My co-angler is cheap, well kind of cheap. He will spend plenty of money, on "Vintage" fishing gear. Probably has close to a thousand rods and reels, not exaggerating at all here. 

The problem I witness every week is how hard he has to cast to get any distance. In contrast, most of my gear is less than 5 years old, I have some high end rods that are older but my reels are all current. While he is swinging for the fences, I'm comfortably bombing my casts way past what he is able to do. Don't get me wrong, we aren't competing against each other, this is just what I have noticed over time.

Now he recently has developed a pain in his shoulder and elbow! He doesn't do manual labor for work. Casting when Fishing is by far the only thing remotely close to repetitive motion that he performs on a regular basis. I've tried to convince him to invest in at least some new reels and that once he tried one he would see the advantage of having some decent equipment. I even tried to get him to sell some of the "Vintage" gear to fund some new gear.

I've even tried letting him cast a couple of my better rigs. He just muttered "they are left handed", he casts right handed, sure he knows he can get them right handed, I guess it just feels weird casting right handed with the handle on the left when he tried it. 
 

I was even able to find this:

"Frequent Improper Casting

One of the most common injuries known to anglers is shoulder pain. For veteran anglers, this is because of overuse and perhaps a lack of overall bodily strength. For new anglers, it might be because of the way they cast incorrectly without having the correct caster’s body. The repeated use of the shoulder without any casting success can cause trauma to the shoulder joints. This can accumulate faster than you think and might lead to rotator cuff injury, which is quite common among anglers.'

 

And not that he is casting improperly but it would seem to reason that having to exert more force when casting could have the same or similar effect as improper casting?

 

This guy is my best friend for life, we grew up together, known each other since we were about 12, and now in our later years we really enjoy our fishing and trips together even more. I would hate for him to get to the point of not being able to fish because of this. 

 

What's my point?!  Does anyone have any experience in this kind of situation or any data that I could share with him that might sway his mindset on buying some new equipment? 

 

Thanks for any input provided. 

Repetitive use injuries would occur regardless of what he's using. Nature of the beast. Some people get it, some don't. If you could just "buy away" these types of injuries, nobody would get them. 

9 minutes ago, CrawfordXL said:

Probably has close to a thousand rods and reels, not exaggerating at all here. 

 

 

If he’s using bait casting gear, he’s probably got the brakes or spool tension turned up too far to reduce backlashes which slows down lure making him have to use more force. Probably not injured because of older gear.

Old equipment with little to no maintenance can severely reduce cast distance. Maybe try to at least get him to clean and lube the reels and possibly try new speed bearings (ceramics). In addition lighter line would be a benefit.

Gift him a Zillion with a right hand retrieve.  This will not only make him want to give up on his old reels, you will have peace without the Bait Monkey at your house for awhile, it's a win win.  

Super tuned vintage Ambassador 2500C can cast lures just a far as the newer bait casting reels. If your buddy has one in his collection offer to send out to a vintage reel expert, don’t know if Mike at DVL does those?

Casting distance is all about rod tip launching the lure not arm speed, it’s all in the wrist. The thumb should end up between 9 to 10 o’clock for right handed caster not at 12 o’clock!

Tom
 

Yes. I use modern gear, but if I try to cast as far as possible with heavy rods for a bunch of casts in a row (like trying to launch a frog as far as possible), my shoulder and elbow really start to hurt. Inferior gear would only exacerbate this problem. 

2 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Super tuned vintage Ambassador 2500C can cast lures just a far as the newer bait casting reels. If your buddy has one in his collection offer to send out to a vintage reel expert, don’t know if Mike at DVL does those?

Casting distance is all about rod tip launching the lure not arm speed, it’s all in the wrist. The thumb should end up between 9 to 10 o’clock for right handed caster not at 12 o’clock!

Tom
 

I use a 2500 for frog fishing with 65 pound braid.

Define “vintage” both rod and reel.  I have 15-20 year old gear that casts just as far as my newer gear.  As an aside what are you fishing where you need to bomb cast? The one and only lure I’ve ever found that I need a cast longer than normal is a deep diving crank.  I see a lot of fishermen thinking every cast has to empty the spool when in fact it doesn’t.  

Too much spool tension.  Many such cases.

Get him one of those super smooth reels from Ibufrofin.

I’ve got tennis/golf elbow. Never played either of those. So no bing and muscling casts out there isn’t a thing if I wana fish more than an hour. Ya just need nice smooth casts on properly rated equipment. I catch more fish close to shore than I ever do bombed out there lol 

I had tennis elbow from casting too hard.  For nearly 3 years I wore one of these things below every time I went fishing, plus took some time off fishing, to finally heal it.

 

Like others have said, ease up on the spool tension and educate your thumb more.  He could likely outcast you if he did.

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sleeve-Tendonitis-Counterforce-Support-Forearm/dp/B01H2123YU/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=ENGNWJ7ZTAXE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tabK7z4-Nwq5kqRcP11McXCfXrmNW6dxasAkDGpJNzPCQbobKjmC1J13HSfQ32EyYr6Z4HgxrcmOjIHE1a9d1GmuJqVP3m8BkhGqTbqKg_x5G-BSkQidbgcgGv2fvOtkxIkfXykixG-6PJp1V-GocLcivSsSHRaZRIm0vtwradJlAojdR791TPgC8-lbrq19d_eRdyMAr0Iz6jkzyNMoxtpqJSZVKLn-e3EOmXFj2XrngMaPoDiTx3W7RYH6U9a_3hp7cXnzIIw48BcEz27bAVsWnYUhlrZw32uoNq1GHnk.3dqjCsEp3AXTDdTBZ_a9Oih_MhT5xPUBvYP1KjsMNA0&dib_tag=se&keywords=tennis%2Belbow%2Bbrace%2Bfor%2Bmen&qid=1750561256&sprefix=tennis%2Belbow%2Bbrace%2Bfor%2Bmen%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

 

7 minutes ago, Glenn said:

I had tennis elbow from casting too hard.  For nearly 3 years I wore one of these things below every time I went fishing, plus took some time off fishing, to finally heal it.

 

Like others have said, ease up on the spool tension and educate your thumb more.  He could likely outcast you if he did.

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sleeve-Tendonitis-Counterforce-Support-Forearm/dp/B01H2123YU/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=ENGNWJ7ZTAXE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tabK7z4-Nwq5kqRcP11McXCfXrmNW6dxasAkDGpJNzPCQbobKjmC1J13HSfQ32EyYr6Z4HgxrcmOjIHE1a9d1GmuJqVP3m8BkhGqTbqKg_x5G-BSkQidbgcgGv2fvOtkxIkfXykixG-6PJp1V-GocLcivSsSHRaZRIm0vtwradJlAojdR791TPgC8-lbrq19d_eRdyMAr0Iz6jkzyNMoxtpqJSZVKLn-e3EOmXFj2XrngMaPoDiTx3W7RYH6U9a_3hp7cXnzIIw48BcEz27bAVsWnYUhlrZw32uoNq1GHnk.3dqjCsEp3AXTDdTBZ_a9Oih_MhT5xPUBvYP1KjsMNA0&dib_tag=se&keywords=tennis%2Belbow%2Bbrace%2Bfor%2Bmen&qid=1750561256&sprefix=tennis%2Belbow%2Bbrace%2Bfor%2Bmen%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

 

Thanks for the link Glenn. I have a brace. But it’s not that nice and small I like that! I’m gonnna have to order one. I’m hoping mine heals up over winter 

20 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

I’ve got tennis/golf elbow.

 

I highly recommend having that repaired. I had mine fixed over thirty years ago and it's still good today. I was a carpenter and used to carry heavy things like sheets of drywall and solid core doors around with my elbows locked out. I nursed them along for a couple years with straps, ibuprofen, and eight cortisone shots. Casting (especially with the wrist wrecker pistol grips we thought were cool) was pretty painful. I never thought I'd be able to cats like I do today back then, but I don't even give it a thought anymore.

12 hours ago, Joedodge said:

Thanks for the link Glenn. I have a brace. But it’s not that nice and small I like that! I’m gonnna have to order one. I’m hoping mine heals up over winter 

 

The only braces I found effective did not stretch, and had metal d-rings to cinch them down. The ones that stretch provided no pain relief at all, and the ones that had plastic d-rings simply broke when I did anything that flexed that muscle on the inside of my arm just below the elbow. That muscle had been . . . . overdeveloped from years of manual labor. My days of work related manual labor are long gone, but I still have a bit of that muscle left over, LOL. 

35 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

 

I highly recommend having that repaired. I had mine fixed over thirty years ago and it's still good today. I was a carpenter and used to carry heavy things like sheets of drywall and solid core doors around with my elbows locked out. I nursed them along for a couple years with straps, ibuprofen, and eight cortisone shots. Casting (especially with the wrist wrecker pistol grips we thought were cool) was pretty painful. I never thought I'd be able to cats like I do today back then, but I don't even give it a thought anymore.

 

The only braces I found effective did not stretch, and had metal d-rings to cinch them down. The ones that stretch provided no pain relief at all, and the ones that had plastic d-rings simply broke when I did anything that flexed that muscle on the inside of my arm just below the elbow. That muscle had been . . . . overdeveloped from years of manual labor. My days of work related manual labor are long gone, but I still have a bit of that muscle left over, LOL. 

Oh wow! Thank you for the advice! I had a flare of it like 6 years ago. And now again this year for the last 3-4 months. Doctor told me they hate to do shots for that issue anymore. I guess they found it can cause issues? He suggested the strap and  ibuprofen. I’m a diesel mechanic/welder. So it’s in about a constant 5-6 pain lol. He said I could come back and we could try a steroid pack. I think I may have to try that honestly. 

1 minute ago, Joedodge said:

Oh wow! Thank you for the advice! I had a flare of it like 6 years ago. And now again this year for the last 3-4 months. Doctor told me they hate to do shots for that issue anymore. I guess they found it can cause issues? He suggested the strap and  ibuprofen. I’m a diesel mechanic/welder. So it’s in about a constant 5-6 pain lol. He said I could come back and we could try a steroid pack. I think I may have to try that honestly. 

 

We knew then that cortisone shots were not a great solution and that it's not great to get them at all if you can help it, but they did relieve pain for a couple months per shot.

 

I still wore the straps for a few years after the surgery as a preventative measure, but gradually learned to work smarter and not overdo it. The recovery time for the tendonitis surgery was three months. I had carpal tunnel surgery at the same time, so that got to heal far beyond the normal three week recovery time.

 

I used to call my elbow straps my "American Express cards" because I never left home without them.

6 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

 

We knew then that cortisone shots were not a great solution and that it's not great to get them at all if you can help it, but they did relieve pain for a couple months per shot.

 

I still wore the straps for a few years after the surgery as a preventative measure, but gradually learned to work smarter and not overdo it. The recovery time for the tendonitis surgery was three months. I had carpal tunnel surgery at the same time, so that got to heal far beyond the normal three week recovery time.

 

I used to call my elbow straps my "American Express cards" because I never left home without them.

That had to have been tough! Both surgeries at the same time. But I get knocking it out in one shot. I’ve had the shots in my foot before and I really

dont enjoy them haha. And that’s funny I’m gonna start saying that about the straps 

As a field mechanic in my working days my service truck broke down which was an automatic, I had to then use our big old backup truck which had a manuel transmission.

My elbow was in so much pain that any wrenching or opening of a door knob with my right hand was excruciating painful, so now i have to shift the tranny with my painfull arm and that was the final straw that 2 weeks later i had surgery on my inner elbow in 2008 and in 2016 i had surgery on my outer elbow same arm.

Both surgeries were successful to this day. Do your therapy for longer than needed on your own and you should be fine.

Its an operation where they reattach whats left of the healtty part of the tendon or remove the tendon from the bone, get rid of the bad tissue, scuff up the attachment area and attach the tendon back on and let it heal and then therapy.

32 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

As a field mechanic in my working days my service truck broke down which was an automatic, I had to then use our big old backup truck which had a manuel transmission.

My elbow was in so much pain that any wrenching or opening of a door knob with my right hand was excruciating painful, so now i have to shift the tranny with my painfull arm and that was the final straw that 2 weeks later i had surgery on my inner elbow in 2008 and in 2016 i had surgery on my outer elbow same arm.

Both surgeries were successful to this day. Do your therapy for longer than needed on your own and you should be fine.

Its an operation where they reattach whats left of the healtty part of the tendon or remove the tendon from the bone, get rid of the bad tissue, scuff up the attachment area and attach the tendon back on and let it heal and then therapy.

Oh god that sounds horrible. Man I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m 37 but 20 years in this field has been dang hard on my body lol. Wild to think I have so many more to go. I’d love to avoid surgery. I need to look up the stretches and exercises 

22 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

Oh god that sounds horrible. Man I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m 37 but 20 years in this field has been dang hard on my body lol. Wild to think I have so many more to go. I’d love to avoid surgery. I need to look up the stretches and exercises 

I never had luck with pre therapy, the strap and a tens unit they had me use at home. Cortisone didnt work after a couple shots. I wasnt out of work long, i was back in 3 weeks and took it easy and used my left hand for all the hard work. I used my right hand which you need to keep moving to get blood flow for healing but was super carefull with it and in time you will know when you are ready for more strenuous use.

7 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

I never had luck with pre therapy, the strap and a tens unit they had me use at home. Cortisone didnt work after a couple shots. I wasnt out of work long, i was back in 3 weeks and took it easy and used my left hand for all the hard work. I used my right hand which you need to keep moving to get blood flow for healing but was super carefull with it and in time you will know when you are ready for more strenuous use.

That’s good to hear. I may have to go back to the doctor then. And see what they say 

4 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

That’s good to hear. I may have to go back to the doctor then. And see what they say 

I made a appointment after screwing around with therapy for 1 1/2 weeks and seen the surgeon whom sent me to therapy and told him at this rate i will end up loosing my job as this injury will not heal ever on its own.

I needed to get back to work so i can pay my rent and eat, my company is super busy and i will end up gettin replaced and i dont want to be put on workers comp either as that will for sure get me replaced. He understood and in less than a week i had the surgery.

Dang gotta love that. And I totally

understand everything you just said lol.