casting

[newbie_fish]

what is the average casting distance while fishing the salt? Also what weight line?

mike

[Steve Buckner]

Rod weight will be dependent upon what species you're pursuing. For SRC's, I would suggest #4-#6 weight rods, for salmon, depending upon the species, you may need to go up to a #9 or #10, as in the case of Chinook. I use #7 weight rod for Pinks and Silvers.

As for distance, the more water you can cover and the more effectively that you can cover it, the more chances you'll have for success. I would suggest that you should be able to cast at least 50' as a minimum. A 50' cast that may be far if you haven't spent time improving your distance casting, and with practice, you should be able to do considerably better than that. If you don't already know how to haul or double-haul you'd be doing yourself a favor by learning those techniques.

Best of luck!

[Bob Triggs]

12 feet.

[salt dog]

Newbie Fish, you should disregard Bob's comment; everyone knows he is a fish whisperer, so he only has to cast 12 feet as the fish willingly come nearly to his boots. Its part of his secret fly fishing techniques. He could teach you the secret, but then he'd have to kill you, or charge$$ you, which ever appeared most appropriate after his instruction. :clown:

Hook-ups frequently happen very close to you, especially in low light. I would bet more fish are lost by bad wading than caught from long distance casting. Knowledge of the habits of your quarry, stealth in your approach and presentation, and awareness are part of the whole thing, along with solid casting. 50' or better will put you into fish more consistently. But don't over-stress one aspect at the expense of the others.

[Dizane]

The largest silver I ever hooked struck while my fly dangled from my rod tip while standing in knee deep water. No cast required.

[Richard]

The largest silver I ever hooked struck while my fly dangled from my rod tip while standing in knee deep water. No cast required.

I'm trying to figure out how your post relates to the question . . . :confused: Is the moral 'just dangle your fly out of your rod tip and fish knee deep water'?

[Richard]

what is the average casting distance while fishing the salt? Also what weight line?

mike

Generally speaking, the further you can cast, the more water you cover, the longer your fly is in the water and, all other items being equal, this theoretically should transfer in to more fish being caught.

If you can cast 65-70'+, which is a reasonably attainable distance for most fly fishers using good rods and fly lines, you should do just fine. If you can cast further, even better, but those distances should suffice.

IMHO, a fast action 6 weight, equipped with a quality reel with a good drag, will work for 90+% of the fishing you can do in the Sound. A 7 weight is considered by some to be a good choice, because it casts better in windy conditions and can also work for the larger salmon that are available in the fall (though it's still on the small side), but the 7 weight is a little too much rod (again, in my opinion) for resident coho and searun cutts. A buddy of mine was a 7 weight advocate, but he moved down to a 6 weight. I have several 6 weights that are my salt only sticks, with the 8 weights used in the fall.

There are many other factors that affect your fishing success, like good hooks, good hook setting abilities, etc. But those are other topics. :rolleyes:

[Porter]

And a stripping basket will help too :) ...provided you are beach fishing which I assumed you were asking about. The stripping basket will allow you to shoot much more line than line laying in water trying to overcome the surface friction/current/seaweed/your legs, etc. You can make your own or buy inexpensive ones...you'll be glad you did!!!

[wolverine]

For salmon fishing distance is king. That said most strikes happen close to shore. Silvers tend to follow a while before they take. I use a 10' 7 wt for most fishing but pull out the 9 wt in October for the bigger ocean silvers and chum. Often times I find the need for the 9 wt when the cursed winds are blowing.

[Ron Crawford]

I use a 6wt for searun cutthroat and a 8wt for salmon.

For cutthroat you don't really need big distance beacause most of them are within 20 to 30 feet from the shore.

However for salmon you want as much distance as you can possible get. With this in mind, my 8wt is setup with a shooting head line to maximze the distance. I can get 60 to 70 feet with this setup which works pretty well. I wish I could get it out further, but I probably need to take a lesson to get there.

[gt]

distance is a very good thing so long as you have learned how to stay in 'touch' with your fly.

slack, bellies, wave action, current flows will all interact with your fly. you should be tempering your casting distance with your ability to control your presentations. big distance casters are using a short, heavy shooting head with a running line made for this purpose. 100-150' casts are not that uncommon.

BUTT, ask yourself if the areas you fish warrant this sort of distance and then think about how you might be able to stay in touch with that fly.

you can't have one without the other and be successful.

[Dizane]

I'm trying to figure out how your post relates to the question . . . :confused: Is the moral 'just dangle your fly out of your rod tip and fish knee deep water'?

Yup, that's all I ever do.;)

The MORAL...if there is one...is that SRC are most always (and salmon quite often) very close to the beach. While longer casts will do all of the things you mentioned, they usually aren't needed to actually reach water that holds fish.

[Richard]

And a stripping basket will help too :) ...provided you are beach fishing which I assumed you were asking about. The stripping basket will allow you to shoot much more line than line laying in water trying to overcome the surface friction/current/seaweed/your legs, etc. You can make your own or buy inexpensive ones...you'll be glad you did!!!

Porter speaks the truth. A stripping basket is invaluable.

LL Bean offers one for $20 that is an incredible value.

[David Loy]

Warning! Hijack!
On that note... I have the LL Bean stripping basket and think it's great. It's contoured, has a nice belt, great tits. However it seems to me that there is something else at work here. Numerous posts and books seem to indicate that the "real man" builds his own and if you spent more than a buck doing so, you're a loser. Just my perspective but I thought $20 was a decent price. Something like the $15 golf umbrella, one of the only bargains out there. Flame on!
;-)

[Stonefish]

Ben,
I built my own but it cost a whole $5.00, so I can't figure out if I'm a loser or not? :rofl: .
By the way, iagree the LL Bean basket is a great value.
Brian

[David Loy]

Brian - I think you're still a winner at $5.
Actually, I think I paid around $30 for the basket locally. I justified the extra $10 as instant gratification and local shop support.

[Porter]

Warning! Hijack!
On that note... I have the LL Bean stripping basket and think it's great. It's contoured, has a nice belt, great tits. However it seems to me that there is something else at work here. Numerous posts and books seem to indicate that the "real man" builds his own and if you spent more than a buck doing so, you're a loser. Just my perspective but I thought $20 was a decent price. Something like the $15 golf umbrella, one of the only bargains out there. Flame on!
;-)

If in a pinch or a mighty penny pincher a baseball cap with bell tucked in belt is a doable basket....not as practical but can be helpful.

I'm not a "real man" :(

I have the $20 LL Bean and it is a good deal and works well.....however I'm intrigued with that newer one that unfolds/zips into a little pouch that you can attach to a wader belt/or maybe it comes with a belt. I'm not sure of it's frame strength? ...might be a glorified baseball cap thing. I have only seen pictures not an actual one....just another little toy I probably don't need. :clown:

PS ..a stripping basket is also useful as a rod holder when in water while you change your fly or untangle those nasty wind knots :)

[finnfisher]

I went to Fred Meyer and bought a 'Rubbermaid' dish pan (12"x13" or so) and cut 2 vertical slots in one side at the corners to fit my wader belt. It works great! $3.99:D

[espja]

I went to Fred Meyer and bought a 'Rubbermaid' dish pan (12"x13" or so) and cut 2 vertical slots in one side at the corners to fit my wader belt. It works great! $3.99:D

I think everybody starts with one of those.....then sooner or later get tired of the bullshit and buys an Orvis or LLBean variety.

Joe

[Bob Triggs]

The largest silver I ever hooked struck while my fly dangled from my rod tip while standing in knee deep water. No cast required.

I rest my case! :cool:

[Bob Triggs]

I think everybody starts with one of those.....then sooner or later get tired of the bullshit and buys an Orvis or LLBean variety.

Joe

I went to a KMART twelve years ago and bought two Rubbermaid Dishpans on sale for the price of one. I found a good rubber bungeee cord, with plastic coated hooks, on the road that night while driving to the salt to fish. I heated up the tip of a phillips head screwdriver and pushed the hot metal point into and through the plastic pan rim at each corner, making four holes about 3/8 inch dimeter. Just to annoy my Hoity-Toity Yale Anglers friends I slapped a big Orvis logo sticker on one end and went fishing. I have been using that basket ever since without a problem. The whole deal is about thirty five dollars less than Orvis or LL Bean. :cool:

[espja]

I have been using that basket ever since without a problem. The whole deal is about thirty five dollars less than Orvis or LL Bean. :cool:

Bob congratulation!
Your basket must have come free....LLbeans basket is only $19.50.

[Porter]

I went to a KMART twelve years ago and bought two Rubbermaid Dishpans on sale for the price of one. I found a good rubber bungeee cord, with plastic coated hooks, on the road that night while driving to the salt to fish. I heated up the tip of a phillips head screwdriver and pushed the hot metal point into and through the plastic pan rim at each corner, making four holes about 3/8 inch dimeter. Just to annoy my Hoity-Toity Yale Anglers friends I slapped a big Orvis logo sticker on one end and went fishing. I have been using that basket ever since without a problem. The whole deal is about thirty five dollars less than Orvis or LL Bean. :cool:


Cough ...Cough...Cough...Bull Shieet! 35.00 less..c'mon. 20.00 from LL and I ordered a couple other things so shipping was probably 2.00 for that item. They have free shipping promo's from time to time too! :clown:

Curious in the rubber maid type baskets...if no holes you do need to drill some for drainage...right? Other wise it can become a heavy bucket of water and line will coil into a big mess. I have seen some guys glue like 200lb fish line spikes to bottom to provide line seperaters (cones).....No matter what you choose they all do a good job! :)

[Anil]

I went to a KMART twelve years ago and bought two Rubbermaid Dishpans on sale for the price of one. I found a good rubber bungeee cord, with plastic coated hooks, on the road that night while driving to the salt to fish. I heated up the tip of a phillips head screwdriver and pushed the hot metal point into and through the plastic pan rim at each corner, making four holes about 3/8 inch dimeter. Just to annoy my Hoity-Toity Yale Anglers friends I slapped a big Orvis logo sticker on one end and went fishing. I have been using that basket ever since without a problem. The whole deal is about thirty five dollars less than Orvis or LL Bean. :cool:
What's the basket for? You don't cast do you?

[Bob Triggs]

Two replies:

The Orvis basket was about $40-$50 at one time. (Dunno on the LL._

Point is it is cheaper and works well for me.

My two Rubbermaid Dishpans at KMARTT were $3.79

I have found that using the rubbermaid dishpan as is, without holes or wires, cones etc, has been most versatile and helpful.

If you get a splash of water you just tip it back toward you and dump the water out. If you stumble or fall in it just bounces around and spills out most of the water, then you just tip it up and dump it again. With a rigid belt on a basket it may be harder to get the water out quickly and this can be a safety issue in surf, wading beyond the breakline etc.

I have witnessed people on jetty walls back east get slammed to the rocks when a wash of water filled their oversized Orvis baskets with a lot of water. Same was sen in the surf a few times. They had trouble quickly getting the belt disconnected. Falling into a rip current with a rigid belt could be very hard to handle as the basket would hit the flow like a sail on a boat and you would possibly be moving, tumbling etc very rapidly.

I make the holes at each corner big enough to get the bungee hooks out easily and quickly. Burning the holes into the plastic leaves a melted rim of reinforcement at the rim of each hole. They dont terar as easily as a hole that is punched or drilled. The bungee should be loose enough that the basket hangs low and loose. This waya sudden dump of water in it will just result in it flopping downward.

By not putting wires or cones in the basket, nor drilling holes for drainage, I am able to use the basket for more work; I can just strip and cast and carry line, I can put my reel in the basket and take it apart without losing any parts, I can lay a sandwich and small thermos in it, and my headlamp in it too, and have a snack while wading the flats off of the coastal New England shoreleine in the dark, I can store wet boots and rolled up waders in it and keep the truck dry and clean for travel, Or stuff it all into a plastic bag and then into luggage for air travel, I can wash camp dishes in it etc. With holes and seperator wires I cant do much of that. I dont have any more tangles of line with this arrangement than I have had with the line seperator baskets.

My motto: Inexpensive but cheap!

[Anil]

My experience has been different. I have found that my line tangles far less when I am using a basket that has dividers such as cones or hoops.
Drilled holes can be a nice feature, but I would agree that a basket that lacks holes will stay damp and may help with line management and shooting. As far as big waves knocking me off of jetties, this has yet to be an issue in the Puget Sound, where Jetties are as rare as large waves.
Finally, secondary uses for a basket are always nice, but my primary requirement for a stripping basket is how well it works for line management.

[hendersonbaylocal]

You paid $3.79?

How about 99 cents at Target with an old lifejackjet buckle as a strap?

I challenge all to come up with a cheaper one than that! :ray1:

[RedFive]

What's the basket for? You don't cast do you?

LMFAO. An appropriately pointed question. :rofl:

I agree with Anil. I have no love for Orvis, but I do like their stripping basket, which doesn't seem oversized at all to me. A friend has the LL Bean one and is very pleased, too. Both have a straightforward and thoughtful design. I think the cones are an especially useful feature and anyone using an Outbound, Forty Plus or other shooting head would probably agree with me.

Do I think the Orvis basket is worth $60 or whatever the hell it costs? Yeah--but then again, I'm not a handy type. That is to say, I'm not good with hot screwdrivers, plastic and bungee cords. You know, stuff that could potentially hurt me b/c of my lack of ingenuity. :)

Here's an idea--if you want to try one out, ask someone you know who has one if you can fish with it for a day. If you don't know anyone who does, PM me and I'll let you try mine while we're on the water. :beer2:

[wolverine]

I've got The LL Bean basket an really like it. I don't drill holes to let the water out as in order to do any good they'd have to be huge. Besides the basket makes a good beer holder and if it tipped and the basket had holes I'd lose my beer.

[Porter]

I've got The LL Bean basket an really like it. I don't drill holes to let the water out as in order to do any good they'd have to be huge. Besides the basket makes a good beer holder and if it tipped and the basket had holes I'd lose my beer.

Genius :ray1: :ray1:

[Dizane]

I rest my case! :cool:

Someone understands:beer2:


You paid $3.79?

How about 99 cents at Target with an old lifejackjet buckle as a strap?

I challenge all to come up with a cheaper one than that! :ray1:

My basket is an old Coca Cola crate I found while working for Bellevue Parks. Couple that with a bungee cord from my parents garage and you've got total price at $0. In fact, I got paid $10.50 for the hour that I found the Coca Cola crate...

[Richard]

I've got The LL Bean basket an really like it. I don't drill holes to let the water out as in order to do any good they'd have to be huge. Besides the basket makes a good beer holder and if it tipped and the basket had holes I'd lose my beer.

I like to drill the holes a small distance up from the bottom; not necessarily to save my beer if it spilled, but to leave a little water in the bottom to keep the line lubed.

I also agree with Anil about the cones; they're a huge deal in keeping the line from tangling on itself. A big deal.

Porter, those collapsible kind are problematic. They often don't have a flat bottom like the rigid kind, and because of that the line tends to collect in that seam or low spot and tangle. I find the rigid kind useful in packing stuff around, too. It also goes on trips to Mexico or whever; I just pack it first in to the suitcase, and stuff gets packed inside it. So, in essence, it takes up virtually no room.

I too have the Rubbermaid type, and I know Stonefish does, too. And although we both paid $4 for them, we've paid a couple of bucks more to doctor them up. I bought a plastic insert that has cones built in to it especially sized and made for the Rubbermaid basket. Stonefish bought some little tapered flat topped "doll" hats from a hobby shop and glued them down in the bottom of his basket. Both of us drilled holes just under the top rim, and use bungee cords as belts.

We probably have about $10-12 each in to them (we're not as lucky as Triggs and find stuff like that bungee he found), but also have time in to making them. That's what makes the LL Bean bucket such a deal; it's ready to go, with belt and cones and cutout to hold a rod, for just a tad more than a person can realistically make their own. There's a lot of value (to me) in just picking it up and going, ready to rock and roll and know it's made correctly. LL Bean didn't have it out when I made mine, otherwise I'd own the Bean bucket.

Bottom line, with it's the collapsible type, the Bean or Orvis basket, or the make your own out of a Rubbermaid dish pan basket, you can probably tell from this thread that many people consider a stripping basket. Even the guys who only dangle their fly just out of the end of their rod tip think they're important . . . :)

[Bob Young]

One thing I do regularly is strip my fly in until there is about 10 to 12 feet of line outside the tip top than raise my rod and "wake" my fly for a couple of feet until I run out of reach. This will often induce a strike.

[Anil]

One thing I do regularly is strip my fly in until there is about 10 to 12 feet of line outside the tip top than raise my rod and "wake" my fly for a couple of feet until I run out of reach. This will often induce a strike.
Bob,
Thanks for getting back to the point that we all left some time ago.
I do the same thing. If/when there are no followers I turn that lifted rod motion into a role cast and begin my casting from there.