How YOU Can Cast 200 Yards!

We all know that sometimes, just sometimes, if you can get out into no-man’s land, in the middle of the pond, you’ll catch more than would otherwise be possible! But, if you want to cast a lot further than the guy next-door, then it’s essential that you do the hard yards away from the lake. Practice, dedication, preparation and the correct kit are all equally important. We recently made a film showing Mark Bartlett comfortably thrashing a lead to waaaay over the 200yd mark. Crucially though, he was able to blast a baited rig to almost the same range. Now that kind of performance isn’t achieved overnight. Allow us to elaborate…

Mimic their style

First, you need either flawless tekkers, or decent technique and supernatural strength to go beyond the horizon. Given that we aren’t all built like Mark Bartlett, priority has to be on technique. Study the best casters – there’s loads of footage out there of people like Mark Hutchinson, Terry Edmonds and Mark Bartlett. Us humans are brilliant natural mimics and time spent aping their tekkers will improve yours! Whether it can propel you into the casting elite is another matter. For that, you might want to book some lessons with Terry Edmonds!

The right kit

Before you head out with an expert though, you need to make some key adjustments. Thrashing a lead to the horizon (then reeling it back) is punishing work for you and your kit. Imagine how much more kinetic energy is transferred through that rod, or how many more turns of the reel you’ll need to make just to practice! The upshot? You need kit that’s not just bulletproof, but bombproof! Invest. Buy quality kit that won’t let you down. For rods, think power and recovery – the quicker that tip snaps back into position, the less friction holds your cast back. You’d never considered that? You will now! As Mark proved during the film we made with him, Fox’s brand-new Horizon X5 has a super fast recovery. For reels, line lay is king. A well-filled reel with impeccable line lay will help you cast further.

The right technique

In terms of technique, there are a few things that you need to consider, whether you’re copying someone else’s style, or developing your own. First, casting ultra long is all about transferring as much power from your body, through that rod, in the shortest time possible. How do you do that? The majority of the power that you’ll use to compress the rod comes from forward momentum. You can achieve this either by leaning back, and putting your weight through your back leg (one foot should be in front of the other), then transferring the weight onto the front foot as your core and arms whip the rod forward, or taking a step forward to transfer the weight.

Either way, keep those arms straight, keep your head high, concentrate on a spot above the bit of lake you’re aiming to hit and then move your arms as quickly as you can, pulling in your left-hand hard, and punching with the right (assuming you’re right handed, of course). As soon as the lead is in flight, and the tip snaps back in line, follow the line as bet you can with the rod to minimise drag from the rings. If you’re doing it right, your lead will sail out to the mark, with a bit of practice!

The proof

And here’s the proof that with the right kit, the right technique, you too can cast over 200yds…