# Range - What's yours?



## FishinHippie (Jun 19, 2005)

At what range do you feel comfortable before you attempt a presentation?

assume: 8wt and light winds

For example: a redfish is spotted on a shoreline sitting. How close before you take a shot


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

Depends on the circumstances for taking the first shot. If the fish is happy and we're poling quietly and able to close on him, I'll go for a closer shot and probably take one at 50-60 feet. I think that's what you're getting at with the "comfortable" comment. But, if there's a fish going away and I have one chance to take it or lose it, I would say my range is in the 80-90 foot neighborhood.


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## FishinHippie (Jun 19, 2005)

Bruce J said:


> Depends on the circumstances for taking the first shot. If the fish is happy and we're poling quietly and able to close on him, I'll go for a closer shot and probably take one at 50-60 feet.


Yes, this is the situation I had in mind



Bruce J said:


> But, if there's a fish going away and I have one chance to take it or lose it, I would say my range is in the 80-90 foot neighborhood.


absolutly!! if the fish is moving away I am gonna take a shot. The range definatly expands for that fish


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## bslittle79 (May 24, 2004)

At my house, I can cast to those imaginary redfish at 80-90 feet. On the water and the Reds are tailing, 50-60 feet. On the water and the redfish is moving away, 30-40 feet with the line tangled around my reel, feet, fly wrapped around the poling platform and or pushpole, etc... You get the picture. Add in a video camera to the last situation and the Redfish will majically disappear when I get into range. 

I tell the truth, haha.


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## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

bslittle79 said:


> At my house, I can cast to those imaginary redfish at 80-90 feet. On the water and the Reds are tailing, 50-60 feet. On the water and the redfish is moving away, 30-40 feet with the line tangled around my reel, feet, fly wrapped around the poling platform and or pushpole, etc... You get the picture. Add in a video camera to the last situation and the Redfish will majically disappear when I get into range.
> 
> I tell the truth, haha.


Yep, same here. I know I cast much farther in the yard, than when the fish are in front of me. I have a problem of deciding when to lay down the cast and all other sorts of problems. The line always seems to only get a tangle when there are fish in sight. In fact after this past weekend I can't say I'm truly comfortable at any range.......but it I had to pick I'd have to say right now 30-40 feet at best.


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## Third Wave (May 24, 2004)

With my 1/4 oz. slip weight and my 4/0 croaker hook...maybe 35 yds.


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## bleb (Mar 6, 2008)

bslittle79 said:


> At my house, I can cast to those imaginary redfish at 80-90 feet. On the water and the Reds are tailing, 50-60 feet. On the water and the redfish is moving away, 30-40 feet with the line tangled around my reel, feet, fly wrapped around the poling platform and or pushpole, etc... You get the picture. Add in a video camera to the last situation and the Redfish will majically disappear when I get into range.
> 
> I tell the truth, haha.


brian come on down and we will work on that


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## Hooked Up (May 23, 2004)

Maybe 30' but there's absolutely no accuracy in my game (YET). It WILL happen someday. I let Bountyhunter use my 8 wt and was sufficiently humbled right away. Never surrender I say Guy


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## BIG PAPPA (Apr 1, 2008)

*WOW*

Reading these post, I guess i'll be humbled right away next weekend when i get out there. Just bought my first set-up, a 9wt and intend to get it salty Laborday weekend. i used a freinds 8wt off a dock at night under lights and did okay, but after reading these last few post, i hope i don't get to aggrevated. Thanks for the information. good post. Worth a Greenie from me.


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

On Mullet 60-75', tailing reds 20-50' when I am not standing on the line.

Tarpon I get so pumped I need to watch out about stepping off the deck or doing a Fosberry flop off the casting platform back into the skiff. So maybe 0-60', hard to set the hook with more then 75 feet of line out.


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

I was fishing some beach tarpon off Sanibel this summer. Had three very happy fish approach at a perfect 10-11 o'clock angle. Really couldn't have asked for anything better other than maybe a little more advance notice. I laid out the cast at about 50 feet and the fly landed a full six feet to the right of all the fish. It was like knocking one sideways off the tee box. The guide very politely asked where I would have preferred for the fly to land. I just said "ahhh...... about six feet to the left so it was actually in front of the fish??".

I've caught my share of really nice fish with really nice or even "hero" casts on occasion, but then something like this pops up out of nowhere and puts you right back in place. That's part of the great, and frustration, thing about fly fishing and golf.


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