memory and hand/eye coordination to become consistent. If your neighbors don't wonder what's wrong with you "fishing" in the yard when the weather is too bad to actually fish, then you probably aren't practicing often enough. For longer casts most any target will do. For pitching to tight cover a bucket or can laying on its side is a fine target. When you can silently (and consistently) place your bait in the target you will catch more fish in tight spots or your money back.

use a park bench or chair outside. pretend it is a dock/low hanging tree and try to flip as far as you can under and out the other side.

cast outside in the dark. it will really put you in touch with how to control ur spool via thumb break=IMO the heart of every casting technique.

Standard Off Season Training Program

A-Jay

I have a weight that I tie onto the line and go into my field and practice various casts during the winter.

I want to master all five of the major casts and will be practicing the under hand roll more this winter.

You can't practice skipping the weight on the grass which is a bummer so I go to a local lake and practice skipping the weight. I only skip with a spinning rig but have been known to skip with a baitcaster every now and them.

To impove your casting you need to ask that famous question of a tourist to a New Yorker:"How do you get to Carniegh Hall?"

Answer: "Practice, practice, practice."

Good suggestions!

It may also help to stand up on something to simulate the height you stand above the water on the boat's deck. Really this is only relevant for pitching or flipping.

Park the boat thirty foot from the back porch stand on bow and put it as far as i can under the porch without making a soun

Standard Off Season Training Program

A-Jay

Do you play with the dogs like that? I like to tie stuffed dog toys or knotted socks on and get our dog chasing it across the yard or inside the house. It really helps my close quarters accuracy casting in the house.

Do you play with the dogs like that? I like to tie stuffed dog toys or knotted socks on and get our dog chasing it across the yard or inside the house. It really helps my close quarters accuracy casting in the house.

Yes - that's how it all started.

Old Flippin Stick - 80 lb braid and a 60 lb mono leader - it's a great way to exercise them without killing me.

But they learned fairly quickly that the "Prey" travels in a straight line. And once caught, it's destroyed in seconds and there is no pulling it away from them with the rod -

I will say that my drag is put to the test - if you think a decent bass pulls - try a 120 lb sled dog . . .

A-Jay

Stand on a milk crate in the driveway and cast to random targets in the yard (coffee cans work great). The neighbors might think you're nuts though.

Get some Practice Plugs, i.e. http://www.basspro.c...13377/#desc-tab

I use the assortment Pack that has 1 each of 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Stand on a milk crate [ or something to get you up off ground level to simulate the boat deck above the water ] in the driveway and cast to random targets in the yard (coffee cans [anything] work great). The neighbors might think you're nuts though.

I have neighbors driving by asking if I've caught anything yet. Note: casting in the yard can be a bit hard on the retrieve through the grass if it's lumpy, and casting onto concrete is like sandpaper but the retrieve is a lot easier.

Standard Off Season Training Program

A-Jay

Thank you A-Jay, now I know I'm not the only one that practices in the snow; my wife thought I lost my mind.

Ha ! When one's hand-eye coordination is as screwed up as mine is, you don't improve your casting LOL

Instead, I just try to fish in areas that the big ones don't have to swim too far to get to my bait / lure LOL

Peace,

Fish

Practice in a garage, or if your lucky you can practice on the water and catch fish all winter. Put some cans up and knock them down. Or flip/pitch into a bucket or cup.

Do some exercises to keep your arm and shoulder limber.

Time, patience, and a healthy overdose of practice!

Ha ! After 45 years of practice, my casting still sucks. I don't even waste my time trying to improve it.

 

Fish