How far can you cast?

[Ard]

People seem to be obsessed with new and more powerful fly rods. Please answer honestly and remember that a seventy foot cast is nothing to be ashamed of.

This is only a polling of casters and I recognize that most fish are caught closer than 90', at least mine are.

Hopefully you are counting those casts where you don't drop the back cast into the water or on the lawn.

 

[randyflycaster]

I think the ability to cast far is important. Even though most fish aren't caught that far out, if an angler is casting into the wind a seventy-foot cast becomes and fifty-foot cast. Also, an angler who uses good casting technique will not get as tired as fast as one who doesn't.

In the end, however, for me, long-distance casting is about overcoming obstacles and defects, and coming in-line with an ideal that can't be seen. For me that's the spiritual side of casting.

After four years of practicing and experimenting with long-distance fly casting techniques, I was able to cast over a hundred feet. (Even though I read everything I could about casting, in the end I had to find my own way.)

Randy
The Fly And Spin Casting Site

 

[jimw]

Most people say all fish are caught within 50 to 60 feet, that is because they can't cast any further. I have cast a full line before with ideal conditions but my average cast is around 85' or 75' into the wind. Saltwater flyfishing from the surf is a distance game. It is all technique, I am self taught with the help of books and dvd's. i have found the best dvd is saltwater flycasting 10 steps to distance and power by George Roberts, this dvd has given me the abilty to evaluate my cast, find my faults and correct them. Fishing big flies in the wind is a challenge, but is also very rewarding at times. My advice to anyone looking to increase thier casting distance would be to refine your technique and you will be able to make effortless cast of great distance.
jim

 

[shorthaul]

Everything said before me is true---I might add that trying to cast farther demands a better technique and common faults restrict distance and become evident at 50-75 feet. If you find a person that casts well at 75-100 ft, their short casting is very good also.

 

[PotomacBassBug]

Is it me or did you leave out the 50-70 foot range where, in my opinion, most serious, but non-fanatical, fly casters would fall?

 

[Rip Tide]

Some time back I attended a casting seminar with Bob Clouser
It was his opinion that it's important to be able to cast 80'
It was also his thought that anyone who said that they could cast further in a fishing situation was full of horse manure
(This guy's a gem)
He further stated that those who maintained that it wasn't important to be able to cast this distance only said so 'cuz they couldn't

Don't shoot me, I'm just telling you what he said :icon_redf

....There were only two of us out of about 20 in the seminar that could cast the 80' distance
No one cast further.

 

[FlyGal]

Being able to cast long distance is handy when needed.....:icon_smil

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to all,

I added in the 50' to 70' range but it is not in sequence. This is probably the range that most experience casters can reach.

I assume these are fishing distances and in that case these distances include a leader and rod. So if you have a 9' leader and a 9' fly rod a 90' cast is only 72' of fly line. A full line cast including the leader and rod is a 108' cast. A cast of the full line and some backing would be in the 119' range. There are just a few competition casters that can cast 120' with a 5wt rod and a WF fly line and leader.

So maybe we should know what equipment is being used. For instance, a Spey rod can make a 80' cast with ease.

Frank

 

[jclampwork88]

I mostly fish smaller rivers so I don't have to send out alot of line. On the lakes, I can go a fair distance.

John

 

[Guy]

Most guys overestimate their cast by 10 feet just like trout are always 2 inchers longer when we tell of them. To be honest I would be very surprised if more than 10% of fly anglers can reach out at will to an honest 80 feet plus with straightened leader at the end of the cast!!!

That said, learning to go the distance (80 feet plus) in ideal conditions is a good skill to have in that if you can cast that far, you shoudn't have problems with the shorter more typical fishing (30- 60 foot) casts in less than ideal conditions.

For a lot of flyfishing, accuracy is far more important than distance and accuracy suffers as distance increases. There may be anglers who can hit a 3foot ring at over 80 feet more often than not, but I would be skepitical of anyone making that kind of claim. However if the angler can reach out 80 plus feet consistently, he/ she should have the ability to nail a 3 foot ring at 40 - 60 feet fairly consistently.

Hitting 80 feet plus is a lot easier with the right tackle - a good stiff 9 and 10 wt rod is very capable of delivering that kind of distance in the hands of a good caster. It takes an exceptional caster to get this kind of distance with a 4 or 5 wt medium action trout rod. Tournament casters use specially designed 5 wt rods and lines,,, a 105 - 125 foot cast typically is the winning cast (indoors).

I believe FFF instructor certification requires a 70 foot cast.

Tight lines!

 

[jcl]

I assume these are fishing distances and in that case these distances include a ... rod

Hey, I get to add another eight and a half feet to what I thought I could cast! :icon_wink

I mostly fish small waters, so I've never had the incentive to learn to cast farther, but every now and then I realize my limitations. I'm probably at the point where I need either a class or an experienced caster to help me work out a few idiosyncracies. If I'd ever take a trip to big water, I'd probably take a casting class.

 

[pdq 5oh]

With my 6 wt rod I can get about 60 ft, including a 9 ft leader out straight. With my 8 wt a bit more. This is in my yard. On the water, it seems to be somewhat less.

 

[arfishinbear]

I made a 175' cast thismorning with a 7'6'' 2 wt, haha just kidding.
With the right rod and line I can push 100' but, 80 to 90 is most of the time what I do on longer cast.
One thing I have noticed is there is almost always a guy or two on the river that start with these cast(80-100'), thats fine its their fishing time but they "line" many closer fish that they may have been able to hook up first.
Bear

 

[Joni]

Practice casting I can cast 80' to backing. I think LONG CAST are important to know, specially with the SALT WATER or large rivers that are unwadeable, plus the gulpers.

But I think the line is as important is not more than the rod.
I can cast my sharkskin on a glass rod to the backing.

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said.

 

[jimw]

I just wanted to add i am using a 9wt TFO TICR X with a 9wt airflo intermediate ridge line. I need wide open spaces put me in a river with over hanging branches and i will end up getting hurt.
Jim

 

[KRD]

I can cast all plus a little backing on a good day with little wind. Not with accuracy though. I catch most my fish within 50' so there is never really a time I cast further than 40-50' while fishing. I catch lots of fish in the 20-25' area.

 

[Joni]

Right on KRD. I actually catch most my river fish right in front of me, at times 5'. But, I do start short and work my way out. But I have fished sections of the snake that I could not wade out, so those longer cast are a must.

 

[jcl]

Practice casting I can cast 80' to backing. I think LONG CAST are important to know, specially with the SALT WATER or large rivers that are unwadeable, plus the gulpers.

But I think the line is as important is not more than the rod.
I can cast my sharkskin on a glass rod to the backing.

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said.

As a non gear-head, I was surprised to discover how much difference it made this summer when I upgraded my equipment. I don't have anything fancy, but just having a little bit nicer rod not only added distance to my cast but added ease to the short casts. I knew that would be true, but I was surprised how much nicer it was.

 

[Fly2Fish]

400 yards (but that's off the top of a mountain :wink.

 

[Jackster]

I wish one of the choices was 'All of the above'! :redface:

The park I practice in has a small tree exactly 100' from the crack in the sidewalk I stand at. I can hit that tree with a five-weight rig regularly, but not always at will.
Like Randy, I practice cast a lot and enjoy the heck out of that and casting competitions. The Fly Fishing Masters a few years ago got me hooked on that. I can't think of a better place to pick up tips and pick the brains of the best unless you have good FFF conclaves like we do here in the Southeast. Who is better to learn from than folks like Bruce Richards and Steve Rajeff?
There's no down side to casting well. It is an integral part of what we do.

This week we were in the parking lot talking about casting before a club meeting started. One of the guys said he had no need to cast over 10' as that is where he catches all of his fish. Someone told him he should see all the fish at 12'! :smile: