Article by Capt. Mark Sampson
Spending a big chunk of my winter working as a backcountry guide down south where all we do is cast, I've had the opportunity to watch thousands of anglers making countless casts under all kinds of conditions and have definitely witnessed the good, the bad, and the downright ugly side of what can be done with a fishing rod. I’ve also learned that while most anglers are able to cast reasonably well under ideal conditions, it’s a different story when someone’s trying to pitch a one ounce bucktail into a five square foot patch of water 25-yards away with other boats to the left, trees to the right, and a strong wind in their face!
Although not always the most important factors to consider when casting to fish, achieving good distance and accuracy are certainly two aspects that many fishermen struggle with, and though the actual technique of how someone makes a cast (how they hold the rod, how they push through, where the rod is pointed when the forward push is stopped, and how the line is released) is critical to getting the bait or lure out to where it needs to be, equally and sometimes more important to making a successful cast that will catch a fish is being able to make adjustments to compensate for the effects of wind and other external variables. With that in mind, here's a few tips anglers might wish to consider when casting conditions are less than ideal.
Wind can be good and bad
I'm guessing that not too many anglers head out to go fishing with the hopes that there will be a good breeze that day. Obviously, windy conditions makes for choppy water which can be problematic enough for anglers, trying to cast on a breezy day can be downright frustrating, particularly for someone who is trying to pitch baits or lures with any kind of distance or accuracy. But as much as wind can be a detriment, it can also be an ally for fishermen who know how to use it to their advantage or should I say, how to "play the wind."
Wind affects casts in many ways, it will hold a cast back going directly into it and it will push it left or right when casting across it. Something large and light will always be the most difficult to cast in the wind, while small and heavy will be the easiest. Imagine trying to cast a wiffleball tied to the end of your line compared to casting a golfball. Regardless of wind speed or direction, variations in size and weight of baits and lures must always be taken into account, and anglers must realize that sometimes they will not be able to use what they "want" to fish with as much as what they "can" fish with considering the conditions.
I have a 6" solid balsa popper that catches a lot of fish, but under ideal conditions the best I can cast it is maybe 50-yards. I have another popper of the exact same dimensions that has a weighted core and will cast more than twice as far. It's not as effective at catching fish but will really reach out when they're far away. So even though it’s not as effective once it hits the water, when the wind is blowing hard into my face and I need to cover some distance I’ll go for the heavier plug because at least it will be where the fish are. The difference here has nothing to do with air resistance but how much the weight of the lure loads (flexes) the rod allowing the heavier plug to punch through the wind.
Playing the wind
Just like any sport where objects are thrown, shot, or hurtled through the air, anglers attempting to make accurate casts must be able to "play the wind" if they want their bait or lure to land on target. The longer and higher the cast the more air time it will have and the more the wind will push it off course and, therefore, the further into the wind the angler will need to lead the cast. Big and very light baits or lures are also affected by the wind more than something that's small and heavy. For instance; a bucktail or a spoon will be affected by the wind much more than a Hopkins lure or diamond jig. Anglers must also remember that the line also creates wind resistance so heavy mono is going to be blown around more than a thinner braided line.
The longer a cast is in the air the more the wind will affect it. So, on breezy days anglers can minimize the effects of wind if they keep their casts as low (horizontal) as possible, particularly when they are trying to punch a cast directly into the wind. However, anyone can look like a distance casting champ when they have a strong wind at their back, and it's the one situation where anglers will want to do a "high-hanging" cast in order to get maximum air time and allow the breeze to have its way with their rig. A tail wind will grab not only what's tied to the end of the line but also the line itself and add more than just a few yards to the cast.
The downside of a high downwind cast is what happens when the large rainbow-like arch of line hits the water and creates a bunch of slack between the angler and their bait or lure which will have to be quickly taken up before the lure can be properly worked. An effective technique to minimize the slack in the water is to “feather the spool” or close the reel's bail before the bait or lure hits the water. By slowing or stopping the outflow of line while it's still in the air, the extra slack will be taken up by the forward momentum of the bait or lure, add a few more feet to the cast, and allow the angler to get their offering moving the moment it hits the water.
Feathering the spool
Particularly when casting close to piers, shorelines, bridges or other objects, it's not uncommon for anglers to overshoot their cast and end up hitting and/or snagging the obstacle. Upon realizing that the trajectory of their cast is too long, anglers will often quickly pull their rod back in a futile attempt to slow or stop the momentum of the cast. The best way to keep a cast from going too far is to "feather" the line going out by applying light pressure (with the index finger) to the rim of the spinning reel's spool. With varying amounts of pressure the line can be slowed a little, a lot, or stopped altogether. Feathering is one technique anglers can use to drop a bait or lure exactly where it needs to be.
Cast beyond target and bring it in
The flip side of trying to shorten a cast is when anglers purposefully cast beyond the target and then crank the bait or lure back in toward it. Casting across and beyond the target is particularly helpful for fishermen who don't necessarily have the casting skills to drop the bait or lure exactly where they want it to be every time. As long as they have a decent left and right aim, they can still get their offering where it needs to be. Often this type of cast is the best bet anyway because it allows that angler to swim the bait or lure to the fish they're trying to catch rather than spooking it by plunking lead and line right down on its head.
No matter what type of fishing they "normally" do, sooner or later every fisherman will find themselves in a situation where they need to cast a bait or lure, and while casting isn't for every fisherman - every fisherman needs to know at least the basics of how to cast.
