South East Fishing Meets

Forgot about that. And yes, ask me how I know.

Start out ground casting. Get your technique down. Weight on the beach, a couple feet off the end of the rod, and behind you 90 degrees from the tip of the rod. Arms out, hold the rod like you're going to throw it like a javelin.

Eyes up, not on the water. Sounds stupid, but it helps. Start slow to load the rod, then accelerate through the cast.

If you're right handed like me, as you come around pull down and in with your left hand, and punch out with your right.

Personally, I thumb the side of the spool and the line. It's easier on my thumb and I find it easier to hold it still through the cast with heavy weight.

The Squall has mag braking if I remember right. Could be wrong, but it replaced the Penn 525 Mag. Which is also a "love it or hate it" reel.

Yes. I use 17# mono main line and a 50-60# mono shock leader. Albright knot or double uni to connect the two. I like the albright, but it's one if those ask 100 people, you'll get 100 different opinions.

I also hardly thumb the reel until the end of the cast. I keep it ready in case something goes bad, but I've got my reel tuned in pretty well. Start tight and work your way loose. I'd rather reel in and loosen up for a re-cast than pick at a nest for an hour.

Agreed. Did you get the level wind version? If not, when you feel the leader hit the top eye, start winding it the side you don't thumb. Again, it's a lesson you'll only have to learn the hard way once.

Technique plays a big roll in it. I've tried to work on my casting (still nowhere near perfect form) to make the rod work for me. Not the other way around. Not saying you guys don't have it down, but I watch some of my friends put all they have into every cast, then ask me how I make it look so gentle and get more distance. Make the rod do the work.

 

Agreed to practicing out in the yard not trying to launch it just yet but to just get the feel for what you are doing. I still do that with new techniques.

Joe and I getting worn out may be different than you are thinking. The big heavy rods get tiring after a while where I can go out and fish for reds, bass, whatever making hundreds of casts and not get worn out its the fulcrum point of the weight being far away from you and the weight of the rods is what we are getting at. Joe suffers from RA and I have many injuries to my hands and torn rotator cuffs as well as a chipped bone floating around my elbow so we are kind of fighting an uphill battle in winging those big rods and weight around. I can't even play more than 9 holes of golf anymore riding in a golf cart where previously I only walked and could play all 18. I know Joe probably suffers some of the same fate with RA.

 

Yeah, I've got a big pond in my neighborhood with a big field leading up to it. So I've got the perfect practice spot. I've got a friend who goes surf fishing with me every time he can. He's thinking about getting a casting reel. Going to take him there and let him decide if that's really what he wants to do.

Yeah... Didn't think about that. And don't get me wrong, after a couple days out there throwing the big rods, my arms get a little sore. It does take a toll on you even with good form.

 

Yup. Smooth arcs.

Hell, you're not far from me @TaKoToy if you want to meet up somewhere at a field and get some tips. I'm by no means a master caster, but I'd definitely be willing to get a little practice in and share what I do know.

 

Might want to take him there a bunch so that the first time when he screws up a bunch it doesn't completely turn him off.

 

He can't even use a baitcaster... So yeah. Gonna lock the reel down and start light weight. Get the fundamentals down then we can start working on actually casting for some distance.

I never even thought of that. That's brilliant. I always worry about that when casting in the neighborhood because there are houses around the pond .I try to aim towards the dam, but I've been working on pendulum casting and if it breaks off, it goes sideways. Literally.

 

We could also check Edisto River Adventures. Idk if anyone has posted (or I have). They do a lot of overnight things too! Slow river so no craziness!

 

Don't lock it down too tight or you can introduce bad habits that's what happened to me then a guy took me out and set me up and taught me to finess things because I was taught with a locked down reel I tried to superman it.

Damn I never thought of that Joe that's an awesome idea. For my smaller baitcasters I just toss my plugs with the hooks taken off.

 

Wiffle ball casting contest!!!! Drunk or sober it'd be hilarious!

 

You put the idea in my head talking about golf balls and tennis balls. Oh they make wiffle ball golf balls even better. But we need to all chip in and go buy one of those $200 cheapo yaks from wally world and stand and cast from that in the water! Then you video it and figure out some catchy clickbait title bam youtube famous.

 

True. I'm just going to go tight enough with it to minimize the chance of a blow up. And actually, I might give him one of my old bass rods with a baitcaster and practice plug on it to let him learn the concept of babysitting the spool. I think that's the hardest thing to teach yourself.

 

Oh I'm good. I've been using baitcasters for years, and this is my second year with my surf casting setup. I'm no pro, but I can get it out there. I'm talking about teaching my friend. He's tired of being stuck on the beach side of the sand bar with his spinning reel and being limited to what's hanging out in the trough.

 

Man I can wing a spinning reel as far as a bait caster not that hard just gotta get it right and have an appropriate reel sized for the eyes if it's wayyyy to big or small you loose a lot from the line not passing through the eyes cleanly.

 

I can't, but I know exactly what you're saying. I can sling either, but I definitely get more distance from a caster. Weight and bait, rod action, and stiffness play a big part in it too.

 

I do always laugh at him when he tries to sling 8 and bait on his moderate fast action 10' rod. I have no idea how he hasn't snapped it in half yet.

 

I like a very parabolic rod for surfishing there are some guys that like that fast tip not me though. Is it a composite blank?

 

Anyone know if the same beach permit covers you in hatteras and Ocracoke? Im debating on just getting a beach permit this year or doing the ferrry to cape lookout a few times. Cape lookout would be more of an adventure but I would get more use out of a beach permit.

 

Yeah, graphite composite. I'm thinking about grabbing another Squall 15 and a 12' Bass Pro Offshore Angler Ocean Master heavy rod for a second drum set up. I've heard it's a pretty good heaver for the money.

 

Yes it does. If you're going more than twice, just buy the annual. It'll save you money on the third trip. I've already been down once this year.