How To Cast Soft Plastics Far, They Are So Lightweight That They Never Go Far.. 2024
Coosa reply :
I'm guessing it has to do with the reel and line...
J Francho reply :
This is what spinning gear is for. 
deep reply :
I think the rod is as important.. Rod doesn't load up well => bait doesn't cast well.
new2BC4bass reply :
I guess that would depend on what plastics you are throwing. I did a little research for another poster, and found that a 5 inch Senko weights .4 oz. Add a hook and you have to be nearly at 1/2 oz. This is plenty heavy enough to throw on any baitcasting gear I have used so far.
I assume you are talking about baitcasting reels. As you probably know, light weights can be thrown with them, but the right rod and reel are both necessary. Reels for this type of fishing are more expensive than I can afford. Rod selection is limited. As already stated, the rod must load if you plan on making decent casts.
However, switching to spinning gear doesn't guarantee success. It isn't the reel...it is the line and rod that you much choose correctly. I picked up an Abu Villain ML rated for 1/8-3/8 oz. (Couldn't pass up the sweet deal.) I figured no problem throwing lighter lures because it was a spinning rod. The used reel I bought for it came with what looks like 10 lb. line. I will be trying either 4 lb mono or 15 lb braid on it to see if that will improve distance with lighter than 1/8 oz lures. If not, then I will be investing in another rod.
You need the right tool for the job. A rod designed for 3/8-1 oz lures ain't going to cut it no matter what reel you put on it.
Crestliner2008 reply :
What are you trying to cast? What rod/reel are you using - baitcasting or spinning? What line are you using now?
logan9209 reply :
Line (types and #test), rod length and tip action, and reel all play a part in how far you cast a light weight lure. Also how the lure is designed can affect your cast. The smokin roosters catch a lot of wind resistance and don't go as far without adding some weight. On a bait casting reel, your brakes and cast control affect your cast too. Wind can be a huge factor. Throwing into the wind, it won't go as far. Throwing in the direction of the wind it goes farther. A bird that mistakenly thinks your trick worm is his next meal can affect how far your cast goes. It has happened. 
Gavin reply :
Medium Spinning gear. 2000 or 2500 series reel, lighweight braid, and a leader.
logan9209 reply :
For my weightless soft plastics like lizards and worms, I generally use my ML 5'6" spinning spooled with 6# or 8# test line. Senko like worms have a weightiness too them so the go real far and my trick worms always go a good distance. With lizards I will add a 1/8 ounce weight just because the legs get caught by the wind and so the lizard doesn't go quite as far as I would like. But you can throw Senko like worms and Rage Hawg like creature baits pretty far with a bait casting reel without a weight because they do have that natural weight to them (usually 1/4 ounce to about a 1/2 ounce).
sean_steiner reply :
you can always add a small splitshot weight... it doesn't interfere with the action all that much.On 7/2/2012 at 9:30 PM, Coosa said:I'm guessing it has to do with the reel and line...
clayton86 reply :
spinning gear does make it much easier but expensive rod and reel not always necessarily when using a baitcaster I have a CHEAP quantum tennacy ap combo I got from dicks for 40 bucks I have 10lb Trilene XT on it and i can cast a weightless fluke or 7" power worm same distance I can cast a weighted plastic or any other bait on some of my other BC rods.
B@ssCrzy reply :
On 7/2/2012 at 11:26 PM, Gavin said:Medium Spinning gear. 2000 or 2500 series reel, lighweight braid, and a leader.
I agree with this. Would add to make it a 7" rod and 15lb braid. You will be able to cast light stuff easy with this.
LgMouthGambler reply :
Get yourself a Curado 50E, a good MED action rod, and some 12# YoZuri, PROBLEM SOLVED.
new2BC4bass reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 4:57 AM, LgMouthGambler said:Get yourself a Curado 50E, a good MED action rod, and some 12# YoZuri, PROBLEM SOLVED.
X2! Except that I went with 8 lb mono.
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 4:57 AM, LgMouthGambler said:Get yourself a Curado 50E, a good MED action rod, and some 12# YoZuri, PROBLEM SOLVED.
Well not really solved.
I have that set-up(50E Med rod) but with 15#PPS8S its nice but gets toasted by spinning out fit ML mod action rod and nanofil. Now add a head wind of say 15-20mph that I fish in quite often here in Northern IL the 50E gets fried by the spinning set-up.
unionman reply :
Add weight...
*Hootie reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 10:47 PM, unionman said:Add weight...
There ya go! I use a 3/16 oz. bullet sinker on nearly every soft plastic I throw. Works for me.
Hootie
LgMouthGambler reply :
X2On 7/4/2012 at 11:23 PM, hootiebenji said:There ya go! I use a 3/16 oz. bullet sinker on nearly every soft plastic I throw. Works for me.
Hootie
rockchalk06 reply :
On 7/2/2012 at 11:07 PM, logan9209 said:Line (types and #test), rod length and tip action, and reel all play a part in how far you cast a light weight lure. Also how the lure is designed can affect your cast. The smokin roosters catch a lot of wind resistance and don't go as far without adding some weight. On a bait casting reel, your brakes and cast control affect your cast too. Wind can be a huge factor. Throwing into the wind, it won't go as far. Throwing in the direction of the wind it goes farther. A bird that mistakenly thinks your trick worm is his next meal can affect how far your cast goes. It has happened.
I always thought stories like that were horse poo until I had a sparrow hawk nail a frog I was using. Barely hit the water and he was gone with it. Thank God it was weedless!
To the OP, I have been throwing wacky rigged senkos in 4" with my 7' MHF rod with ease. Lighter line and a good reel will make it work.
Sam reply :
1. Check rod's specs and make sure your line and bait weight are correct.
2. Use a 7-foot or longer rod.
3. Use a spinning rig.
4. Use 6 or 8 pound test or braid with 6 to 8 pound diamater.
5. Practice casting sidearm and overhead. See which one you can throw the farthest accurately.
6. If you are using a baitcaster, turn off all magnets and loosen the spool and drag. Be sure the drag is still tight enough to set the hook and fight the fish.
7. Use 10 or 12 pound test line or braid with those diamaters.
8. Cast overhead and keep thumb on spool to avoid backlashes.
9. Using a baitcaster, go oustide at your home with rod set up and cast it as far as you can. Then take two or three arm lengths of line off reel. Put Scotch tape or electrical tape over line on spool. Reel in line. The tape will stop the backlash from going deeper into the line on the spool.
10. Use maximum bait weight per the rod's specifications found on the blank.
Good luck.
Jigfishn10 reply :
All great replies IMHO. I would only add 2 things:
The more appendages in a bait the more air resistance is applied during a cast. You can out cast a T-rigged soft stickbait to a whacky rigged one.
As I learned from Uncle Homer, leave your bait hanging about 6 inches longer prior to casting than you normally do and you'll notice extra distance in your cast.
DIW reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 4:51 AM, clayton86 said:spinning gear does make it much easier but expensive rod and reel not always necessarily when using a baitcaster I have a CHEAP quantum tennacy ap combo I got from dicks for 40 bucks I have 10lb Trilene XT on it and i can cast a weightless fluke or 7" power worm same distance I can cast a weighted plastic or any other bait on some of my other BC rods.
Hi - I am a newbie to this forum so I am pust perusing some posts. Obviously I happened upon this thread.
I am wondering which Trilene you use. I've been consistently using spider wire EX Mono 12 lbs on my bait rig, but have often thought to try an alternative yet when push comes to shove I always buy the known entity. Kinda like I always order the veal parm sub at the sub shop even when other things sound good. I know what I am getting with the veal parm.
Stuck in m ways, I suppose. Nevertheless, I would be interested to learn specifically which line you use. It might be enough for me to finally try something different.
Regards, Keith
flyfisher reply :
I use my 6'8" M XF spinning rod with 6lb diameter braid and have no issues. I tried throwing them on a buddy's lightweight bait caster combo and it just didn't feel right to me but that may be because i am used to the spinning rod & reel for that type of work. With the braid strength and M powered rod, you will have no issues horsing out any bass as needed based on the cover.
DIW reply :
On 4/14/2014 at 10:45 AM, flyfisher said:I use my 6'8" M XF spinning rod with alb diameter braid and have no issues. I tried throwing them on a buddy's lightweight bait caster combo and it just didn't feel right to me but that may be because i am used to the spinning rod & reel for that type of work. With the braid strength and M powered rod, you will have no issues horsing out any bass as needed based on the cover.
Never gave the braided wire a try yet either. The pros vs cons are completely foreign to me on the braided wire. I am such a creature of habit.
michang5 reply :
Holy Zombie Thread!
My buddy and I throw a lot of TINY weightless plastics — Zoom tiny flukes (probably the smallest things) and finesse worms, as well as GYCB shad-shaped worms and 4" senkos. We use the same line, size of spinning reel, same length and advertised action of rod, and same hook size. Obvious variables are brand of reel and rod.
My friend can always get a few extra feet on me. I've studied his cast, and he snaps his wrist hard at the end of his cast. He does so very late in his motion as well. He has told me the negative of his casting motion is that he occasionally slams a lure into the water 10 feet in front of him. My side cast is more catapult-like with a softer snap of the wrist earlier. I've tried to adjust my cast, but it feels awkward. I've come to accept my shortcomings.
RAMBLER reply :
I use 30lb braid on a Mitchell 300 and a medium action rod. I can cast a trick worm, with no weight, a long way. Fishing shoreline, from a boat I have to be careful to keep the worm out of the brush. Some line butter helps, too.
I always cast a stick worm (senko?), super fluke, horny toad, all weightless with a baitcaster and 50 or 65lb braid. Again, some line butter helps. Just don't try for any distance records straight into the wind.
It all takes practice. There are people that look at me strangely while I'm casting in my yard.
DIW reply :
On 4/14/2014 at 11:29 PM, michang5 said:Holy Zombie Thread!
My buddy and I throw a lot of TINY weightless plastics — Zoom tiny flukes (probably the smallest things) and finesse worms, as well as GYCB shad-shaped worms and 4" senkos. We use the same line, size of spinning reel, same length and advertised action of rod, and same hook size. Obvious variables are brand of reel and rod.
My friend can always get a few extra feet on me. I've studied his cast, and he snaps his wrist hard at the end of his cast. He does so very late in his motion as well. He has told me the negative of his casting motion is that he occasionally slams a lure into the water 10 feet in front of him. My side cast is more catapult-like with a softer snap of the wrist earlier. I've tried to adjust my cast, but it feels awkward. I've come to accept my shortcomings.
Sorry about the thread from the dead. I was grave digging.
As for your friend's cast technique. I feel everytime I try to put a little something extra on a cast it probably bites me in the &$% half of the time in the form of just like what happens to yoru friend and the associated backlash which goes with it. I often try to think to myself, just let it flow. the risk:reward of the extra muscling just isnt worth a the handful of textra feet. Better to just drift or troll a littl closer.
Now, if I can just remember it in the heat of potential bass strikes!!! 
DIW reply :
On 4/15/2014 at 12:10 AM, RAMBLER said:. There are people that look at me strangely while I'm casting in my yard.
Yeah, I catch my wife peering out at me often too.
roadwarrior reply :
A longer rod is the simple answer. I generally fish weightless soft plastics on
spinning tackle, but in thick cover I might opt for baitcasting gear. My rig is a
BCR893/ Curado 50E/ #10 Kanzen with #6 Tatsu leader.
DIW reply :
I agree with the longer rod sentiments. I almost always use an even seven (7) footer with either open face or bait cast.
gripnrip reply :
I'm going to put a couple Ci4's to the test this year for throwing weightless soft plastics. I'd rather fish with a bait caster rather than spinning gear. I do use them I just prefer not to.
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