Most days I spend at least 15 minutes or so flipping a jig into a small coffee can from 15-20 ft away. The way my house is built, i can do this anytime no matter what the weather.... Its gotten so bad I can put a 1/4oz jig in a dixie cup at 25 and 30ft, most days .....

But still I have days on the water I cant put a cast  within 5 feet(it seems anyway) of where I need to be at....It is really bad with a spinning rod.....Anybody else have this problem????  Adjusting my cast to lessen Arm/shoulder pain over the coarse of 8-10 hours on the water really hurts my accuracy.....That is all...

Discuss......

Casting pitching and flipping 35 ft over and over is trick casting. Real fishing every cast is different Dandillions make great tragets then you throw in left fade and right fade. Get the lawn furniture into the game.

Those 2 step stools make a good casting platform.

Just look and shoot look and shoot.

Garnet

Long distance casting is just like pitching a baseball.  Even the best have bad days, though we have the advantage of using our thumb and the rod to get us closer to the target.  Once you get the hang of it, pitching and flipping are easier for accuracy because of the short distances involved, but again there are days when you'll be a little off.    

I would imagine the problem is that when you practice at home, there is nothing in your way, you are flat footed and stable and weather probably doesn't play much of a role. Out on the boat you have the wind, the boat moving with the waves, and if you control the boat yourself, that takes effort and steals some concentration. At home all you do is concentrate and flip repetitive casts without interruption. That's usually not the case on the water. You also have the seat, trolling motor and possibly another fisherman to deal with. I would suggest trying to create as many hindrances that you recognize out on the water, at home and practice that way. Just my opinion.

As many days as I fish a year(150-200) counting tournaments and as long as I have been fishing, I dont think the boat/distractions of actually fishing is my problem :....

Yeah, that would be true if you fish that much. What about concentration level? Have you noticed a difference between your on days and off days? I notice that when I can't focus like I need to, accuracy is off. But when I am focused, it's a lot better.

Reminds me of golf...  I can hammer it on the driving range but when I get out on the course with tree lined fairways, water hazards and sand traps the game changes!  

Needemp had a great idea about adding distractions while you practice...  I can send my kids over and you can practice with them running wild!  

OK, what's the secret to pitching a 1/4 oz jig ~25 feet?

I was trying to do it this weekend and just couldn't get any distance whatsoever.  For flipping, do you significantly reduce spool tension more so than you would with normal casting?

Perhaps it was just a case of my rod not loading enough, but I was attempting to pitch a 1/4 oz T-rig using a Revo STX and Kistler MG 69APC.

choke?

Happens to the best of us.

I've seen it happen. The harder you try the worse you get. Get philosophical and don't concentrate, it tightens you up. The easiest way to make a Champ/Expert miss is to bet him a $100. he can't do it. Take a few "don't give a ***** (like it's the lawn & doesn't matter) casts" to loosen up and let the force be with you. CB

Chris, Spool tension is almost non-exsistent when you are flipping like that...Its all in the thumb...thats the biggest thing to practice in my opinion, is timing you place your thumb on the spool....its all by feel after you get past the backlashes every other cast...

choke?

Happens to the best of us.

Sounds like that is what happened!  ;D

HEY FLY I LIKE THE PITCHING, AS IN BASEBALL ANAOLGY. I AM A REAL NOVICE AT BAITCASTING BUT I HAVE BECOME KEENLY AWARE THAT IF I KEEP MY RELEASE POINT CONSISTANT MY CASTING IS A WHOLE LOT MORE PREDICTABLE. JUST LIKE PITCHING A BASEBALL THE RELEASE POINT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THROWING STRIKES. CHECK IT OUT AND PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR RELEASE POINT IT IS A BIG FACTOR FOR ME.

Phisher, I have this problem occasionally, except I'm right on with a spinning rod an awful on a baitcaster. I feel where you're coming from. Some days its real good, others I backlash it every time.

I like the fact that the spawn is in the beginning of the season for us because casting to get a bait to land in a bed uses ALL the factors of "accuracy"

wind

drift

fall of bait

size of target

surrounding obstacles

approach

and of course the cast.

You can put it exactly where you intended but if "where you intended" was not factored properly,...the cast is moot.

The spawn forces me to employ this type of casting so the rest of the season is easy.  By the end of the spawn you are totally tuned back in to your game. (for those of us northeners that have an off season)

i dont have much to add but i too have a hard time at times.  i practice pitching enough that i usually do ok in that regard but my skills with a full cast and especially with spinning gear are not at all where id like them to be.

nothing worse than wasted casts,

matt