[kevmac]

hiya everyone, well i went out for the 1st time yesterday and my fishing rod is still a virgin, i went to westbay and found the local tackel shop, the guy said it wasnt fishing very well yet but i still had a go as i wanted to learn to cast properly, the main problem i found with casting was the line getting caught around the line clip on the reel, but by the end of the day i was getting a lot better, i lost loads of weights and rigs ( in fact all my weights ), i started fishing when the tide was out with small bits of mackeral on a 2 hook rig, although i did have a couple of bites later when the tide was coming in. I sat and watched a couple of other fishermen when i packed up and they made casting seem so effortless ( not like me, mine was like i was trying to launch myself out to sea lol ), they did tell me that where i was fishing was very rocky and not a great place for me to learn ( they did mention a field to practise casting as this was a lot cheaper), i will be heading off to seaton soon and the 1st stop will have to be the tackle shop to restock my tackle
kev

 

[beefcake]

shame but atleast you tried
the field is a good idea!!!
beefcake

 

[Fred]

Kevmac

Get advice from a coach. It will shorten the learning process. Ring Sea Angler magazine on 0870 062 2283 who will give you names of casting coaches in your area.

Fred

 

[kevmac]

cheers for that Fred i will be ringing them 1st thing monday morning, im afraid i was rather ignorant to the fact of casting i thought it was all about just chucking it out there, im quite a big guy at 6ft 5 and 20 odd stone so i thought i would have no probs, i was well wrong, as i said i watched a couple of guys fishing and they seemed to make casting so effortless and the tackle was winging its way past anything i had cast, once again Fred cheersssssssss
kev

 

[poacher]

well done kev, at least you are keen, its the 1s that go 1st time and give it up straight away are the 1s you want to worry about m8, but i think you are hooked, the fish will start pretty soon, when you start catching you may need a good solicitor, cos the wife wont see you at all. hee hee. thats if you are married, carry on the good work,,

 

[Fred]

Kevmac

Don't forget tomorrows a bank holiday, ring Tuesday.

Fred

 

[beefcake]

what sort of reel do you have? (multiplier or fixed spool)
what make is it?
beefcake

 

[Marcus]

well if he getting stuck on the line clip its probably a fixed spool..

I had that same problem when i started to fish..

The reel would'nt be a shakespear hurricane would it??

I ripped my line clip off...Never used it,,never will..

try and find out the best ground to fish next time you go out,,ask about for the best spots,,try to avoid rough ground first..

When u cast..start by gently lobbing it (like u would use a pick axe)..and letting go of the line(which should be under the tip of your index finger) at roughly a 45 degree angle..remember,,start gently..and it will all come to you

 

[kevmac]

well my 2nd trip out went much better, i went to seaton on sunday and altough i didnt catch anything i didnt lose any tackle either so i was well chuffed, i had a stroll along the beach and nobody was catching anything so at least it wasnt somit i was doing wrong. My casting is getting much better as i spent quite a while just casting out , i am now looking forward to the weekend so i can have another crack at catching a few ( fingers crossed )
kev

 

[kevmac]

hiya marcus and beefcake yes i use a fixed spool reel, its just a rod and a reel i grabbed at a tackle shop at the coast, one of them you buy complete, i will soon be investing in a good rod and reel
kev

 

[ouchthathurt]

when you buy a new rod and reel, get one that YOU can bend, i brought a new beachcaster and was told it was a good casting tool, mabe, but not for a 5'4'' 9stone bloke like me, i couldnt bend the rod and consequently i couldnt cast very well... i swapped it for a lighter weight, 'bendier' rod, and i can pass the 100yrd mark with ease now. casting should be effortless. and casting coaches will improve your casting much quicker than self taught casters. theres an article about casting coaches in this moths sea angler that you may find useful. also try using lug or rag as a bait if you dont already do so, ive caught loads of different species on lug, even species that ''dont eat'' lugworms...

best of all, just keep enjoying it. rigs, location bait and presentation is more important than launching it to the horizion. i have more sucess 40-60yrds out than i do 100yrds out.

got any peirs or breakwaters near you? tr those, they give access to deep water close in, negating the need for long casts. thank god those victorians wanted fancy long peirs eh?

 

[Marcus]

Hey Kev,,im curious.

is your reel a shakespear Hurricane??

 

[dicky]

kev,

join west bay sea angling club.
fish thier club matches and i'm sure the members will be only to happy to help you.
it's much easier to learn with someone showing you on the beach.

 

[kevmac]

cheers guys for your advice the kit i bought was just a cheap and cheerful i wanted to see how i would get on with shore fishing, i reckon im hooked so i will be investing in some better kit soon, my reel at the moment Marcus is one i have never heard the name of its called a master blaster ( yeah right lol) thats the only name on the reel
Dicky i will look into joining a sea angling club i have never thought of that before so cheers, i did hear last week that they are going to shut most of west bay down, i dont know if there is any truth to this or not but i hope they dont