Here's a new video that's loaded with advanced casting tips!

 

Great video!   Like Glen, I learned to cast on the front lawn of my home.   For some reason, casting accuracy is something that seems to have lost significance with today's bass anglers.  Today we talk about lines, leaders, lures, reels, boats and electronics when the difference between catching bass and going home fish-less is often a few inches or less.  The best anglers fish their bait close to the fish.  Lesser anglers shotgun their casts hoping a bass will happen by or become attracted to whatever signals their lure puts out.  If you take one of the oldest bass lures in the world, throw it on a 1960s reel with cheap line and put it in the right place, it will out fish all the modern baits put together fished out of the strike zone.   This is true even with computerized reels, anti backlash gadgets, graphite rods and modern lines.  If you want to be a better bass fishermen, learn to fish closer to the bass. 

Some good tips in this video.

I will add a few tips about proper bait casting wrist motion;

1. Your thumb should be pointed towards ear and cheek on a over head cast, not upright at 12 o’clock.

2. The exception is the roll cast, also all wrist but a 3/4 circular motion ending with your thumb at 12 o’clock

Those 2 casting techniques are used 90% of my bass fishing.

The over Head cast dot distance, the roll cast for shorter distance shifter landing accuracy. 

The 3rd cast is a short distance flip or pitch cast, where I fish maybe 10% of the time.

Another tip is know your predominate eye is very important. What you see may not be where the target actually is.

To test dominate eye extend your arms fully forward and with the finger together and thumb extended form a triangular opening between both hands held together. Now looking through the triangular opening with both eyes put a target 20’ to 30’ way. Now close 1 eye if the target object is in the opening that is your dominate eye. If the target disappears close the 1st eye and open the other, the target object will be centered and that is you dominate eye. 

Why is this important? Casting 30 yards the target and be 4’ to 5’ off to one side of where your eyes see it. 

Few if my fishing partners can cast my bait casting reels because of minimal or no brakes, I use my trained thumb for spool control.

Practice, practice, practice totally agree with Glenn.

Tom 

 

Yeah I agree it's all wrist and practice.guys who bomb cast with their arms are just asking for backlash and fatigue. When I learned to use my wrist and not force a cast I gained a ton of distance and accuracy.

Thanks 

Excellent. I'm good for one or the other.

Letting the rod load and do the work actually generates more power than muscling a cast

10 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Letting the rod load and do the work actually generates more power than muscling a cast

 

A friend of my dad's who was a world renowned fly fisherman taught me to let the rod do the casting, it's better at it than you. For casting overhead he rolled up a magazine placed it under my arm pit & said now cast without letting the magazine fall. 

If you know anything about golf and club head speed you can apply the same principal on the rod handle with your off hand.  Speeding up the butt by pulling the handle toward you can really speed up the tip thus generating casting energy.

i got surpisingly good at playing a trombone with very little practicing.  

 

casting, i just went fishing.  i would try a bit in my front yard to discover any wild decrepencies, between me and my gear.  then off to the water.  i can home in very quickly.    now Skipping.  i need to practice skipping, and that needs water. 

Greetings All,

Bravo Glen and Thank You to all who contributed to the body of knowledge. As one who is  beginning my bait cast journey, all of these points are well taken.

 

So far I'm just getting comfortable with the basics and I'm working my way towards that minimal brake configuration.

 

Wishing each of you well, Cheers!