Casting instructors in CT area?

[David Taylor]

Hi All
I am finally frustrated to the extent where I am prepared to pay for casting lessons. I learned the hard way while learning to fly cast that an instructor will save you lots of frustration. I have spent many hours trying to work out why I cannot cast further than 80m with a 14ft 6 - 8oz exage and a torium30 with the spool as loose as it can go with out it being able to move side to side. I can cast a 10ft 50 - 100g Shimano vengeance with a tin spoon exactly the same distance as my surf setup. I can feel I am not loading the rod properly but cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I need someone to watch what I am doing and tell me what I am not doing correctly. Does anyone know of a casting instructor in CT, Somerset West, Hermanus or anywhere around there? And can anyone give me a rate per hour?
Thanks :)

[pieta]

First of all are you using an 8oz sinker? And the second thing is I like to loosen the spool just enough to detect side to side play on the spool. Third thing, how long are your drop from rod tip to sinker? One last thing how far do you put your hand apart. One hand on the reel and how far up is the other hand?

[David Taylor]

I have played around with sinkers from 5 - 9oz. My spool today had a very small amount of side to side movement which I only noticed once I had finished casting. Line length I have varied from literally 1,5ft to 14ft. My best casts are with a very short length of line out which means something must be wrong because most decent casters have at least 1,5m. I am stumped.

[pieta]

For most guys the drop should be around your lenght or half of the rod. Does the sinker waight change the distance you achieve? Are you casting your sinker out of a static position or do you swing it to the back or side or something? Do you cast with a nice high bow or is the cast flat and straight? Sorry for all the questions,  trying to work out where you can change and adapt a bit.

[whalerider]

David, i suggest you make a video of your cast , upload it for us to have a look at 

[isivuba]

pieta you are on the money bud. In short it's about feeling, you take what the other guys say and put it to practice. I would go out there and through the living *&^% out of the set up and make my own mind up on my limitation's on how to cast.

[pieta]

It is difficult to help someone if you can't watch them in person. I have had many guys asking for help and 80% of the time it was something small to adapt. The other 20% was guys using the wrong setup and the best of all. You prove to them that the achieve beter distances with softer or shorter rods and they still stick to the longer stiffer rods. The moment one gets beter distances with evier waight the problem lies in the loading. It can also be a reel set to tight but most of the time it's not loading the rod till full potential. Having a video will help but to get it sorted out we will need more than one. The other thing, if you are out casting, see if you can break your rod by casting it as hard as you can. I have also seen guys complaining about distance and when they start casting the put in less effort as when spanking the kids. Rods are alot stronger as one think. Just don't drop them or pull them to hard but give it your all on every cast. I can also add that timing makes a huge diffrence.  A rod tip rushing thru the air like when it does not have a lead on is one of the indicators that the timing is out.

[No-Pro]

I have an Exage with a Speedmaster on and get quite a good distance on it. Have been asked by one of the guys how i get that distance because he also struggle with the Exage.
Unfortunately the Exage is quite a stiff rod and a bit difficult to load. I cast a bit unconventional, none of the half a rod or your length back drop. I hate a long back drop, mine about 70-80cm. I use the heavy tip with a 6oz sinker.


I am due back in country by mid Oct, might be slightly earlier, depending our operation. When i am back in town, we can go and have a look if you want.

[No-Pro]

I assumed from your question that you are around CPT, see you are in Greyton, which is a bit of a drive. See if there are guys from Hermanus around, that you can hook up with.

[David Taylor]

I have taken some videos but I have no idea how to post them. Please help :)

[Lofty]

I have taken some videos but I have no idea how to post them. Please help :)

try here... http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?board=51.0

[John F]

I have taken some videos but I have no idea how to post them. Please help :)

More specifically http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=5638.0

Obviously you need to upload your vid to youtube first 

[David Taylor]

MVI 0167

MVI 0168

[REEFMAN]

Nice videos David.
If I can give you some humble advice....
If straight ahead of you, (where you're casting), is 12 o'clock, at the moment, you're casting from 5'oclock on your backswing (this is a short arc). Move the backswing to 6 and then to 7 and then to 8 (behind you), slowly increasing the length of the arc of your swing,.. the longer the arc, the more speed the tip of the rod will generate. So if you increase your arc by 25%, your distance should increase by the same.
 
 Something else you can change... at the moment you're casting directly overhead (rod is 90deg to the ground)... try bring the rod slightly to the side on the follow through, more like a 60 deg angle. Again, this lengthens the arc of the tip of the rod and should get you better distance.
 
Otherwise, you've got a pretty cool action.

[Marthin]

im no pro caster but ive been fishing shimanos for a few years.

1. i hate the torium 30 compared to my speedmasters and take it out very seldom.

2. I come over my shoulder like you do, not in an arc coz then i cast skew and people tend to get upset.

3. Look at your video, you bring the rod over great but from past vertical you slow down. Pull the bottom arm down quicker and push with the top one, in other words follow through. it will give you the extra 30m you are looking for.

4. i have about a 1.5m drop, swing it a little bit to the back by pushing your bodyweight a little backwards then lean into the cast with your bodyweight when the sinker is about 30 to 45 degrees to the rod, push forward and follow through.  This is how i've taught myself.  Its not a pendulum or off the ground, it loads the rods i have ok enough and gets the bait where i need it to be most of the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm1c9hEmYlE a youtube video of one of the best casters i know. watch his bodyweight transfer, speed and followthrough.

[David Taylor]

Thanks for the advice. The weather isnt great today so I will go try again as soon as the weather is nice

[REEFMAN]

David, Marthin is right, Henning Venter is one of the best Surfcaster's in the business, if not the best.
Let's compare you and him....
In the pic below, you're starting out from the 5 o'clock position, making for a very short arc. Whereas Henning is starting out from 8 o'clock (sinker ringed in red.)
 
You need to practice starting out firstly at 6 o'clock, then gradually move it round further as you become more proficient in your direction (takes a LOT of Practice and timing).
 

[REEFMAN]

Then let's look at the arc of the swing....
 
Look how much flatter Henning swings... rather than straight overhead.
Also have a look at his left elbow through the cast, it's still quite high, whereas yours has already collapsed to the side. By keeping the elbow high, it allows you to pull back with the left hand on the follow through...

[David Taylor]

Wow thanks I think that will help a lot. Thanks for going to so much effort to help. I really appreciate it.

[REEFMAN]

You're welcome bru.