I have just started using a my new spinning rod, it is a custom built rod on a batson blank. It is a med/medium heavy moderate fast, that is rated for a 1/4 - 5/8 oz lures. I am using a daiwa exceler with 20# Power Pro.

I was casting a Bandit 100 series crank, and noticed that it would go very far unless I really put a lot of power into my cast. That's fine, but it is hard to be accurate when I cast this way. If the lure was too light, loading it up wouldn't do much good would it? I am thinking about switching to 10# power pro to help it cast smoother. Any thoughts???

Use heavier baits. IMO, Moderate action is very hard to cast light baits with, especially with a MH

10# should cast a bit further than 20#. A snap cast ( freshwater style ) does not cast as far as a flowing smooth easy arc letting the rod tip do the work ( saltwater surf style). Having my roots in freshwater I tend to snap cast myself and I've received comments about it, they seem to be right. Only certain fishing venues and weather conditions that make me want extra distance on my casts, for the most part I don't think I need mega casting distance, 20 -30 yds seems to sufficient.

Well I am not sure what type of cast it is I use. Here is some background. All the spinning rods I have ever had have been UL, L, and ML. The ML still had a pretty "whippy" tip. It took very little effort to cast 1/4 oz lures. This M/MH (as the catalogue states it) while cast 1/4 oz lure the distance I want IF I put sufficient energy into it so that the tip loads up. The cast I have the most luck with is a two handed overhand cast. I haven't got the side arm down yet. Previously my side arm casts utilize a snap of the wrist (is that what you mean by snap cast?) and I can't get much power that way.

I am going to try the 10# Power Pro and examine my casting to make it more effecient.

Muscling a cast won't help. The weight of the bait should load the rod properly witha nice smooth back stroke and forward cast. Are you using a leader? Are your guides sufficient size to pass the knot? Have you talked with the rod builder yet? They should be your best source for insight into what your rod can do.

Muscling a cast won't help. The weight of the bait should load the rod properly witha nice smooth back stroke and forward cast. Are you using a leader? Are your guides sufficient size to pass the knot? Have you talked with the rod builder yet? They should be your best source for insight into what your rod can do.

Exactly, let the rod do the work...

No I was not using a leader. I did talk with him today. He thought that the bait had something to do with it. I was in the range listed on the rod, BUT at the very light end of it. Another factor is that the profile of the crankbait was probably getting hung up in the wind. It is new rod, and it will take a bit to figure out what the optimum setup will be.