Underhand Casting

[howardrf]

Would like to try underhand casting for fluke. jigs and bucktails (light) from party boat . Recommend spinning rod type. length and m/mf/mh etc to get distance. Info appreciated.

[RussH]

I mostly only fish from party boats and being able to cast well is an advantage. I have gotten better over the last few years since I started bucktailing. I don't use a spinner though. I find the bail to be extremely annoying. I have had my best lock with a conventional push button reel. I use on my jigging rod, which is a Shimano Travala, a Dawa Luna 253lh. It works for me and I've had friends use it and love it also. I have also have a bigger Luna on a bigger rod that I use for inshore blackfish OR fluking as a backup. I like them.

[Fisherman120]

6'6-7'0 rated 10-20 1-2 ounces would be ideal. The action is up to you but I feel medium heavy gets a better cast by a bit. I have a 7'0 Shimano Teremar rated 3/4-2 ounce MF and my 6'6 Penn Carnage rated 3-5 ounces MH gets a much better cast. Really though at a light bucktail weight medium fast would give better action on the bucktail and I think that's more important then a better cast.

[RussH]

Originally Posted by Fisherman120

6'6-7'0 rated 10-20 1-2 ounces would be ideal. The action is up to you but I feel medium heavy gets a better cast by a bit. I have a 7'0 Shimano Teremar rated 3/4-2 ounce

Those weights, I know people very successfully fish them from party boats. I see it done all the time by a couple sharpies who can catch a limit in a bathtub. I just don't know how they do it. I never get to fish less than 3oz when I go on a party boat. Either the drift is too fast, I'm on the wrong side of the drift, etc. I may pick up a much lighter combo with 10pound braid JUST to try and learn, but for me when I try to cast lighter "most" times outside of the bays I end up scoping out too much line to hold bottom.

[howardrf]

What I see Russ they throw the bucktail or jig ahead of the drift the bounce back.

[howardrf]

I have a few short sticks (6') too short? I have used conventional for me it seems that spinner I get more distance and less bird nests.

[Fisherman120]

Originally Posted by RussH

Those weights, I know people very successfully fish them from party boats. I see it done all the time by a couple sharpies who can catch a limit in a bathtub. I just don't know how they do it. I never get to fish less than 3oz when I go on a party boat. Either the drift is too fast, I'm on the wrong side of the drift, etc. I may pick up a much lighter combo with 10pound braid JUST to try and learn, but for me when I try to cast lighter "most" times outside of the bays I end up scoping out too much line to hold bottom.

That's how I fish, always cast up drift. Even with 30 lb braid in 85 feet of water in the Hamptons and a somewhat fast drift I can hold bottom fine with a 2 ounce jighead. It requires work but the reward is worth it. I'm now switching to 20 lb braid this year. Use either 20-30 lb braid and start casting up, I don't think 10 is worth the possible breakoffs too light in my opinion. In the stern or first few spots in the bow you can always cast up no matter what, just gotta watch those around you and where their lines are. In the bow if the drift is moving in the opposite direction cast up ahead of the anchor/pulpit area without tangling those possibly in front of you. Most captains switch which side has the drift on every drift, so you'll have it directly in front of you to cast up and then an alternate angle.

The part that I have bolded is where you're going wrong. Once you start scoping out line or once you start to get under the boat a bit that's when you should cast out again, this is where it starts to become "work" on certain days. Even though your line isn't in the water as often casting out puts you further away from other presentations and gives the jig better action overall, you'll catch a lot more this way.

[RussH]

I agree that's exactly what they're doing. Casting into the current. I do it also I'm just not asgood at it. As to nesting... I think my reels all have anti reverse on them. My one that doesn't is a non leverwind conventional and I have a lot more trouble with it when I need to cast it. I'm just a slightly better than average fisherman though. Hard to be more than that if you only get out a few times a season in my opinion.