The Essence of Fishing

Making your bass fishing trip a successful one begins with taking the right bass tackle with you. However, for beginners, choosing the right bass rod is not a simple task as it might look. The are dozens of manufacturers offering hundreds, and I dare say even thousands, bass rods models and each and every one of them looks delicious and overloaded with characteristics and buzzwords. So, what is the right bass rod? In this installment I will try to unveil the mystery.

Every expert bass angler will tell you that in bass fishing each type of lure requires different type of rod. Bass rods have few main parameters:  

• Sensitivity - helps you to sense and, with time, to know what is going on with bait.
• Tip Action - The tip softness help you controlling the casting accuracy. However, too soft will makes it difficult working with some lures.
• Power - heavy, medium or light. Depends on the size of the fish you are after. Big fish requires heavy rods with the right lures and the right technique to go with it.
• Length- between 6′ and 8′ and usually derived from the fishing technique which, in turn, depends on the type of lure you are using.

Bass lures are fascinating world and sometimes I cant even believe how much technology and innovation companies put into it. Most of the lures falls into very few categories and I will elaborate on what type of bass rod  required of each.

Worms
With worms you will need a rod with excellent sensitivity, soft tip for casting accuracy and medium-heavy power for hook-setting. The rod should have trigger handle with length between 6′8″ and 7′. The reel that come with it is a casting type reel. If you choose to go with the 7′ rod you may also use it for Flipping and Pitching techniques.

Spinnerbaits and Topwaters
Working with spinnerbaits requires continuously casting. So first, look for lightweight rod from IM6 or IM7 materials. The length should range between 6′ and 6′6″ with medium-soft tip and medium power. Remember, with the range, shorter rods will give you better casting accuracy whereas with longer rods you will have better casting distance. Pair this rod with at least 6 gear ration casting reel.

Crankbaits
Again, with these kind of lures continuously casting is needed. So lightweight rod is an important element. Sensitivity is important as well. Sensitive rod will help you feel what is going on with your lure while it swims. The length of the rod depends on the type of the crankbait. Consider a 6′6″ rod for deep-diving crankbait along with low gear ration reel. For lipless cracks use 7′ rod with high speed reel. Both rods should have light-medium power and medium tip.

What to buy
As a fan of Hookset Global tackle I would recommend you to look for their staff in online stores. They have quality bass tackle, especially bass rods, for most of the bass fishing type. Consider their MightyBass series which has the best value for money I know.
I will cover Hookset Global bass rods more closely with the next weeks. Until then, may you basket smell from fish.

Introduction

In my previous installment, Proficient your surf casting techniques - part 1, I have described the Straight Off The Ground technique which is good casting way to reach more then 100 meters both for beginners and intermediate anglers. In this installment I will describe the next step in surf casting technique, the Pendulum Cast.

The Pendulum Cast

When a surf fisherman becomes more comfortable and experienced with the Straight Off The Ground casting and desires more better casting distance, the Pendulum is should be considered as the next step in surf casting techniques. To an outside viewer the the two casts might looks very much the same. However, with practice, the Pendulum can take you beyond 200 meters.

The main difference is that the sinker held at eye lever rather then on the ground. From this point, the cast begins by swinging the sinker away from the body resembling a pendulum. Now, and this is the tricky part, you should feel the swinging motion of the sinker. When you “feel” the sinker is about to reach its maximum out swing distance, the head and shoulders begin turning to the target, pulling the body along with them. From this point, the Pendulum cast uses the same motion as the Straight Off the Ground cast with one twist. The actual casting should be coordinated with the sinker in order to use its outside swing energy. this energy is what makes this surf casting technique so efficient. With practice, reaching 200 meters casting distance is not exaggeration.

Experienced fishermen might use special fishing tackle for better results. Usually the fishing rod is 3 pieces and about 4.5 meters long with up to 300g casting weight. The fishing reel should have long casting spool with easy line out features.

Introduction

A critical key element in surf fishing is the ability to cast effectively and distance is the only consideration. Sometimes, especially where fish are not far from the shore, accurate casting is more important than distance. However, most successful surf fishermen master both accuracy and distance. Experience in reading wind, current and wave action will dramatically improve an angler’s probability to catch fish in the surf, but with a little instruction and practice, even beginning fishermen can have enough skill to enjoy surf fishing.
There are two basic techniques of casting used by surf fishermen: the straight off the ground cast and the pendulum cast. Many experienced surf fishermen recommend that beginners start with the straight off the ground cast, moving to the pendulum cast as they become more experienced and comfortable.In this installment I will describe the straight off the ground casting.

Beginners Luck

Another expert’s recommendation is that beginners limit their surf fishing trips to calm days on a beach with known populations of fish. They also encourage newcomers to practice casting technique, even on ground, before making attempts to catch fish. This step helps a beginner become more comfortable with the act of casting without the pressure of trying to land a fish. Beginners should keep in mind that it is not necessary to start with long casts as fish can often be found relatively close to shore.

Positioning: First casts should be made with the straight off the ground technique. To cast straight off the ground, the beginner should draw an imaginary line in the sand pointing straight to the water. Then the beginner should draw a second line, between himself and the original line, in the sand running back and away from the first line at about a 45-degree angle. The feet are positioned about parallel to this second line, so the body is turned about a quarter of a turn from the original line and with the back toward the water.

Casting: from this position, the sinker is laid on the ground on the same line on which the rod tip is held. The beginner looks toward the line to which you want the sinker to travel. With both hands on the rod, the rod is then pulled forward as if it were a spear. The left arm is pulled down while at the same time the right hand is pulled forward in a motion similar to a punching motion. This motion continues past the body. It is not required to overpower the cast. With proper execution of this technique and a little practice, a beginner should be able to cast up to 80 meters without much effort. Some practice may be required to become comfortable with applying light pressure to a revolving reel and backlash experiences may be expected early on. Intermediate Casting

Most intermediate skill level surf fishermen will utilize the straight off the ground casting technique. However, there are some skills that can be added to increase the distance and accuracy of the cast. While beginning casters use very little body motion when casting, intermediate level casters may add body rotation and, in general, they are more fluid in their motion and are more conscious of their follow through.
Intermediate casters follow the same initial steps for setting up that beginners do however, they are able to add shoulder rotation and weight transfer to both increasing the length of the casting motion and increasing the amount of power transferred. This motion begins at the initial setup and continues as the shoulders rotate toward the target throughout the motion. Weight shifts first to the back foot and then to the forward foot. The casting motion becomes more fluid and consistent. The follow through is held with the tip aimed more directly toward the sea, rather than toward the sky or the sand for many beginners, which allows better line flight. With these simple improvements, casting distance can easily be increased to around 120 meters.

In my next surf casting techniques installment, I will elaborate on the Pendulum Cast which, when done with dexterity, can easily reach the distance of 200 meters and beyond. As rule of caution always make sure there is no one in the area where the sinker might go in case the line breaks.