Anyone reading some of the other sites and Facebook lately! There have been some wild claims of 175 to 250 yard (that's 525' to 750') casts with a certain newer rod line. We all know fisherman exaggerate but come on!! Tournament winning distance with 11-12' (fishing) rod, spinning reel and 50# braid!!:rotf2: What's your thoughts on this?

I think it's BS. The Canal is 480 feet wide. I have only a couple of times seen guys cast HALF way across.

The most humbling thing you can do is cast on a marked field, and see how far you throw for real. I did it in the off season about 2 years ago. I can cast pretty well. Using a 3 oz plug, my average was around 92 yards with a good throwing 11' rod and an Emblem Pro.

That being said, I did go to a Century demo last spring, and there was someone there throwing a very aerodynamic plug around 450 feet, using the 12' SPOD rod. I'm pretty good at estimating distance over the Cape Cod Canal. But, he was throwing from the paved surface road, about 10' or so above the water, with good footing and nothing in the way behind him. I don't know what the Century rep had on the reel for line, though. I didn't try the rod, as I have zero interest in a 12' rod. :D

I think it's BS. The Canal is 480 feet wide. I have only a couple of times seen guys cast HALF way across.

It's a little wider than that, Paul. The distance between the two highway bridge abutments is 614', and the lift span of the train bridge is 544' long.

It's a little wider than that, Paul. The distance between the two highway bridge abutments is 614', and the lift span of the train bridge is 544' long.


Quote from the Center for Land Interpretation:

Seven miles long and 540 feet wide, the Cape Cod Canal is one of the widest sea-level canals in the world.

So half way is 270' or 90 yards. Of course there are other factors such as stage of the tide, where you are standing , etc.
I still don't believe that anyone is casting 200 yards.

Quote from the Center for Land Interpretation:

Seven miles long and 540 feet wide, the Cape Cod Canal is one of the widest sea-level canals in the world.

So half way is 270' or 90 yards. Of course there are other factors such as stage of the tide, where you are standing , etc.
I still don't believe that anyone is casting 200 yards.

The only two people alive that have cast across it are Ron Arra and Big Dave Thomashey. And they did it with tournament rods, 14# mono, tweaked reels, and 175 gram casting weights. Tony "Red Dog" Chantre may have done it, but he passed away a few years ago. I'm pretty sure that John Gibbs never accomplished it.

It's 540' on the bends, and widens to 600'+ on straight sections. At the east end it gets even wider. That's at low tide. Next time you're there at dead low on the chart, see whether the far sides of the bridge abutments are out of the water. If not, there's at least 614' of Canal still wet there. ;)

Spill it.. Where is this grandous claim... if they did it once lets get them on a marked field to show us,again.......
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

In almost any sport that requires "gear", at the high end there's always innovation going on and at times steps forward in performance.

Also in almost any sport, you can give a guy with skills a base or low end model and watch him humble guys with expensive stuff.

Just the way it is.

Of course if you hand a guy with skills the best gear you naturally tend to see the very best possible performance in what ever that discipline may be.

I think the newest graphite is adding distance to most people's casting. I also think working on your casting skills with your current gear can potentially add more distance then a new rod could, and there will always be guys who can outcast everyone with just an Ugly Stick.

I agree with all you said Pete. I still do not believe there is someone casting 250 yards.

I agree with all you said Pete. I still do not believe there is someone casting 250 yards.

Some of us are only 150YDS shy of it though !

There are lots of guys who can cast 200 yards now. There is more long casting equipment than ever before. With the right reels and rods the tournament casters do 600 feet routinely.

Now I don't know too many fisherman who can do it beyond Ron A and Big Dave but I bet there are plenty out there. Yes there are 100 to 1 BS'ers vs guys who actually can cast that far but there are still many many guys who can , no BS. Oh BTW , I can't. :)

I agree with all you said Pete. I still do not believe there is someone casting 250 yards.

There are people who have cast 900 feet. I believe a guy named Blackbeard (Ian M) did it at a tournament 6 or 7 years ago.

tournament stuff sure.... standard set up with 50 pound suffix.... I'm a little skeptical.... I'm not a rod guy...
I concentrate more on chasing fish....
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I've got an Ugly Stick for sale. Real Cheap!

Spill it.. Where is this grandous claim... if they did it once lets get them on a marked field to show us,again.......
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Well last week there was a Tournament in Jersey, The invide was made for anyone to come down and see what they were throwing..........no one showed up!! I think that answers the question.

There are people who have cast 900 feet. I believe a guy named Blackbeard (Ian M) did it at a tournament 6 or 7 years ago.

Danny Moeskops can cast his Century TTR 1000' in practice and will be throwing even farther this year w/ a new version of the TTR. They say he holds back at the competitions for fear of scaring away the competition!

Another point that should be brought out is how do these new fast action rods throw metal lips? I have casted them and the throw a metal lip lousy!! Fast action, short load period and that snap at the end of the cast just makes them fly like a helicopter.

Shoot it out of a canon and a metal lip swimmer is still not going to go very far!

I think it's BS. The Canal is 480 feet wide. I have only a couple of times seen guys cast HALF way across.

I just saw it this morning as my plug pretty much landed next to the guys' plug from the other side across from me. granted it was an extra low tide. M & D's pencils fly pretty far with an 11 ft rod.
I'll have to go to the ballfield soon.

Well last week there was a Tournament in Jersey, The invide was made for anyone to come down and see what they were throwing..........no one showed up!! I think that answers the question.



Not really but,, no big deal...


Like I said I am not a rod guy... and my opinion has nothing to do with brand.... My efforts are concentrated in other areas of fishing,,,

When I buy a rod it is for a much different reason than distance... big plugs and keeping fish out of the rocks.... thats what I tell my Rod guy to make me,,,,,

I can cast 8 & bait 346 yards all day long.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I can cast 8 & bait 346 yards all day long.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

??????????????????????????????????????

Whats bait ?

At a castoff a few years ago Don(afterhours) and chuck(linesider69) both won with what i think were 125 to 135yrd casts, the rest of us were stuck at the 100-110yrd mark. And this was throwing 3-4oz bank sinkers.

When I started surfcasting the first thing I did was buy Ron Arra's book from Surfcasting Rhode Island.

Didn't catch anything but I did nearly kill myself a few times.

-spence

.....and I can vouch for that. You also almost killed a few of us who fished with you.:fury:

Oh Jeff
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I'll never forget the night I fished beaver tail with Jeff. We were on the west side and He decided to hoof across to the east side and not tell me. I was terrified that the boy from Iowa got sucked in. Took a year off my life at least.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I'll never forget the night I fished beaver tail with Jeff. We were on the west side and He decided to hoof across to the east side and not tell me. I was terrified that the boy from Iowa got sucked in. Took a year off my life at least.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I think that was the night I was following JL and didn't realize the little inlet in the rocks he hopped over was like 6 feet deep.

-spence

Or, how about the night he "bird nested" a conventional about a mile from the truck at the Palisades. Bryan made him walk all the way out and back again.:rotf2:

Come to think about it Jeff, you added a whole new dimension to surf fishing.:)

Or, how about the night he "bird nested" a conventional about a mile from the truck at the Palisades. Bryan made him walk all the way out and back again.:rotf2:

That explains why he quit fishing.

Yeah, but I think he's back.

Or, how about the night he "bird nested" a conventional about a mile from the truck at the Palisades. Bryan made him walk all the way out and back again.:rotf2:

I think there was a chance of a storm so I brought my glass rod with the convench. Still can't throw anything but lead with that thing.

If my memory is right I came back and got a personal best and Nebe almost drowned. I could be mixing two nights though.

Going to definitely try and fish more this year. Not a lot but more...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Best caster I have seen is Texican he can go about 3/4 of the canal with his set up. I just stand there with my jaw open and watch.

I think there was a chance of a storm so I brought my glass rod with the convench. Still can't throw anything but lead with that thing.

If my memory is right I came back and got a personal best and Nebe almost drowned. I could be mixing two nights though.

Going to definitely try and fish more this year. Not a lot but more...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Mixing nights. The night Paul is discussing I told you to bring the spin rod, but we were throwing eels... you walked back, got lost, ran into DZ while lost and finally got to the truck after the bite died and I had released 4 or 5 fish into the mid-20's.. Only Spence.....

the lighting was another event entirely :eek::eek:(but not as close as Joe and I got last summer :shocked: )

LOL!!!:jump1:

Casting distance and penis size is something guys always lie about

Best caster I have seen is Texican he can go about 3/4 of the canal with his set up. I just stand there with my jaw open and watch.

You havnt seen the beast from the east lately, Andy have you? He had mike and i apauled at the share power and distance he was tossing this am, clearly avg 3/4 a cast, it was gross.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

The farther you cast, the longer your retrieve. Meanwhile, the fish are breaking just over there while you continue to real and real and . . .

Then if you hook a fish at the start of your retrieve, you better hope it's a keeper, because the chances of it surviving a release are not all that good.

The farther you cast, the longer your retrieve. Meanwhile, the fish are breaking just over there while you continue to real and real and . . .

Then if you hook a fish at the start of your retrieve, you better hope it's a keeper, because the chances of it surviving a release are not all that good.

While hes stealing fish from the other side hes leaving the 50 yard fish for me!
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

You havnt seen the beast from the east lately, Andy have you? He had mike and i apauled at the share power and distance he was tossing this am, clearly avg 3/4 a cast, it was gross.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I call BS, low tide makes it look good.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I call BS, low tide makes it look good.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

You cant call bs on bs, even when its true just leave the close fish for me
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I saw Tommy Farmer from North Carolina cast 800 feet in '09 (I think his record was around 830'). If you want to see just how many folks can cast over 700 feet do a search for Sportcast USA. It used to be big competition here in the US. Most of those guys were using standard casting rods (Lamis, Loomis, and such...not the fancy English casting rods). They threw 5 ounce weights on 15 pound mono line.

The Japanese team had the wierdest cast. I watched one caster take out a jeep window at the world championships in 1999. The guy cast with a sideways round cast and like a gunshot everybody ducked when the line parted.

Competion casting and real world fishing casting are two different things.

These guys competion casting are using 14 ft Rods,
MOdified reels, and light line.

I don't care if someone can cast 600, 800 or 1000 feet with a 3oz casting sinker, you can't catch fish on sinkers.

Now being able to throw a 3oz pencil 120 yards is usually more than adequate for most situations.

Numbskull had a great comment about this on the other site. Basically it was boat guys want to cast as close to shore as possible and the surf guys want to cast as far from shore, pretty funny but true.

I've been throwing a 11ft century stealth and an a 2.5oz pencil average 110 yards, max was 117 yards. I feel that's more than enough for the areas I fish.

I am building a century 1328 and a SPOD, will be interesting to see who those do.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Anyone reading some of the other sites and Facebook lately! There have been some wild claims of 175 to 250 yard (that's 525' to 750') casts with a certain newer rod line. We all know fisherman exaggerate but come on!! Tournament winning distance with 11-12' (fishing) rod, spinning reel and 50# braid!!:rotfl: What's your thoughts on this?

I've been reading those threads but I have to say, I haven't seen the 250 yard claim. Certain models from the manufacturer being discussed are definitely capable of achieving the distances being claimed; the question is, is the caster?

No matter what, I think that to do that distance consistently would require a longer rod and lighter (thinner) braid.

Competion casting and real world fishing casting are two different things.

Unless you use your fishing equipment in casting tournaments. All I would need to do to go fishing after a casting tournament is take off the rules mandated mono and spool on my braid.

I cast my gear "set-up for fishing" farther than I do "set-up for tourney casting" . . . Just switching to the braid I use is worth 5%-7% increase in distance (@>650ft).

I don't care if someone can cast 600, 800 or 1000 feet with a 3oz casting sinker, you can't catch fish on sinkers.

A painted in-line trolling sinker with a tube tail or bucktail on it is a popular distance lure down here and I often use a 150gm tournament sinker to deliver a teaser at extreme distance.

Now being able to throw a 3oz pencil 120 yards is usually more than adequate for most situations

And when it's not?

I can cast a baseball 500ft, . . . an aerodynamic, well balanced pencil??? LOL).

And before anyone says it . . . yes, many fish are in close.

I know, I catch them too! :rotf2:

I think there was a chance of a storm so I brought my glass rod with the convench. Still can't throw anything but lead with that thing.

If my memory is right I came back and got a personal best and Nebe almost drowned. I could be mixing two nights though.

Going to definitely try and fish more this year. Not a lot but more...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Actually you are spot on correct. Nebe went in the suds to land a nice fish I had on and almost ended up as part of the Narragansett food chain. You did get a real nice fish that night also. We were on them that night. Everything was well north of 20#.

And before anyone says it . . . yes, many fish are in close.

I know, I catch them too! :rotf2:

Actually I wonder about this, do you or I really catch a high percentage of the fish we overcast? I doubt that we do.

From fly fishing (where you can see what happens) it is clear that even a small fly moving towards a fish is totally unnatural and often spooks the fish. Seems likely a plug moving towards a fish would also often spook it. Overcasting a fish guarantees your plug will "attack it" on the way in.

Likewise, I notice that I often get a fish during the first few feet of my retrieve (I think the splash attracts them) and then less most of the way in, with an upswing as the plug gets very close (where more fish hunt at night).

Also, fish often hit as the plug passes structure. Obviously structure holds fish, but it also shields their vision until the plug passes (or makes a fish feel like the prey can't see it so something approaching them seems natural).

When in a boat, I find the number of fish close to shore is far higher than where my casts land when I fish from shore. So why don't I catch most of the fish in close? I think it may well be that the incoming plug looks unnatural and spooks them.

Bottom line is that casting is fun and when fishing we all fall into the trap of combining the fun of casting with the fun of fishing, even though we would be better at fishing if we focused on closer water and worked it more efficiently.

Sometimes I need to cast far to reach fish or structure that holds fish........but I am starting to suspect that most of the time casting as far as I can every cast out of habit probably reduces my fishing success.

Interesting thoughts. One morning at the Canal last year everyone was bombing casts way out. My nephew and I were catching all our fish within 25 feet of where we were standing. Talk about overcasting. But you are right, sometimes the exact opposite happens.

Also, fish often hit as the plug passes structure. Obviously structure holds fish, but it also shields their vision until the plug passes (or makes a fish feel like the prey can't see it so something approaching them seems natural).
I think this would be a problem when over casting. If you launch far out thinking you're covering more water, your plug won't have the same approach as if working the structure directly.

-spence

Actually you are spot on correct. Nebe went in the suds to land a nice fish I had on and almost ended up as part of the Narragansett food chain. You did get a real nice fish that night also. We were on them that night. Everything was well north of 20#.

I've gone in the drink so many times landing fish for people, but yes! I remember that very well.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I can cast 8 & bait 346 yards all day long.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Then your the guy fishing Scortons from the east end jetty lol
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I've been reading those threads but I have to say, I haven't seen the 250 yard claim. Certain models from the manufacturer being discussed are definitely capable of achieving the distances being claimed; the question is, is the caster?

Unless you use your fishing equipment in casting tournaments. All I would need to do to go fishing after a casting tournament is take off the rules mandated mono and spool on my braid.

I cast my gear "set-up for fishing" farther than I do "set-up for tourney casting" . . . Just switching to the braid I use is worth 5%-7% increase in distance (@>650ft).
I can cast a baseball 500ft, . . . an aerodynamic, well balanced pencil??? LOL).

And before anyone says it . . . yes, many fish are in close.

I know, I catch them too! :rotf2:
I'm not pointing to any specific manufacturer and no one has in this thread! These claims have been from many different rods. Your right on the money "is the caster". But most fishing rods are not!! To cast the claimed weights that distance would require a full on pendulum cast and no Century,CTS,St Croix or whatever would stay in one piece under that stress!!
Using a tournament rod for fishing is not practical ( in general, not pick'n on ya) unless maybe your throwing a hunk of bait, but to throw plugs!
True,most fish are in close and a 100 to 120 yards is all you need for the occasions the fish are over the bar.

LOL The so called new rods we have are made by the makers that hold many of the didtance records. They made these blanks with the help of the guys from Hatteras Jacks to get us more distance with less weight in the rod. Years back I played with the distance game an got some pretty impresive numbers. but the rods are not what I'd use for fishing. 12 lb mono,50 lb leader an a reel so fine tuned if you get a brain fart you tangle the whole spool an need to take an hr to get the line respooled right. Thats as long as you didn;t bend the spool in the cast off LOL.I've built a load of distance rods over the years an many end up as bait rods due to weight an length. The rods we use aren't designed for 200 yrs. If they were you wouldn,t use them in the ditch or most rocky ares. Room for a back swing ,balance,and a flat surface just don,t exist. 150 to 175 yrds is doable with a crippled herring but rare with a pwncil no matter how much lead you jam up it;s butt LOL.30 lb braid helps but 50 cost distance.Hook a fish on the other side an no one down tide from you is gonna be able to fish for 1/2 hr as 30 lb doesn't give you what you need to land a fish fast in the ditch. that's one reason many of us use 50. Plus every damn time I cast past the middle I see a sweet fish at my feet. So are we fishing of just casting for show. Ron

Actually I wonder about this, do you or I really catch a high percentage of the fish we overcast? I doubt that we do.

I do a considerable amount of baitfishing on open beaches and for me at least a third of my fish come from over the bar or the mouth of a cut (my favorite structure to fish).

For lure fishing I work from close to far as the structure demands when there's no signs of active fish. Depending on tide stage, water clarity and day or night it can be a complete waste of time to fish close . . .

Competing in 15 - 17 surf fishing tournaments a year for 20+ years and not having the luxury of picking your spot has told me what I need to know about having the ability to place a baited hook / lure out 150+ yards . . . Every guy on the team I was on could cast far and the standings show the value of that . . . That team won the championship for 27 out of 30 years.

A different style of fishing from what you guys do but the argument stands, at least for me.

Take a walk along a typical beach. Where its just sand with possible bowls , bars troughs , etc you usually do well in close. Now you come to a rocky point. Suddenly you will do better if you can work the entire length that that rocky points extends into the water. They are sometimes in close but sometimes off the tip , far out there. Now you come to an outflow of a river or something like a breachway. You can simply drift lure , bait etc out into the outflow. Now suppost you have a place like The Canal. Every inch of that , length and width , could hold a fish. In that case the longer you can cast , the more potential you have. You may not need to cast as far as you can every time but having the potential to do so is a valuable asset.

Now lets go back to the nearly feautureless beach. Its no longer June , its late August into Sept and into the fall. Now in addition to fish just hangng in close feeding , you have many many pods of fiosh coming by , surface feeding so you can see them , but far out. I can remember hundreds of times when I could see Albies too far out in late august/sept , then big schools of stripers just 50 yards past where I could reach. Now I know there are guys around who can cast that extra 50 yards. They would have gotten fish.

So while stripers may be in close a lot , there are places , structure , times of year , stages of tide where even in the same general places , the ability to cast far is a good skill to have.

Won't argue about the bait outfits an distance. Yrs back I about emptied a squidder with 25 lb andy an 8 oz sinker an a full gale blastin over my shoulders an a small bait rigged Hatteras style.This 13 1/2 ft rod was not nor is it now a rod I would ever fish with plugs for a day.I don't think bait rod against pluggin rods is a fair comparisson for the question of factuall distance of casting ability.A 3 to 5 oz rated rod isn't gonna cast a 6 to 8 oz sinker an bait very far.Nor will a 10 oz plus rated rod cast a 2 to 4 oz pencil or bottle popper all that far.

I'm always amazed at how many times at night a fish will crush it as I'm about to lift the lure out of the water. But, they can be anywhere, so it's good to have a short game and a long game. I agree Numby, when it's slow power casting is kind of fun. :)

I'm not pointing to any specific manufacturer and no one has in this thread! These claims have been from many different rods. . . .

Neither did I; I was just referring to the latest thread with those claims which we are familiar with (and you posted in).

To cast the claimed weights that distance would require a full on pendulum cast and no Century,CTS,St Croix or whatever would stay in one piece under that stress!!

I disagree on nearly all points. I and a lot of guys I know can do 200yds and more with an aerodynamic jig with a Hatteras style cast.

CTS S8's can be thrown full pendulum within their weight range. I have no real experience with the newer Century's being sold now; the few I have thrown were way too soft in the butt for me.

I use a Century Carbon Metal Crest as my tourney rod and heaver for bait fishing so that can definitely take the strain. OTOH, I did explode a Century Blackbird.

As for newer St. Croix, I would tend to agree with you; I still do full rotation OTG's with the two Ben Doer's that I still have in service.

Using a tournament rod for fishing is not practical ( in general, not pick'n on ya) unless maybe your throwing a hunk of bait, but to throw plugs!

You don't need a tourney rod for those distances.

Sure, you aren't doing it with a 120GSB and a PennZ but let's be real here. The proper tool for the job is the golden rule. 200yds is a long ways but every development in rods, reels, lines and guides makes it a little bit shorter. Back in the late 80's early '90's only a few of us were doing the legwork to acquire long cast Daiwa Whisker SS reels from Japan and then when braid came out it changed everything. Every year now once unthinkable distances are conquered by "ordinary" fishermen.

True,most fish are in close and a 100 to 120 yards is all you need for the occasions the fish are over the bar.

There are always fish over the bar. http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/grinser/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Last I checked......the fish are in the water...not on the other side of the canal....so who cares??? I tried it on a football field once.....110 yards was the best I could do and do not find I need to do any better! :fishin:

When I buy a rod it is for a much different reason than distance... big plugs and keeping fish out of the rocks.... thats what I tell my Rod guy to make me,,,,,

Casting distance and penis size is something guys always lie about

Last I checked......the fish are in the water...not on the other side of the canal....so who cares??? I tried it on a football field once.....110 yards was the best I could do and do not find I need to do any better! :fishin:
:kewl:

Casting distance and penis size is something guys always lie about
s
LOL!You said it Bob!

As a wise man once said;
All fishermen are liers except you and me,and I'm not so sure about everyone else on this site:devil2:

I've lost a lot of distance over the last decade. Measured distances at annual castoffs in Rhode Island. I've just bought a spinning rig to try and gain some of it back. The blowups always seem to be about 100 yards out, 20 to 30 yards farther than I can now reach with my conventional gear.

:uhuh:I've lost a lot of distance over the last decade. Measured distances at annual castoffs in Rhode Island. I've just bought a spinning rig to try and gain some of it back. The blowups always seem to be about 100 yards out, 20 to 30 yards farther than I can now reach with my conventional gear.

And down here in New Joisey during this spring migration the majority of stripers passing close to shore are not moving in and out of the cuts and actively feeding in the bowls & sloughs. They are following moving forage fish running outside of the bar (mostly adult bunker) and really just streaming right by me on their trek to you guys up North.

I don't bother targeting the bowls this time of year. If there aren't actively feeding fish I'll look for a cut in the bar or a spot where the bar is close and I can stagger baits from 150yards or more back in. I get the fish that would never come into the slough / bowl in front of me and I catch ones that do want to come in, before they even get into the bowl (and I'll have a bait in the bowl / slough just in case I miss one) . . .

Does anyone really think the fish are residing in the bowls & sloughs for a majority of a tide? Perhaps they are being teleported inside the bar just for your guys pleasure LOL. No, they are coming in from OUTSIDE the bar on the rise and leaving on the ebb (actually more frequently).

Come mid-June when the (smaller) body of more resident fish set up here and they focus on non-swimming forage (clams / calico crabs, because the fish forage has pretty much moved through here to you) the holes are where to be. Plugging once the fish forage has moved on is a bang your head on the wall diehard or purist tactic at this point.

You guys have the luxury of fishing barses that have been fished the same way for decades if not centuries which act like fish conveyors that can be learned by a blind man in a year or so . . . You have a season long supply of ample forage for the fish to concentrate on (and to concentrate the fish). Honestly, it seems the biggest challenge and determinant for a successful tide for you guys is getting to "your spot" before someone else does.

So, I wouldn't be bragging that casting skills are not needed which means for all intents and purposes a 8 year old kid with mono wrapped around a soup can has as much chance as anyone to catch a fish (especially if he's on "your" rock) . . .

To be honest, I would never be satisfied just catching the small minority of fish that swim by me within 200 feet or so . . . And if I were, I would never be so bold as to argue that trying to catch the ones farther out is a waste of time or to make the embarrassing argument that doing so means I have a hang-up about the size of my johnson http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/aetsch/cheeky-smiley-003.gif http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/aetsch/cheeky-smiley-024.gif.

You guys have it good up there, perhaps TOO good for your OWN good :smash:. . .

There is a time and place for the long cast. In the spring I use light tackle for big fish because they are in close, but as June rolls in they seem to move out (as the seals move in) and the long cast is necessary (doesn't mean I put the small rods away though, if the fish are at your feet then the big rod is cumbersome). Makai pushes 150 yards and I've seen others cast as far or further; there is a guy with a 13' Zzplex who gets it out that distance (150) easily and he doesn't even use close to proper technique. I don't think 200 yards is out of the question or should be laughed at out of hand.

There is something peaceful and relaxing about a serious practiced long cast groove.

They are following moving forage fish running outside of the bar (mostly adult bunker) and really just streaming right by me on their trek to you guys up North.

.
You guys have the luxury of fishing barses that have been fished the same way for decades if not centuries which act like fish conveyors that can be learned by a blind man in a year or so . . . You have a season long supply of ample forage for the fish to concentrate on (and to concentrate the fish). Honestly, it seems the biggest challenge and determinant for a successful tide for you guys is getting to "your spot" before someone else does.

So, I wouldn't be bragging that casting skills are not needed which means for all intents and purposes a 8 year old kid with mo
no wrapped around a soup can has as much chance as anyone to catch a fish (especially if he's on "your" rock) . . .

You guys have it good up there, perhaps TOO good for your OWN good :smash:. . .

I wish what you were saying is true. The predominate feeling is that north of Montauk has been declining for several years. You will be hard pressed to find anyone up here who has been at it more than a decade or so who will say it is too good. We do keep hearing from some other Jersey guys about how the stocks are so great. I talked to Delaware guys a couple of weeks ago that had their best season ever last year. Not hearing that up here.

That aside, there are definitely times and places where casting counts and I think almost everyone here would acknowledge that. I don't know if there is more to this and... people are/you think people are... directing comments at you, but some long standing facts of fishing include:
a) people pound their chests about casting/catching etc.; people get irritated at perceived chest pounding.
b) casts are beyond the strike zone as often as they are short of the strike zone.
I don't think it is anything you should take personally.

I can generally reach the fish, and that's as far as I need to go.

:-)
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

we used to have a cast off in rhode island, and over the years we had it the best i seen was 125yards give or take a couple and that was with sinkers and fishing rods (rods and reels we would fish with) afterhours and linesider69 and stew would allways be up there...i could cast 100-105yards with a 4oz sinker(1dozenraw too) i would quss i could cast a pencil 80 yards...maybe 20% of the people would out cast me...group of 25....i be hard pressed to think someone could cast 125 yards with a plug i'd have to see it( i'm sure someone could do it but i bet there maybe 5% of fishermen odds at that point) 150yards maybe 1%of us and wind behind ya all that stuff lol, i bet most people are off 20% of there distance

I remember casting a pencil popper (minus hooks) 100 yards. Can't remember what rod, but I was using a Penn 525Mag reel. I think it took me about 15 tries to make 100.

I bet I could do 80 now.:uhuh: