Nick Moore | Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Well, 140’ with a #5 seemed like an impossible goal, but having had a break from casting for a week, I realised that i needed to fine tune my technique even more. A good test for this is to go back to a much softer rod to see if any faults show up, and they did. As we know, technique is incredibly important, and this wins over brute force 100% of the time. It’s never about applying more ‘power’.
I bought a Scott Centric 590-4 at the game fair for accuracy, but of course I needed to try it for distance. I do think you should be able to hit 120’ with a softish #5, and I did make some observations.
The fly leg of the loop had a very slight twist in it, which meant my tracking was out and the line wasn’t being accelerated as straight as it possibly could. It wasn’t noticeable with my stiffer rods (Igniter 990-4 and HT1090-4) as the tip lag is greatly reduced, and I believe the line is being pulled much straighter at the start of the stroke. However, to fix this issue I really had to analyse my stroke and see what was happening. So, it was back to the mirror exercise, and I found that I was pulling my forward cast slightly in at the end. This was soon rectified.
So, back to the 140’ cast (actually 141’). How was this achieved? Well, to keep things realistic and grounded, all of the long distance casts you see are performed with a tailwind. 120’ without wind is an exceptional cast, 130’ is extraordinary, and 140’ is simply impossible. On the day in particular, I knew i was going to be in with a chance, as it was low pressure and fairly windy (about 18mph). Setting the tape up so it goes straight downwind is also very important to ensure you get the max possible benefit of a straight line, and it was just down to casting. Ballistic Pro Performance #5 fly line at an 80’ carry and a Sage Igniter 690-4. I also think that the most recent improvement to my distance casting was the use of tennis racket Overgrip. This allows me to hold the rod as lightly as possible, further improving the loops which will (hopefully) fly further.
Now, a lot of anglers have asked me why I look at my back cast, and there’s a simple answer to this. I am looking for the straightest possible fly leg to let go on the forward cast. For maximum distance you want to get your longest carry into a brisk tailwind, which is difficult, but when you do, huge distances can be obtained. Most people think that the stronger the wind, the further you can cast no matter your skill level. This thought process also seems to apply to shooting heads in general. This simply isn’t true, as you have to get it flying backwards first, as straight as you can. It’s all about technique; tracking, correct force application, rotation at the right time, haul timing, body movement etc.
Tight lines!