# Casting from the beach



## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

How many of y'all fall into the the "Mr. 300 Feet" category? What technique do you use for casting from the beach?

Anyone ever use the "Pendulum Cast?"


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

I use the paddle and drop method.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

No one casts from the beach? Yankees do it. Dam Yankees. Who does the 1/2 turn whip? The drag line hail merry? The costanza shuffle? (pretty sure that last one's made up)


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

I just do a simple cast since I am more concerned with consistency and accuracy.


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## Mustad7731 (May 23, 2004)

*Distance Surf Casting*

There is/was a 2cooler "Big Lou" who used the "Pendulum Cast". He was really good
at it...A "world Champion Longcaster", As a matter of fact he once cast over the 
Astrodome...I saw him cast 50yds with a broomstick with a Penn 155 (I think)...
He said it was all in the timing/technique.

That being said, Casting 300'+ is next to impossible with "Fishing Tackle" so called
'8 and bait'.

Most of us that cast with real "Fishing Tackle" cast 40-60 yds depending upon 
wind, depth of h20 cast was made from, length of leader and other factors...

Breakaway Tackle down around Corpus has some tackle to increase casting
distances...Go to their website...Check them out....Alot of their "Stuff" is out
of my budget.

Mustad7731
Jack


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

When I fish for bullreds in the surf, I never get wet. I don't do any kind of special cast. I just cast. There are some things you can do to increase your distance by a long shot! 

1) Use line as light as you can get away with. I use 20 lb. mono.
2) Use a short leader. Mine are about 3ft.
3) Go as light on your leader as you can. I use 100lb. test.
4) Stay away from the large circle hooks. I use 8/0 Gamakatzu Octopus hooks.
5) Use a small piece of cut bait and trim it aerodynamically. You'll be surprized the reds will eat it.

I have caught tons of reds like this. You will have problems with gafftops on occasion because of the smaller bait. I have caught sharks too, but loose one from being tail-whipped from time to time.

As a genral rule, Use a line that is on the low end of the rod rating. If it says 20 - 40 lb test rating....Use 20. Also, Use a weight on the higher end of it's rating. If the rod is rated from 2 - 6 oz. Use a 6 oz. weight!

Personally, I stay away from leaders with a bunch of gadgets on them as I feel it takes away from its natural presentation of the bait. I hand-tie my leaders using a perfection loop knot instead of crimps.

Remember this, in most cases, depending on the beach, distance isn't as important as fishing structure. As long as you can get your bait between the bars...Your good!


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Mustad7731 said:


> There is/was a 2cooler "Big Lou" who used the "Pendulum Cast". He was really good
> at it...A "world Champion Longcaster", As a matter of fact he once cast over the
> Astrodome...I saw him cast 50yds with a broomstick with a Penn 155 (I think)...
> He said it was all in the timing/technique.
> ...


8 and bait. Common term apparently. I never heard of it. I know it refers to the type of rod/reel/tackle combo (after a quick google search) but what does it all mean? "8 and bait"? Anyone? Also, how is this somehow not considered "real fishing tackle?" Seems legit.

So few on this site casts from the beach? Seems odd. Especially considering the convenience of staying dry and not having to lug a yak.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

8 and bait refers to catsing 8 ounces of weight plus your bait. It took me years to figure out that I didn't need to get wet anymore. I discovered this a couple of ways. Being lazy and casting a small bait out for slot reds, and, seeing big fish cruise the bar when I would be wading for trout.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

SurfRunner said:


> When I fish for bullreds in the surf, I never get wet. I don't do any kind of special cast. I just cast. There are some things you can do to increase your distance by a long shot!
> 
> 1) Use line as light as you can get away with. I use 20 lb. mono.
> 2) Use a short leader. Mine are about 3ft.
> ...


SurfRunner is completely right. Too many people will walk right past the fish. Another problem is people will walk as deep as they can and then cast. If you are standing in chest deep water and casting most likely you will be casting onto a bar. If you are in chest deep water then you're already in the gut!


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

I have had some of my best results in the shallow water on the back side of the 1st or 2nd bar. I have caught 5 and 6 foot sharks there. I think they feed on bait being washed back across the bar.


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

SurfRunner, if you don't mind, can you share with us a pic of one of your leaders?


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

That Robbie Guy said:


> SurfRunner, if you don't mind, can you share with us a pic of one of your leaders?


X2

I'm always interested in how others rig up leaders for the surf. I do variations on 2-4 different main rigs myself.

On land (as in my yard, very mild wind) I can cast over 100 yds with my 10' (or 9' or 8', doesn't seem to matter much) cheapo rod and a spincaster with 30# braid. This is with just a weight and no leader. I quit when I got over some trees that I thought were out of reach.

On the beach, I think I'm lucky to get 50 yards with the same rod/reel and weight, but plus leader and bait. My weights are 3-4oz, leaders are 2.5-3.5' long normally.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Very cool discussion. Thanks for chiming in guys. Do any of y'all have a favorite casting technique or do ya just run at the waterline and chunk the heck outta it? I'm guessing the 2nd gut would be about as far as anyone can cast? I think I'm going to try that pendulum technique with just a weight...in the middle of an empty soccer field. Might wear a helmet.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

This is a basic redfish leader I use. It's simple but I catch a lot of bullreds with it. I believe it is its simplicity that makes it so effective. 

I have caught sharks with it, but I have been bit off and tail whipped alot too. I usually go to a lot bigger rig when I fish for sharks, but I have put 125 lb. coated sevlon bite trace on it and lengthened it and it helped a lot.

Anyway, this leader will help you get the distance......Less is best for casting distance and getting fish to bite!


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

I went to all those siminars they held at CutRate way back when. My best cast was 115yds at the time. Nowhere near that now but workable. I still use 13ft rods and the pendulum cast. I ain't wading out there in the dark....NOPE!!


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Here are my thoughts on this matter. First, to answer your first question, there are surf casters who can cast 300 feet with bait and weight. Big Lou is one. I have fished with him and have seem him cast farther from the beach than I can wade and cast. I've seen others do the same. However, IMO, the rods they use to accomplish that are no good for fishing. Very long and usually very stiff. I like to feel the fish I am catching.

Good fish can be caught from the wade gut on out as far as you can yak a bait. When I say good fish, I'm talking about fish weighing 30 pounds and up, not the slot reds, whiting, etc. that some on this board call surf fishing. If that's what you're after, simple lob a bait rod bait into the wade gut and catch little fish to your heart's content.

The key is staggering your baits over as wide a distance as you can manage. If you are casting only, drop one bait in the wade gut, then place the others progressively farther out. If you have a kayak, even better. Some days everything I catch will be on baits kayaked out 250 to 300 yards. The key is to cover as much ground as you can.


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## Lagunapadre (Nov 10, 2011)

Winter time I go as deep as my rubber boots allow. Summer time I only go shin deep at the most.
I fish the first gut and barely past the first bar.
I have caught alot of fish planting a mullet right on top of the first bar also. 
The only time I get any deeper is when I see bait thrashing.Then its 1.5 oz silver spoons.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Bankin' On It said:


> Very cool discussion. Thanks for chiming in guys. Do any of y'all have a favorite casting technique or do ya just run at the waterline and chunk the heck outta it? I'm guessing the 2nd gut would be about as far as anyone can cast? I think I'm going to try that pendulum technique with just a weight...in the middle of an empty soccer field. Might wear a helmet.


I used to do that and the leaders would often break off. I now try to use a smoother cast letting the rod do the work. I also recently put two brakes on the reel. You would be surprised at the number of fish I caught with a bad cast that was intended for the second gut but ended up in the first gut. All the time I was casting over the fish.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I used to guide below the Livingston dam and we used surf tackle to reach the rocks where the fish were, 200+ yards from raised platform boats. I have seen good casters cast that and then some on good south wind days. The best of them was taught by Big Lou, who showed them how to make the pendulum cast.
With a 17' rod 25 pound mono spooled on a 200GT and a 50 shock leader I could get over 150 yards most days.
There are still a lot of fishermen who long cast there, but the fishing is not what it used to be. The tackle they use now is much better than the tackle we had. Great spinner tackle with fine rods and braided line.
Catching big surf fish is what it's about to me when I go to the suds.
I usually wade out to the first bar and lob the two 12' rods as far as I can, then then 10' the the 8'.
Then the bait rods.


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## longcaster (Apr 13, 2006)

SurfRunner said:


> I have had some of my best results in the shallow water on the back side of the 1st or 2nd bar. I have caught 5 and 6 foot sharks there. I think they feed on bait being washed back across the bar.


Yep


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## Jumpjack (May 21, 2004)

Look up a guy by the name Nick Meyers he has been in to long distance casting forever one of the best in the state for sure. Casting 300'ft is not that hard, I have had measured casts with six ounce weights of over four hundred ft. Using a magged penn 555 and twelve ft ocean master rods. Get out and try it beats getting wet! Nick has videos on how to cast long distances, u should check out. It's not just for Yankees!


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## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

Any more info on Big Lou? I have read/heard a few ghost stories about him casting OVER the Astrodome, but it seems too far fetched. Back in the day, they had long distance casting competitions, correct?


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## Bearwolf34 (Sep 8, 2005)

Ive had alot more luck lobbing it out into the 1st gut than Ive had going to the 1st bar and sending it as far as I can. Caught my first shark tossing my bait rod up on top of the 1st sandbar. Then again, I enjoy catching the heck out of pompano in the wade gut.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

WUnderwood said:


> Any more info on Big Lou? I have read/heard a few ghost stories about him casting OVER the Astrodome, but it seems too far fetched. Back in the day, they had long distance casting competitions, correct?


Lou is still around and kicking. He's a nice guy, and makes long casting look waaay too easy.

Long casting contests are held all over the world each year. There are usually one or two held somewhere on Bolivar Peninsula each year.

Here's a link to one competion, and how Lou did in it.

http://nickaway.com/Pages/crystal_b_03.htm


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## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

^^^ thank you sir!


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Wow Big Lou can CAST! 812LF?! Jeez. Makes me feel like I could hit 300' with my Zebco. Heh. Kidding.

I can see how those big surf rods wouldn't allow you to feel the fish hit the bait but when you surf fish, don't you set the spool to a very loose drag and engage the clicker and let the spool tell you instead?

I bought a 10' surf rod and a big Penn reel about 20 years ago. Spent over $250 back then. This was before the age of the innernets. I didn't know how to use the dang thing. I put it up and it's been collecting dust ever since. 

I've got to learn how to cast it. The Penn reel just whipped my tail over and over with backlashes unless I put an 8oz weight or more on it. Even then I'd backlash it. I read somewhere to let out about 300' of line and then put a piece of tape across the reel to prevent the backlash from jacking up your whole reel. I will DEFINITELY do that until I get the hang of it.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

There should be a knob on the side of the reel that can tighten and loosen the spool. Try this:
1) hold your rod straight out.
2) with a weight tied to the line, put it in free spool and let the weight free fall.
3) Tighten the knob until it slows down a bit on it's fall.
4) make trial casts until you don't backlash anymore.

As you get used to casting it you can begin to to loosen the spool.

Also, just to let you kow - I still backlash from time to time. So, don't loose hope!


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Guy's thanks for all the information. I used to wade fish the surf for Trout only until a few years ago when I started BTB fishing and then started surf fishing when the surf was to rough. Bigfost and Jolly Rogers helped me get started. I found that I can throw just as for or further waist deep than wading out chest deep. If its need to be further out then yak it out.


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## captMATT (Jun 3, 2005)

Big Lou showed me...... Dramatically changed my casting.. And yes the broom stick was involved.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

The other downside of trying to get a long cast is you will wear yourself out quickly and potentially miss out of bringing in a lot of fish.


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## dunedawg (Jun 17, 2007)

Jumpjack said:


> Look up a guy by the name Nick Meyers he has been in to long distance casting forever one of the best in the state for sure. Casting 300'ft is not that hard, I have had measured casts with six ounce weights of over four hundred ft. Using a magged penn 555 and twelve ft ocean master rods. Get out and try it beats getting wet! Nick has videos on how to cast long distances, u should check out. It's not just for Yankees!


If you are ever in the area, stop by Nick's shop. He's a great guy and quite a character. Also, you never know who else of local fame might be hanging around there. His videos totally changed my approach to surf fishing and casting.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

The casts become easier as you refine your style and after a while it's all about form and timing. When I used to long cast repeatedly below the dam it was like shooting a basketball, as soon as it left the rod you could tell how the cast would fly.
A big fellow, 6' 10" came with me often and wanted to learn to long cast badly.
He could never not put too much muscle in it though and each cast was a disaster as it would backlash really bad when he heaved it.
It's really about form and timing and practice.
Like good experience as a ball player the clock has to be running for the time to count.
So practicing in the surf getting bucked by waves is what makes you better at casting when fishing, not so much practicing at a football field.


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## iiizman (Sep 8, 2012)

I cant cast super far and i do allright, some times at night I will yak out there and drop it, but have had just as much luck closer in the surf.


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## Finfisher (Jul 20, 2008)

Listen to Surfrunner, he can cast it!!!
How you doing Andrew?


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