Distance is only relevant to what you're thowing, with what equipment you're useing and how you're useing it. 

To answer the OP's question..IMHO The "average Joe" useing what he asked, I would think 20-30 yds on average with the wind at his back. An experienced user of a baitcaster with a medium action rod and a 1/2 oz weight should be able to get in the 30-40 yd range.

My measured best useing a 7' Phenix X11 composite rod, with a Curado I spooled with 12# Yo  Zuri, throwing a Bomber A with a 10 mph cross wind was 38 yds out 3 cast's. It was good enough for me 

 

 

Mike 

I have no Idea how far I can cast but I do know I can cast far enough to catch aplenty of fish.

Ok, 2 zip codes away and I can dunk it in a tea cup. 

Back in 2000, Romanack and Holt got together a group of fishermen to establish what a long vs average cast length actually was, in order to set a baseline for their book titled "Precision Casting".  Using an average sized crankbait (model and weight not specified), they measured a series of casts by each fisherman and found the consistent "average" to be 70 ft and "long" to be 100 ft.

Actual testing of real life fishermen is darned rare and this is the only study I've ever seen on the subject.  Say what you will, make whatever off the cuff guestimate you may want to imagine.  I'll take actual test data.  Yes, using an 8 ft rod and a supertuned reel to throw a 1 oz lead weight would yield much longer distances.  But in the real fishing world, with typical fishing equipment, in typical fishing conditions, I believe actual test results.  I also believe that 98% of the time, casting distance is a non-issue in catching fish.  Crankbait not reaching the bottom?  Change crankbaits or go with thinner line.  Or switch to a sinking swimbait, or a jig, or a C-rig.  There are lots of ways to skin that cat.

When I supertune my reels, I like to test them.  The weight I choose is based on what loads best on the particular rod. 

Using a 3/4 oz weight on a 6' MH/F, I get about 50 yards.  Using a 1/2oz weight on a M/F, I get about 50 yards with a lighter, easier-to-start reel.

There are only a couple times I use that distance when fishing, and it takes certain lures to make it that distance.  Generally, 30 yards is max for me, and that's only with braid.  This is when I'm trying to cast across the river or when I'm targeting the outlet to a small dam that can't be gotten to many other ways.

50 yards is doable on the water with a few lures like the Spittin' Image or original Torpedo, but the weight of the line tends to mess up the walk-the-dog action for me that far out.

Regards,

Josh

2 hours ago, lecisnith said:

Comparing length is a slippery slope for dudes...

But I'm super average.  And an average cast for this average angler averages about 30-40 yards.  On average.

Are you casting into the wind, or with the wind?

23 minutes ago, Fishing Rhino said:

Are you casting into the wind, or with the wind?

Depends.  Spinning either/or, baitcast, for me it's suicide casting into the wind.  I don't have time to calibrate the reel when the wind kicks up, I just roll with it.

How are you guys getting such low casting distance? I average 50-55yds with a 5/8oz lure on a 7"MH baitcast rod, even my 5'6" spinning rod can cast 35 yards easily, unless google earth is not accurate with distance.

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 6:49 PM, Glenn said:

Maximum casting distance is not a factor in bass fishing.

I disagree, I think casting distance can be a big factor when fishing a deep diving crankbait, fishing in gin clear water for skittish smallmouth, and casting to a target from shore.

3 hours ago, bigturtle said:

How are you guys getting such low casting distance? I average 50-55yds with a 5/8oz lure on a 7"MH baitcast rod, even my 5'6" spinning rod can cast 35 yards easily, unless google earth is not accurate with distance.

I would lean towards the latter with that assumption. 

4 hours ago, bigturtle said:

How are you guys getting such low casting distance? I average 50-55yds with a 5/8oz lure on a 7"MH baitcast rod, even my 5'6" spinning rod can cast 35 yards easily, unless google earth is not accurate with distance.

What are you doing, tying your iPhone on your line?  How are you measuring casting distance with Google earth?

Ha ha 

I haven't measured with a tape, but have paced off casts.  Not super accurate, but I have measured my paces before, and I am pretty close.  Based on that I would say my average casts are in the 30-35 yard range.  However, I have several reels that will exceed that easily.

My Gen 1 STX-L holds 140 yards of 12# test line.  I don't know it that is to the spool bevel or 1/16 below as the suggested amount by Abu.  I fill to the bevel.  Reel is spooled with 40# braid that is equivalent to 10# mono.  So more than 140 yards filled.  Spent several hours fishing tidal water with a 3/4 oz. spoon on a 7' MH Jupiter rod rated 1/4-1 oz.  I was consistently unloading what appeared to be half the spool.   Obviously this is not an average cast.  I will be the first to tell you no way can I spool a reel like some, but feel safe in saying I can get 45-50 yards with several of my reels.  My son-in-law was impressed by how far my Curado 201E7 with 65# braid was casting a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait on my Endurance 723C.  Again not average, but average for this set-up.

1 hour ago, lecisnith said:

What are you doing, tying your iPhone on your line?  How are you measuring casting distance with Google earth?

In google earth, the desktop version, there is a distance measurement tool. Try it.

Just now, bigturtle said:

In google earth, the desktop version, there is a distance measurement tool. Try it.

Knowing the length of your stride will do that for you, and probably more accurately.  At least for short distances.

1 minute ago, lecisnith said:

Knowing the length of your stride will do that for you, and probably more accurately.  At least for short distances.

you walk on water? your strides are more accurate than google, lol.

Just now, bigturtle said:

you walk on water? your strides are more accurate than google, lol.

Actually, yes.

5 minutes ago, lecisnith said:

Actually, yes.

cool, can you please teach me how to do that? I don't want to tie my iPhone and dipping it every time i want to measure something 

 

For other people who are interested, if you are familiar with your lake/pond, and can accurately pinpoint where you stand and where your cast land, you can use Google Earth to measure casting distance, assuming the measurements are accurate, which i think they are, at least more accurate than strides lol.

 

 

17 minutes ago, hawgenvy said:

 

 

Please note that these are all modified Ambassadeurs ('cept for one; I think I saw a round Shimano in there.)

So, if you want to cast far... the Abu Garcia Ambassadeur is the best bet!

Josh

Google Earth is not accurate enough to measure casting distance. Even if you could tell exactly where you were and exactly where the cast landed on Google Earth. Just sayin' 

52 minutes ago, bigturtle said:

you walk on water? your strides are more accurate than google, lol.

I guess it just never occurred to me to try to remember where I was casting from and where I was casting to, so I could measure it on a map, when I could just see how far an average, easy cast went in my backyard and then pace off the distance.  Seems pretty logical to me.  

17 minutes ago, Little Fish.... said:

Google Earth is not accurate enough to measure casting distance. Even if you could tell exactly where you were and exactly where the cast landed on Google Earth. Just sayin' 

why not

3 minutes ago, lecisnith said:

I guess it just never occurred to me to try to remember where I was casting from and where I was casting to, so I could measure it on a map, when I could just see how far an average, easy cast went in my backyard and then pace off the distance.  Seems pretty logical to me.  

my backyard isnt that big

well i found a football field and measured goal line to goal line it pretty close could definitely use it to determine cast length

There are no defined lines in a lake. If you call people out for not casting far enough, then it would be better if you proved it on a football field rather than using Google Earth, is all I meant.