It is a beautiful morning down on the beach, and you are just putting the finishing touches on tying your rig onto your surfcasting outfit. The weight has been clasped, the hooks are baited, and there’s only one thing left to do, which is get the line in the water. Wading through the shore breakers, you finally get to the sandbar where you are ready to cast. With a heave of the arms and a push of the back, every ounce of energy is thrown into the cast. Before you are midway through the cast, the all too familiar snap of the line sends the brand new rig, bait, and weight sailing through the air to never be seen again. Does this sound like you? If so, there are a few guidelines to think about when surfcasting, which can save you countless hours re-rigging lines along with many dollars spent at the tackle shop.
Don’t Overcast
One of the most common problems of snapped line when casting is from people who attempt to overcast. Overcasting is when one attempts to sling the line much farther than the rod or their personal ability will allow. What most people don’t understand is that a smooth and steady cast will sail much farther than a jerky power cast that can result in numerous problems. Assuming that you have checked the weight of the line against the weight that you have on your rod and all other specifications are within their parameters, line should not break when casting. Every now and then it may snap due to wear and tear; however, it should not break on a regular basis. Before casting, try to relax and concentrate on a smooth range of motion. Don’t worry about the distance when attempting your first casts. Distance will come with practice. The biggest problem usually comes from jerky movements where the transition of power is offset by your desire to overpower or overcast the line.
Dead Cast
One of the most popular types of casts when surfcasting is the dead cast. The dead cast gets its name from the way the weight and rod sit before casting. When attempting the dead cast, put your best foot forward as you would when doing any other linear task. For example, if you swing a bat in a right handed manner, your left foot may be your stabilizing foot. This is the foot you should put forward. Point your forward foot in the direction that you want to cast. Stabilize your body with your back foot but try to keep your weight centered. Bring your arms back as you twist your body as if you are looking behind. With your arms extended and the weight touching the sand, use a smooth and consistent motion while twisting your body to power the rod over your rear shoulder at about a forty five degree angle. The key is to keep this motion as smooth as possible adding power gradually as your range of motion increases. Also, something to remember before the cast is the position of your weight. Let enough line off of the reel so that the weight rests on the sand. With the weight resting on the sand, you should make the line taunt although you don’t want to pick the weight up. This will give you a solid load on the line, which will turn potential energy into kinetic energy once you start your wind up. A good way to practice this cast when you are not at the beach is to cut open a tennis ball, place the weight in the tennis ball, and tie the weight to your line. By doing this, your weight will not get stuck in the ground when casting.