9 Out Of 10 Fishing Guides Say This Is The #1 Mistake Anglers Make…
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on January 25, 2018
- Found In: Fishing Secrets, Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Salt Strong Podcast
Man, I really hate doing it…
What’s that you say?
I hate admitting that I need improvement in certain parts of my fishing game.
Why?
Well, you’d think after many decades of fishing that we’d all somehow finally “figure it all out” and become incredibly consistent at catching fish…
But I’m like Jekyll and Hyde out there on the water!
One day I’m on complete fire (where I can catch anything in my vicinity), and yet the next day I get completely SKUNKED.
Fishing can be so frustrating!
And recently, I figured out one of the main things holding me back.
Unfortunately, it came at the expense of my good friend, Capt. CA Richardson…
Here’s what happened:
Capt CA had just finished re-confirming the #1 mistake he saw on his boat… the #1 reason he says that people miss trophy fish…
Bad Casting.
And he wasn’t talking about newbies…
He was talking about very skilled fishermen (some who have been doing hard-core fishing for 30+ years).
He went on to explain the two most important factors for any serious inshore fisherman (here they are in case you are curious):
- #1 Most critical factor: Finding the feeding zones (nothing else matters if you aren’t in an area with fish)
- #2 Most critical factor: Making long and accurate casts
And while he was saying it, I kept thinking to myself…
“He’s not talking about me… I know how to find spots AND I know how to cast well.”
But then, just 40 minutes later, with CA poling me around and working his tail off while I sat up on the bow relaxing, he spotted a nice fish from the platform.
“Joe, there’s a nice snook at 11:00. Cast a few feet past it and few feet to left.”
I flipped open the bail, loaded the road, and then let her rip…
Can you guess what I did?
I cast my lure right on top of the snook’s head…
SPOOKED!
I turned around and gave my best “I’m sorry” look, but deep down I knew that I blew it because I wasn’t as consistent with my casting as I believed I was.
And then my gut check was confirmed over and over again as we kept asking other full-time inshore guides the same question.
“What the #1 mistake you see on your boat?”
Casting.
Casting.
Bad casting.
Inaccurate Casting.
Casting.
Casting.
Bad Casters.
Not being able to cast far enough to reach the fish.
Casting.
And if you are wondering what the other guide said who didn’t mention casting (the 1 out of 10).
Well, his answer was that not enough people know how to “Run that Dog!” (you can guess who that was… haha).
But in all seriousness, casting is one of those things that is rarely talked about (except with newbies), yet it’s one of the most critical skills when it comes to fishing… it truly does separate the weekend warriors from the pros.
Because think about it, he or she who gets their bait in front of the most fish catches the most fish (and that means being able to cast with laser-like precision AND being able to cast farther than the angler next to you to reach the fish they miss).
Well, I’ve got some good news for you!
Not only did we put together a risk-free online course called, “Casting Mastery” (you can grab a copy of the full course for 30 days for just $1 here), but we also made casting mechanics the topic for this week’s podcast.
Make sure to check it out below.
Bad Casting Done Right
Click the play button below to listen to the podcast here on this site
Click either button below to go directly to iTunes or Stitcher to download the episode.
Conclusion
In conclusion, don’t find yourself missing out on the catch of the lifetime because you don’t have the best casting mechanics (or embarrass yourself in front of a professional who is poling you around like I did).
It took me a long time to admit I could get better at casting, but I am so grateful I did.
If you want to start casting farther and more accurate than ever before, I urge you to go through Luke’s Casting Mastery Course.
We’ve taken all of the risk off of you and put it back on us… either you cast a MINIMUM of 10 feet farther (or you don’t pay).
Any questions?
Let us know in the comments.
Fish On!
P.S. – If you think your angler friends or fishing networks would like to see this, please Tag them or Share this with them. You Rock! Pa-POW!
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Agree that the rod is more important with a spinning outfit. Baitcasters are another story. I understand that spinning is by far the most popular light tackle option. Unfortunately I have a physical issue that makes spinning impractical. A quality baitcaster is essential for good casting. For years my go to was a Black Max or Calcutta. After trying multiple low profile inshore models I have discovered the Revo inshore gen 3 which is by far my favorite. Thankful for generous children and Father’s Day Christmas and birthday presents. I’m a 63 year old plug chunker. Fishing tackle prices have sure gone up since I was a kid.
In your opinion what would be the best braided line (brand,size…)to optimize the distance and accuracy of your cast? Which one are you using?
Any rule of thumb of how long past the tip to have the line out when casting in this method? Enjoyed the podcast. I’ll take the course later. Thanks.
I like to have roughly 20 to 30 inches out when going for distance. And I’ll go shorter when focusing on accuracy (especially when skip casting).
Note: The exact distance varies based on the rod, so I recommend experimenting with different lengths to see which one feels the most efficient.
So after fishing for 45 years, I had to listen to your video to ring a bell in my cranium. Being a freshwater super star (HO HO) most bass assassins ruffle there feathers with every cast to that incredibly tight spot next to shore. Too bad ya just blasted that decent bass. So I guess I’m just saying thanks for ringing the bell for me. Can’t wait for the ice to get off the lakes up here in the northern ILLinOIZ area. Keep the tips coming guyz!
Hahaha. Yes sir, as I openly admitted in the post, I needed a reminder myself. Tight lines my friend. Thanks for listening in and taking the time to comment.