Surface iron casting distance

[Pjstevko]

One of my goals for 2023 is to catch a yt on a surface iron but I'm not great at casting a conventional reel. I've been practicing my casting down at the local lake to try to get better. I'm using an 8' jig stick with an old gold Trinidad 16 with 50# braid and 40# mono. I start my practice sessions using a 4oz weight and cast it until I get 25 casts without a backlash, next I use a 2oz weight and use it until I get 25 casts without a tangle and then I use an actual surface iron. I'm able to cast the surface iron between 120-150 feet fairly consistently.

I usually use a spinner to throw lures but i wanna get decent at casting a conventional. I know that the more I practice the extra distance will come but I wanna know....

Is that distance far enough to get me in the game on a sport boat?

 

[swami 805]

A big part of the equation is spotting sign of fish and which way they’re heading. If you can throw 150’ accurately you’ll be in the game. Of course distance helps, but you’ll need to pick your spots
A longer rod would help too, better distance with less effort
Another thing to practice is casting with different angles, being a little off balance, and being aware of what’s behind you. Not a ton of room in the bow of a boat

 

[padsfan]

Yes. Good idea to practice before going on a boat

 

[ahidog]

A big part of the equation is spotting sign of fish and which way they’re heading. If you can throw 150’ accurately you’ll be in the game. Of course distance helps, but you’ll need to pick your spots
A longer rod would help too, better distance with less effort
Another thing to practice is casting with different angles, being a little off balance, and being aware of what’s behind you. Not a ton of room in the bow of a boat

This^^^ is gold

 

[Pjstevko]

I practice with about 3' hanging off the end of the rod and stand with my hips facing the water to pretend I'm squeezed in the bow with a bunch of people. I'm gonna stick with the 8' rod for now......

 

[Cy Bodden]

how much mono are you using? I like having 100 yds or casting distance. 50lb braid can be tricky as it is thin.

 

[Pjstevko]

About 30'

 

[alexnieves]

As Swami mentioned, casting distance is only part of the equation. It's more important to know what you're casting at. A few well-placed casts right under some diving birds or in front of boiling/breezing fish will produce more bites than hundreds of blind casts. I'd suggest spending more time talking to the crew and watching your surroundings.

Practicing casting at the lake is how you get better. So keep that up. Once you get the hang of it, I'd highly recommend a 9 foot rod. Makes a difference on a sport boat.

In terms of line, I like fishing a casts length of mono or 80lb braid to a 3 foot leader, depending on the situation. If your knot goes banging through the guides cast after cast, your jig will eventually snap off.

 

[bob311]

150' is plenty good. Just remember, less is more. Try and get used to swinging the stick as easily and smoothly as possible. Because when those fish start boiling and you literally run to the bow to throw a jig, heat beating out of your chest, fresh one on the stern, that's when the birds nest comes.

 

[swami 805]

Being higher on the bow of a boat instead of flat ground will give you more distance too

 

[MikeC.]

One of my goals for 2023 is to catch a yt on a surface iron but I'm not great at casting a conventional reel. I've been practicing my casting down at the local lake to try to get better. I'm using an 8' jig stick with an old gold Trinidad 16 with 50# braid and 40# mono. I start my practice sessions using a 4oz weight and cast it until I get 25 casts without a backlash, next I use a 2oz weight and use it until I get 25 casts without a tangle and then I use an actual surface iron. I'm able to cast the surface iron between 120-150 feet fairly consistently.

I usually use a spinner to throw lures but i wanna get decent at casting a conventional. I know that the more I practice the extra distance will come but I wanna know....

Is that distance far enough to get me in the game on a sport boat?

get a lexa tw or a tranx

 

[mike mitchell]

The action on the rod is important. Some people like using a more parabolic style rod. Some people hate parabolic rods. You will also find that some rods are more suited to lighter jigs as some are good for heavier jigs. Be sure to use enough of a mono top shot to keep your fingers out of the braid.

 

[hucklongfin]

I use a 3’ leader over the braid on my Lexa 400’s and TranX 500’s. No issue with backlashes.

 

[skrilla]

Don't say "watch this" before you cast.

 

[hucklongfin]

Don't say "watch this" before you cast.

Too late!

 

[ChoeMan]

YouTube search surface iron fishing and study how the angler throws the iron inside sportfishing jig chucked ball has good footage of dudes throwing the iron also check out the dude from strictly iron

 

[lowprofile]

Not everyone will agree but I like to use all braid, 50 or 65lb and 18” of 44-60lb single strand wire with a small spro or BB swivel.

It’s not bad to cast and makes most any jig swim well. There’s always that one dud though.

 

[Mr. DRE]

Don't say "watch this" before you cast.

I've also learned to yell "fore!" just in case

 

[kayakbeast33]

@Mr. DRE yelling fore is a good call... incase you cast someones jacket into the water! Lol

@Pjstevko you will get more distance out of a longer rod. Also keep in mind all rods throw different wight and size jigs differently. I am a big fan on UC and use the 9e and 10e for surface irons. My favorite is the JRI dw1 both of those rods throw that jig great! Keep practicing and try different jigs out and get a feel for what weight works best.

 

[Mr. DRE]

Thant mint and white is one of my favorites. As you can see it catches everything !

 

[Kevin A]

About 30'

Watch out for the splice, It can tear up your thumb if the splice has a rough edge!!

 

[Dbado1]

Last trip I was on there was a seasoned angler throwing irons with a 2 piece 10' long spinning rod with a large Saragosa reel. Man, he was bombing them out there with accuracy. I asked him about his set-up and he said he was proficient at casting with conventional gear as well but prefers the spinning set-up as he felt it was just easier to use all the way around. He did very well with the set-up (everyone did well on that trip, though). So, I'm building a spinning set-up and gonna give it a shot this season. I do like the nostalgia of casting with conventional gear though. Practice pays off . Good work!

 

[yessokk]

hucklongfin​

Has posted above a little recognized tip for long distance casting. That is using the smaller bait casting reels with the magnetic cast control. The smaller reels have much lighter spools which have much less start up inertia. That coupled with the longer rods will get you out to the goal posts. Do not under estimate the ability of those smaller reels. They are good for any local YT's and have landed 35lb BF with my Lexa 400. The world long distance casting record was made with a hot rodded ABU 6500 , 5 oz, over 865 ft.

Long rods again a must. Personally use a 9 footer. The only road block to using them is storage on the sport boats. Most of the boats have that protruding overhang, an extension of the upper floor deck, that sticks out enough over the rod holders to interfere with the upper section of any rod over 7.5 ft. To keep from getting an ugly wear mark on your rod tip section can recommend keeping a roll of black electrical tape and wrapping the tip section where the rod hits that overhang.
My .37 cents worth for your consideration .
Walt

 

[x-man]

The key to casting jigs on the bow when it’s crowded up there is to keep the rod as near to vertical as possible when starting your cast. I usually drop the jig down to about eye level to start. Takes a bit of practice.

 

[Pjstevko]

I'm gonna stick with the Trinidad because it's paid for and if I was gonna buy a low profile cast control reel I'd just use my spinner.....

If I get decent enough at casting maybe I'll upgrade to a 9' rod. Transportation and storage are major issues