Rod quality and distance ?.....

[Captain Beardy]

Ello, folks,..

I've spent quite a few hours this past week getting my head 'round pendulum casting, and I'm happy to say, I think I've nailed it !

My question is ,.. Does using a top notch rod like a Zziplex or Conoflex make all the difference when it comes to getting serious distance from a cast ?

I've been using a relatively cheap Leeda 12/13' Piranha Power Plus Surf and also a Penn Affinity 13' 4" with an Abu 6500 CT and a 6oz weight.
I can hit 120 yrds now, ( measured-out with an accurate measuring wheel thingy ).

Just wondering if a move-up to a supa-dupa rod would improve things, though, I'm not looking to go much further , distance wise,. ( there wouldn't be enough line left on the spool to play a fish if I ever caught one otherwise ! ).

Your thoughts please, fine people of the forum,..

[Gremlin]

A common dilemma!

Yes, a quality, powerful blank will help you cast further; but only if your technique is up to it.

The old adage applies .... "If you can't bend it, you can't cast it!"

[geejayy]

ahoy cap'n. imho.
distance casting is 90% technique 10% matching your casting style to the right rod by which i mean that some of the top named tournament casting poles though quality tools can be a handicap if like myself you lack strength & the technique to fully bent/load/lock the rod when casting.

it might be worth contacting a casting instructor if you really want help with improveing your distance .

top tip- drop to a 5oz lead , most beach casting rods perform better with a lead of 4-5 oz instead of a 6-8 which for most rods is near the limmit of their casting range.

this will require less effort to accellerate the compression and should increase tip speed, casting(especially pendulum style) is all about timeing , start slowly & use your strength when youve turned to punch the lead out , keep yer arms straight n don't cut the corner ,dont forget to look up at 45 degrees.

[Captain Beardy]

Cheers, chaps,.

Funnily enough,. I started - out with three hi-viz golf balls on a cord initially as a weight just to get warmed-up
and get the action right,. then moved-up from a 5 oz lead to a 6,...

I've been watching a re-watching the various short vids on Youtube and also Neil Mackellow's site just to hammer
the technique into my head,.. and it's slowly sunk - in !

I'd definitely like to get a couple of coaching sessions with a pro at some point though ,..

All in all,. I'm happy with my progress, and at the end of the day, my target species for the time being
is bass, so I don't think a three hundred yard cast is that important,. LOL !

( Still, a Zziplex would be nice ! ).

[Gremlin]

For casting instructors ....

http://www.nfsa.org.uk/

Ed & Training>Coaches