have only started ff 2 months ago and bought a cheap £20 plus rod from Boyes, a 10ft Fladen, getting on ok but would like to increase cast distance. As a result bought a shooting head floating line (£35) but this does not seem to cast further than my other cheaper WF lines. Accept my technique may be to blame but can someone advise please, does the rod make a big differnce, lessons worth it or is it the line----or all three?

Riser123

Shorten that learning curve. Take lessons.

__________________
[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Take a couple of lessons, give your rod and line to the instructor and you will probably be amazed how far he or she will cast with it

I would say a few lessons would be the best investment to make, then you can decide whether the rod/ lines are causing a problem or two.

I feel a "good" caster by that I mean someone who understands the basics and has a grasp on how to do them consistently can cast a **** rod but a **** caster cant cast a top rod any better than the cheapest rod.

Dave

Yup, lessons all the way.

Equipment will make a 10-20% difference at most. Technique will make a 100-200% difference.

Charlie

__________________
Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

As charlie says all the way

As has been said, the caster is by far in a way the most important part. Obviously equipment makes a difference but probably not at your stage.

I'm not a particularly good distance caster but can put out the full #5 line just as well on a £30 shakespeare rod as i can with my loop... I read the other night on sexyloops, in reality there aren't many rods that won't cast 100'

advising a lesson is sensible because you wont know if its you or tackle till someone sees your cast, also depends what you mean by long casting, if you lift the head of the line(30-40 feet) and shoot 10' you get 40-50' without hauling, should give an idea of where your at..

its unlikely to be the rod or the line individally but if they are not balanced your cast wont be its best.

Casting is like driving we all need lessons it will be better for you in the long run and you will be better off because if you go fishing and casting like a novice the guys where you fish won't like you putting the fish down with you splashing the water and the cursing, also when you have had some lessons get yourself on the field and practice practice practice your distance casting, because it's cheaper on the the field than the novices we all see trying to catch fish in the sky all you here is swish swish and us cursing also when you go to a fishery you want to fish not try your casting out other wise you'll lose a 3rd of your precious time on the water, and when your on the grass some clever bu**er asks you how many you've caught just say your the 3rd to-day, they don't like it. Regards Robbie

I have been coaching and teachjing for 10+ yrs now . . . . .. believe me - its probly not the gear ! Go get lessons and practice practice practice - the best sports coaches (not me) reckon it takes 5000 CORRECT repetitions to get your unconscious muscle memory working properly, so you probly havent got the basics right yet . . . . dont rush - take lessons and take time to prctice . . . . distance will come - eventually !

__________________
Luck is a factor you can minimise, but not eliminate.