Struggling to learn to run a casting rod 2025
fishwizzard reply :
Hi,
Maybe 90-95% of the time I fish with a spinning set up and am becoming proficient enough with it that I want to start working on my admittedly pitiful casting rig skills. My only casting set up is a Lew's BB1 Inshore spooled with 20lb PP on a 6'6" M/FAub Vendetta rod. I am having an issue finding a lure that casts well with it. It is rated 1/4-5/8, but I am having trouble with everything in and around that range. Yesterday I took it out and started with a 3/8 Chatterbait w/ trailer tied on. This should weight around 5/8 to 3/4 and should be right at the upper limit. However, while the tip does load, I can't get any distance or accuracy and really struggle to cast it one handed. Any line release other then a mortar shot ends up with the lure slamming down 15-20' out from the bank unless I use a silly amount of force. One the other end, a weightless 5" senko, which weighs around 3/8oz, seems like it will not load the tip at all and when I do get it cast out, I cannot feel the lure at all on the retrieve, so even doing a slow lift/drop retrieve is challenging. Moving up to a 4.8" Fat Impact with 1/8oz on nail weights in it seems to be somewhat of a sweet spot, but I still cannot cast it as far as I can on my M spinning rod and with none of the accuracy.
I clearly lack practice, but it feels like I am fighting the rod the entire time. Can anyone comment on this specific rod and suggest a weight that might be good to start with? I am worried that this rod just has a very stiff tip and maybe moving to a slightly softer rod will help me with casting.
buzzed bait reply :
for practice purposes, i'd invest in a 3/8oz or 1/2oz practice plug or use simply a 3/8oz or 1/2oz weight so that you exactly what it is and get proficient at that. that's right around the middle of the rod's suggested weights and the consistency of that same weight should help you dial it in. don't be afraid to do your practice in the yard, in the park, in the parking lot, etc. i know my neighbors all think i'm some kind of fool for doing it in the yard from time to time, but frankly i couldn't care less!
fishwizzard reply :
I tried using a plug in the yard, but found the casting reel to be super unforgiving when the lure hits the hard ground verses the water. Every error caused a backlash and that was a bit too "tough love" for me. The way I became even slightly proficient was to head to a local pier with a 3/8oz Kastmaster tied on so at least my mis-casts would hit water and give me a second to clamp my thumb down.
My issue is getting the tip to load. That was the thing that got spinning rig casting to "click" for me, once I learned to let the tip do the work I was able to quickly improve both distance and accuracy, with the added bonus of being able to make casts all day with no wrist fatigue.
Now, going back to the casting rig, I am having trouble getting the tip to load as well as I can on even my cheaper spinning rods.
new2BC4bass reply :
Abu rods normally run a bit heavier than listed. However, your weights should be well within the rod's capability. I take it you are using an overhead cast since you said the lure is slamming down 15-20 feet in front of you. First I like to cast with two hands when possible. Second I like a sidearm roll cast. It helps to smooth out the cast and to keep the rod tip loaded. 20# braid is not what I would be learning on. If I were going to use braid, I would use 40# to start off. 20# braid can dig in causing problems....not the least of which is snapping a lure off if the line suddenly stops. There is a reason why people don't like to use braid with big and expensive lures. I've snapped a 1/2 oz. jig off using 30# braid when the line wrapped around the tip.
Have you gone through the stickies on "How to cast a baitcaster"? Lots of good information. Also do a search as there are quite a few "How to Cast" threads.
wnspain reply :
A lot of people have trouble with casting gear. I taught my son to cast sidearm and to control direction with that motion. IMO, it's the best for learning. Most people try directly over the top which tends to result in a poor cast if not proficient. Also, try a medium casting rod, should load easier.
Fishin' Fool reply :
On 5/9/2016 at 10:48 PM, new2BC4bass said:Abu rods normally run a bit heavier than listed. However, your weights should be well within the rod's capability. I take it you are using an overhead cast since you said the lure is slamming down 15-20 feet in front of you. First I like to cast with two hands when possible. Second I like a sidearm roll cast. It helps to smooth out the cast and to keep the rod tip loaded. 20# braid is not what I would be learning on. If I were going to use braid, I would use 40# to start off. 20# braid can dig in causing problems....not the least of which is snapping a lure off if the line suddenly stops. There is a reason why people don't like to use braid with big and expensive lures. I've snapped a 1/2 oz. jig off using 30# braid when the line wrapped around the tip.
Have you gone through the stickies on "How to cast a baitcaster"? Lots of good information. Also do a search as there are quite a few "How to Cast" threads.
I was wondering about the braid comment too. Wouldn't it be easier to learn on maybe 15 pound mono?
fishwizzard reply :
Sidearm is about the only way I can cast it at all, but my accuracy is somewhere between the broad and narrow side of a barn.
I have read most of the sticked threads and watched a ton of videos, the issue seem that I cannot get my tip to load and flex unless I am using a heavy for rating lure and then I don't feel like the rod has enough power to make the cast without a ton of force on my part.
Am I right in thinking that this rod should be able to cast a weightless 5" senko without issue?
The issue about line is interesting. I have a reel I could swap my 20lb braid on to and some 8lb YZ Hybrid on hand to switch too or any number of local stores that will load me up with heavy weight Power Pro.
.ghoti. reply :
Go with the YZ you have on hand. 6lb YZ is actually about 12lb strength so 8 would be around 14 or 15 pounds breaking strength. More than enough for bass fishing, and a lot easier to learn on, not to mention a lot cheaper when you backlash bad enough to require a knife.
Yudo1 reply :
I have no experience with the vendetta but have heard they are stiff but a rod of that rating should cast a senko without issue. It sounds like you need to try a different rod and practice alot. Are you setting up the reel properly?
fishwizzard reply :
I believe I have the reel set up correctly and in any case I have fussed with all the breaks and tensioners from running them all the way open (backlash city) to running them all locked down (goodbye $6 lure now sailing into the distance when the knot popped).
In a lot of the fishing videos I watch it really seems like guys are getting far more tip play then I am currently getting. Can anyone recommend a M or MH rod under $100 that is known for a softer tip? I do a bit of salt water trolling from my kayak and can use the current rod for that so I don't mind spending a little money before I retreat back to ML rods and finesse plastics.
new2BC4bass reply :
On 5/9/2016 at 11:08 PM, Bunnielab said:Sidearm is about the only way I can cast it at all, but my accuracy is somewhere between the broad and narrow side of a barn.
I have read most of the sticked threads and watched a ton of videos, the issue seem that I cannot get my tip to load and flex unless I am using a heavy for rating lure and then I don't feel like the rod has enough power to make the cast without a ton of force on my part.
Am I right in thinking that this rod should be able to cast a weightless 5" senko without issue?
The issue about line is interesting. I have a reel I could swap my 20lb braid on to and some 8lb YZ Hybrid on hand to switch too or any number of local stores that will load me up with heavy weight Power Pro.
When I moved from spinning reels to baitcast reels, I would have had to be inside the barn to hit the wall. 
Yes that rod should cast a weightless 5" Senko. My only experience with Abu rods is a ML spinning rod and a MH casting rod. Although I like the spinning rod, I wouldn't use lures on its low end rating. The casting rod is rated 3/8 to 1-1/4 oz. and barely casts a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait a decent fishing distance.
Josh Smith reply :
Dad used to practice by casting to the neighbor's small dog.
I used to practice by casting to my German Shepherd.
Broke the monotony!
Josh
DogBone_384 reply :
Did you follow Lews' setup instructions, or threads in this forum?
When I learned baitcasters I found that smooth arcing casts rather than 'launch' casts worked best with the cast control set pretty tight and backed them off as I got more comfortable.
Baitcasters aren't hard to learn with practice. Keep at it, and best of luck.
Raul reply :
The truth man, you are not missing anything, there´s a bunch of class anglers in this forum ( Fish Chris & Snook to mention few ) that fish only with spinning gear. I do own a bunch of casting gear but since most of my fishing adventures take place from the bank the kind of gear I prefer is spinning, it does everything casting does and a few things more I can´t do with casting because I can´t or don´t have enough room to swing the rod.
buzzed bait reply :
On 5/10/2016 at 12:27 AM, Raul said:The truth man, you are not missing anything, there´s a bunch of class anglers in this forum ( Fish Chris & Snook to mention few ) that fish only with spinning gear. I do own a bunch of casting gear but since most of my fishing adventures take place from the bank the kind of gear I prefer is spinning, it does everything casting does and a few things more I can´t do with casting because I can´t or don´t have enough room to swing the rod.
Oye! What was it you called me the other day...... oh yeah, CHICKEN!! 
Raul reply :
On 5/10/2016 at 12:52 AM, buzzed bait said:Oye! What was it you called me the other day...... oh yeah, CHICKEN!!
True, I did call you chicken ..... wanna know something -----> me too ! 
fishwizzard reply :
I am pretty happy with spinning gear, but want to learn how to use casting gear just to do it. When I can make a good cast, I enjoy it, it is just taking so much longer then becoming proficient with spinning tackle did, and not have confidence in my equitment is making it harder to know if something is actually amiss or I just need to suck it up and practice more. It's just that even making false casts to check clearance don't feel as.....I don't know, smooth, natural, as my spinning rigs do. Every lure I have tried either feels too light to load the tip or too heavy for the rod to cast well.
It looks like my first step it to either switch my line out with 8lb Hybrid.....or 50lb braid.
Glenn reply :
blckshirt98 reply :
Try using a glass casting rod with your crankbaits/chatterbaits. The rod tips are super soft and you should have no problems loading the rod properly.
JRammit reply :
I had to start over on baitcasters... Had one stolen 10 years ago, just got a new one 6 months ago...... And its not like riding a bicycle!
Overhead casts are smoother for me... More range of motion and less "snappy"
I have 2 hands, so why not use em, its not a style contest (i wouldn't win anyway)
I read turning the reel sideways (on its axis) slows the spool down (reducing backlash), dont know if that's true, but a confidence booster none the less (try it)
Increasing distance is not step one... Just get the bait in the water... Over and over and over and over (and over)... Practice makes... You know the rest
Cast in the yard, pitch in the house... I can now put a T-rig in my wifes purse from the fridge in the kitchen
Guess what it boiled down to for me was... Use the reel!... Find a "comfort cast", go out and fish!
fishwizzard reply :
Went out to a pier after work to practice casting. Ended up slamming a brand new YZ crankbait into the toe rail hard enough to break the bill and deform one of the hooks. Other then that fine bit of casting, I again tried a weightless senko and a 3/8oz chatterbait, same results. I can maybe get the Chatterbait 20' out using just my wrist and the senko a bit further. I was aiming at a dock across from me, trying to land the lures directly between the ~10' spaced pilings. I could ussualy do it, but I had no control where within that 10' the lure landed. I went from keeping all the breaks wide open, which would cause a backlash when the lure began to drop, to locking them all down, which forced me to use both hands to even get it to the dock 20' away.
I also had a cheap M/F spinning rod with me, with it I can toss either bait about twice as far and could hit right next to a pilling almost every time, even though the chatterbait is too heavy for the rod.
Admittedly I have not touched my casting rod since last fall, but I don't remember being this bad with it. I have been fishing a ton since then, so I am assuredly just a lot better with my spinning rods, but I must have spent two hours throwing a 4.8" FI at those pilings and I can say I didn't make a singe cast that felt "right". I wish I knew anyone else who fished so I could stick the rod in their hands to just make sure it is me.
Yudo1 reply :
That just doesn't sound right. I wonder if there is something wrong with your reel. Have you tried something heavier than 3/8? Struggling to cast 20' is odd.
new2BC4bass reply :
Do you know anyone else that uses a baitcaster? I'm assuming not. I know you aren't the only guy from Maryland on this site. Keep an eye open and maybe you can find another member that lives near you. We are all willing to help whenever we can. I've had two guys get in touch with me....one local and one with daughters in the area he visits. Letting someone who is proficient with a baitcast reel try yours would eliminate whether or not something is wrong with your reel. Might even have you casting like a pro...well....better anyway. 
Takes time to get good with one.
fishwizzard reply :
On 5/10/2016 at 8:42 AM, Yudo1 said:That just doesn't sound right. I wonder if there is something wrong with your reel. Have you tried something heavier than 3/8? Struggling to cast 20' is odd.
Yes, I have tried with a 3/8oz chatterbait with a trailer that should put the total weight close to 3/4oz. The only way I can get distance is to emulate a civil war mortar and cast about as high as I need to go far, if that makes any sense.
On 5/10/2016 at 8:54 AM, new2BC4bass said:Do you know anyone else that uses a baitcaster? I'm assuming not. I know you aren't the only guy from Maryland on this site. Keep an eye open and maybe you can find another member that lives near you. We are all willing to help whenever we can. I've had two guys get in touch with me....one local and one with daughters in the area he visits. Letting someone who is proficient with a baitcast reel try yours would eliminate whether or not something is wrong with your reel. Might even have you casting like a pro...well....better anyway.
Takes time to get good with one.
I am going to post a call for help in the MD thread, I have a healthy supply of good beer to offer up. I suspect is just me needing practice, but seeing someone else make some good casts with my rig would confirm that.
What is driving me crazy is that I remember being better with this rod last summer. But I have put enough time in over the last few days that it would be coming back.
JRammit reply :
Speaking on accuracy... One thing i noticed (realized) on a BC, especially on a side arm cast... There is a small bit of centrifugal force applied by the reel
With a spinning reel, there is little to no resistance on the line coming off the spool... On a BC, the line must pull the spool in order to gain distance.. If the spool pulls back, even a tiny bit, it changes the flight path of the lure into an arch....... For a crude analogy, think of a teather ball.. The ball wants to go strait, but the rope and pole pull it into an arch
Same relationship between the spool and lure, on a much smaller scale.... To me it feels like the higher the brake setting, the greater the arch
How does this help??... Not sure, just an observation..... For me, i started thinking more about my let off and brake setting...... In the end, its all feel
edfitzvb reply :
It sounds to me (and I am not there) like your reel either needs tweaking or it needs cleaning and oiling. With lures that fall in the right range (3/8 oz. or so and up) I can throw a lure as far with a casting reel as I can with a spinning reel. (At least close enough that any difference is negligible.) I prefer to use a medium action rod when I can because it loads so much more easily. The action and length of the rod makes a big difference, too. For BIG distance, a longer rod. For accuracy, I like a 6 to 6-6 length. Maybe I didnn't need to add my experience with rods, but you said that you were having issues with the rod, too. Neither the rod nor the reel operate in a vacuum. Good luck
fishwizzard reply :
I am going to remove the braid from my reel to use on my fluke rig and spool up maybe 100y of 8lb YZ and see how that casts. At the same time I will break the reel down for a good clean and relube. Assuming I get it back together, I will start over and see how it casts.
Otherwise, someone is going to get a good deal on a box-o-casting reel in the next few weeks. 
Fisher-O-men reply :
On 5/9/2016 at 10:01 PM, Bunnielab said:Hi,
Maybe 90-95% of the time I fish with a spinning set up and am becoming proficient enough with it that I want to start working on my admittedly pitiful casting rig skills. My only casting set up is a Lew's BB1 Inshore spooled with 20lb PP on a 6'6" M/FAub Vendetta rod. I am having an issue finding a lure that casts well with it. It is rated 1/4-5/8, but I am having trouble with everything in and around that range. Yesterday I took it out and started with a 3/8 Chatterbait w/ trailer tied on. This should weight around 5/8 to 3/4 and should be right at the upper limit. However, while the tip does load, I can't get any distance or accuracy and really struggle to cast it one handed. Any line release other then a mortar shot ends up with the lure slamming down 15-20' out from the bank unless I use a silly amount of force. One the other end, a weightless 5" senko, which weighs around 3/8oz, seems like it will not load the tip at all and when I do get it cast out, I cannot feel the lure at all on the retrieve, so even doing a slow lift/drop retrieve is challenging. Moving up to a 4.8" Fat Impact with 1/8oz on nail weights in it seems to be somewhat of a sweet spot, but I still cannot cast it as far as I can on my M spinning rod and with none of the accuracy.
I clearly lack practice, but it feels like I am fighting the rod the entire time. Can anyone comment on this specific rod and suggest a weight that might be good to start with? I am worried that this rod just has a very stiff tip and maybe moving to a slightly softer rod will help me with casting.
The baits you have chosen to start with are heavy enough but they are bulky and therefore have wind resistance. Try something at least as heavy but smaller. Wind can be a killer for even an experienced BC guy. Also, you are right about not wanting to throw a BC in the yard. It is critical that you see or anticipate your bait hitting the water/surface. That can be difficult in the yard. Finally, what has already been said: practice, but practice right.
fishwizzard reply :
Yesterday I went back to the pier, this time with the reel spooled up with 8lb YZ Hybrid and some Kastmasters in 1/4 to 3/8oz. Worked on sidearm roll casting, Was able to get decent consistency with both lures but poor distance even with the 3/8oz one. I paced it out and with a one hand cast I was getting it ~30' and with two hands like ~40-50', but with much less accuracy. I worked on it for about an hour with little improvement. I found this video the other night:
And found it really helpful as he shows the casts from over the shoulder, which really made things clear. I also worked on some of the over the shoulder casts and was able to get a better feel for things. I think I finally understand that the way I cast my lighter spinning rigs just isn't going to work with a casting rig. So some small progress. I also might have just bought a Fenwick Smallmouth Elite mh/f 6'9" rod off of some discount site. It seemed to be well though of here and the price was good enough that if I don't like it for bass it can become my second kayak trolling rod.
As a separate note, that 8lb YZ is some strong stuff. As I was about to leave I was throwing the 3/8oz lure and it got snagged like 30' out from shore. It was really stuck and I didn't feel like taking a swim, so I wrapped a stick around the line, fully expecting it to snap, but it held and I, pulling pretty darn hard, managed to drag in what looked like a 4' ficus tree with the root ball totally snarled in old crabbing line. I did not at all expect the line to hold and have much more confidence in it now.
A-Jay reply :
Becoming a proficient caster is at least a two step process.
Reading & Posting & watching Video are all good things and a necessary part of the first step.
The second step is to get out on the water (or any appropriate space) and cast, and cast & cast some more.
There's no replacement for step two, no short cut and there is definitely no secret to it.
The "I've got it" moment happens differently for everyone and can be described a hundred different ways.
You'll get it when you get it. Just keep casting.
A-Jay
fishwizzard reply :
Yea, my issue was that I didn't want to be practicing the wrong thing, which was an issue when I was into shooting, I never received proper instruction and had to unlearn a bunch of stuff once I got more serious and knowledgeable about it. There is a lot of instructional stuff out there but very few videos that show the complete casting motion, most everything is a 3/4 body shot at best and never shows the rod tip.
My plan is to just keep the casting rig in my car and devote a third of each trip to working with it as well as stopping at the local pier whenever I get a few moments to practice there. At the very least I can give the old crabbing guys an amusing show.
Glenn reply :
Do me a favor. Remove about 50' of line from your reel, then re-rig it and try again.
Just a hunch. If it improves, I'll tell you why. 
jbrew73 reply :
is it possible that your braid is digging into itself?
YoTone reply :
i kinda twirl it around once to get momentum and do a sideways/underhand kind of cast and its been working for me. but then again this is my first season with one too.
i also feather the spool with my thumb when casting. that has prevented a lot of blacklashes i think.
fishwizzard reply :
On 5/13/2016 at 3:18 AM, Glenn said:Do me a favor. Remove about 50' of line from your reel, then re-rig it and try again.
Just a hunch. If it improves, I'll tell you why.
I think I know what you are getting at, but I will give it a shot. Here is what it looks like now:
I will pull 50' off this evening and try to give it a few casts.
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