The distance you can cast when surfing is directly related to your potential success when fishing in saltwater. Anyone who wants to catch fish from the beach must develop a good casting technique for maximum distance. However, developing this distance can feel impossible. How do you improve your surfcasting distance?
To improve your surfcasting distance, ensure that you use a lightweight braided line with a heavy shock lead, use a full spool of line, use the right casting techniques and stance, cast harder, use a more powerful rod, practice as much as you can, use the right sinker weight, and use smaller bait.
There are many ways to improve surfcasting distance, and every angler can improve their casting distance by applying a few simple techniques and method changes. Using the right gear can also improve surfcasting distance. With that said, let’s explore the best methods for improving your surfcasting distance.
How To Improve Surf Casting Distance
Surfcasting is exciting and fun, and it holds the potential to catch plenty of amazing fish, but the reality is that without a good casting distance, no surf caster is likely to have much success.
It is vital that any angler fishing from the beach uses the right gear, techniques, and methods for casting as far as possible and developing their accuracy. This significantly increases their probability of success while fishing.
However, every angler has room for improvement. Whether you have been surfcasting for years or you have only been on one trip, there is always room for improvement.
If you want to improve the distance you can cast while surfcasting, there are always some practical steps you can follow, and some tips to use that can help.
Here are some of the best ways to improve your surfcasting distance without changing everything about your technique or rig.
Use A Full Spool Of Line
Among the most basic ways to improve the casting distance you can achieve is to use a full spool of fishing line. This is critical, regardless of the type of line that you use.
If you use a half-depleted spoon of fishing line for surfcasting, the friction the line must overcome to leave the reel at high speed is too great to reach the maximum potential casting distance the gear can achieve.
It may seem unimportant to have a full spool when fishing, but if your goal is to cast as far as possible to increase your chance of success while fishing, using a full spoon is a straightforward and highly effective way to improve your surfcasting distance without changing anything about your techniques, methods, or equipment.
This can sometimes be the only missing piece of the puzzle for experienced surf casters who have every other aspect of their cast dialed in. This also sets new surf casters up for success and increases the chances of casting as far as possible.
Using a full spool versus a semi-depleted spool can make the difference of several feet in a cast.
Use A Light Line With A Heavy Shock Leader
If you are having trouble sending your line out further while surfcasting, the issue may be due to the weight of the line you are using.
Heavy-gauge fishing line is unlikely to cast as far as light-gauge fishing line. This is due to several reasons, including air resistance, friction in the reel, the energy required to cast a heavy line, and even the force of gravity on the line.
For this reason, if you want to improve your surfcasting distance, try using a lighter fishing line. Using a lighter line makes it far easier to cast further, makes your rig much more reliable, and allows you to use less effort when casting while achieving a further distance.
It is critical, however, to use a few feet of heavy shock leader line on your rig to ensure that you can cast with accuracy, that the line is strong enough to handle the cast and the surf, and that the line can support the weight of the rig attached to it during the stresses of casting.
This is another straightforward way to improve your surfcasting distance without requiring a technique change.
Use A Braided Line
This tip is optional, but it can be a key to finding more distance when surfcasting and can be the component in your rig that sends your casts further than ever before.
A braided line is beneficial for surfcasting distance because you can use a lighter line while retaining the strength required to catch powerful fish.
A braided fishing line has a higher tensile strength than a monofilament line, and you can therefore use a lighter gauge with a lighter physical weight while retaining the strength in the line required to catch the fish you are targeting without being concerned about the line breaking.
This is not a requirement for surfcasting, and some anglers do not like using braided lines, but if you are looking for a few extra feet from your cast and are struggling to achieve it, using a braided line can be the answer.
Use Your Rod Like A Lever
Most anglers have a preferred casting technique, and in most situations, casting techniques are relatively unimportant, but if you want to get further cast while fishing from the seashore, it is critical to use the correct casting technique.
A common mistake in surfcasting is to attempt to put as much power into the shaft of the rod with a powerful swing from the dominant arm and shoulder, but this is not the best way to properly load and utilize the power of your fishing rod.
Fishing rods act like a lever with a fulcrum. Think of the butt of your rod as the lever, and the reel as the fulcrum, and when you cast, put more power into pressing the lever down behind the fulcrum.
The physics of this motion applies significantly more energy into the cast with much less effort than trying to move the rod shaft without relying on the butt of the rod.
Pull down with your non-dominant hand with good strength while casting, and you will quickly find more power in your cast, sending your line out much further than before.
Much of the success found in surfcasting involves technique rather than gear. With good fishing and casting techniques, you achieve great things while surfcasting, regardless of your gear.
Use The Correct Stance And Technique
All surf casters know that much more goes into casting the furthest possible distance than correctly using the right gear and your arms. However, the stance and overall technique used when casting has the most significant effect on the distance that an angler can cast.
Using the right technique when surfcasting is vital to get the most from your cast.
It is important to lead strong with your dominant foot when surfcasting and to use your body to cast rather than just your arms, or you will lose power.
The best casting technique for casting the best distance is partly borrowed from spey-casters. Hold your rod across your body and lean back slightly while keeping your weight on the balls of your feet and predominantly on your dominant food.
Swing your rod back slightly and build momentum on the rod by making a small oval motion before starting the cast.
At the in-swing of the oval, shift your weight forward, lean your body into the cast, follow through with your arms by using the rod like a level, and snap the end of the cast with your wrists by stopping the rod list after you reach the top of your swing.
Release the line from your hands at this point and follow the cast through by shifting your weight forward and pulling the rod down with the hand on the butt of the rod.
Ensure your legs are always a little wider than shoulder-width apart, and have your dominant foot set further forward than your non-dominant foot for stability.
This technique and stance should provide the best platform for a long cast, and with practice, you can refine this technique to match your style and ability to get the most from your cast.
Cast Harder
A somewhat straightforward method for improving your surfcasting distance is casting harder.
This can be difficult, and it does require you to have the right gear to cast hard, but if you want to send your line further into the surf, inputting more energy into the system will naturally increase the distance the line is cast.
If you have a very strong rod, you can cast with a lot of force without the risk of breaking it or causing damage to your rig, and the result will be a further cast distance.
However, it is important to consider your gear before casting harder. If your rod cannot handle the higher intensity of cast strength, it will likely break.
Use Smaller, Streamlined Bait
Another practical way to improve casting distance is to use smaller bait and bait that is more streamlined.
Very long surfcasting distances are affected by properties such as aerodynamics and wind resistance. This means that if you have bait on your rig that is wide or too heavy, it will significantly reduce the distance that you can cast.
If your bait is smaller, lighter, and more streamlined, you can send it further with less effort.
A good way to do this is to pack your bait tighter into one area of the rig and ensure that no part of it comes loose during the cast.
You can also use specialized surfcasting bait designed to be light but effective or natural bait that is very lightweight and easy to pack tight, such as shrimp.
The lighter, more streamlined, less air resistant, and more compact your bait is, the further you can cast into the surf.
Use The Appropriate Sinker To Load Your Rod
Another important factor when trying to cast further is to use the right weight of the sinker to properly load your fishing rod. Most rods have a load indicator printed on them or on their packaging that indicates the right weight of sinker to use to properly load the rod for the most effective cast.
Fishing rods act like spring levers when used for casting, and this requires that the correct load is applied to them for the rod to store the correct level of energy to propel the rig as far and accurately as possible.
If you use a sinker that is too light, it will not properly load the rod, and it will not spring forward with enough speed to achieve a maximum cast distance.
If you use a weight that is too heavy, the rod will not overcome the weight of the sinker quickly enough to propel the rig forward fast enough to achieve maximum cast.
That said, if you use the right sinker weight that correctly loads the rod, it will behave optimally, discharging the force applied to it correctly and sending your cast out much further.
This means that if you are having trouble reaching a far casting distance, you may need to adjust the weight of the sinker you use, lighter or heavier, depending on the rod you are using.
Most anglers think it is counterproductive to increase the weight of a sinker on a surfcasting line, but if the weight is not correct to load the rod well, it will never cast as far as it is capable of, and increasing the weight may solve the issue.
The same is true with reducing the weight of your sinker.
Take the time to find the correct load weight for your fishing rod, and load it correctly to achieve the best possible surfcasting distance.
Cast Smoothly With A Slow Start
A good technique alteration to make that can increase the distance of your cast while fishing is to start your cast slower than you usually do.
Starting your cast slowly and increasing the speed consistently until you release the line is an excellent way to ensure that your rod and rig are correctly loaded, ensuring the cast will go as far as possible.
Starting your cast too quickly can result in an uneven load on the rod and limit the possible energy outlay from the cast, reducing the overall effectiveness of the cast.
It is important not to start the cast too slowly, but to find the balance between fast and slow, to find the optimal casting speed for your rig. Take time with this, and practice finding that sweet spot to get the most from your gear.
Allow No Slack In The Line
Slack in your fishing line is an issue that can cause a reduction in surfcasting distance. Any slack in your line at any point in your rig creates a potential loss of energy and strength in the system, reducing the amount of energy the system can use to cast the bait into the surf.
This means that if you allow in slack in your line, your cast will be far shorter than it could be.
Take the time to set your rig correctly, and hold your line as tight as possible before casting to ensure that your cast goes as far as possible.
Practice As Much As Possible
An important key to learning to improve your surfcasting distance is to practice.
This is a basic tip for casting further, but the reality is that without practicing, you will never develop a truly long-distance cast.
Even when you do not live near the coast, it is important to practice your surfcasting distance by field casting or by fishing in lakes and rivers to develop and maintain your casting skills.
Without intense, steady, and consistent practice, you will never develop your skill to the point where you can cast as far as your gear will allow.
Use A More Powerful Rod
If you have good casting technique, use the right rig and bait, and if you have practiced enough to cast well and you still want to increase your surfcasting distance, a good option is to upgrade your rod to a more powerful model.
Larger, higher-gauge fishing rods are more challenging to use, and they can make fishing, in general, more difficult, but if you want to cast further, sometimes the only option is to switch to a more powerful rod.
If you need to use a more powerful rod, take the time to find one that suits your need and fishing requirements, and you will find it far easier to cast further.
Conclusion
Improving your surf casting distance can be as simple as improving the technique or stance you use, switching to a lighter line, or using smaller bait, or it can require upgrading your gear and taking more time to practice and develop your casting ability.
Regardless of how experienced you are, there is always a way to improve your surfcasting distance. All you need is to take the time to find out where the shortcomings in your cast are and address the issues to increase the distance you can cast.
Hi, I’m Tommy Bull. I can safely say that this was one of the best days of my adult life. The weather was perfect, not too hot or too cold, the lake was peaceful and still, and my bounty was impeccable.
This day is what started my love of fishing. Since then, I’ve been traveling around different lakes to see if I can match the magic of Irvine lake. No luck yet, but I remain hopeful. Until then, I can always count on Irvine lake to remind me of that feeling.
Anyway, I created Irvine Lake to teach people how to fish so that they feel more confident to go out and find their own fishing spot to embrace that feeling.
From then on, the site has grown to encompass my love of all things camping and outdoors too.
