Casting Question

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I know that casting on water is preferred during casting practice . I was practicing in a parking lot till I abraded the cheap line I had purchased for the purpose ($20.00CDN at wal mart ). It wasn't long before the line was usless . I practiced in the back alley till a small dog decided to chase and bark at my line without stop . Nasty little creature . Besides The lane was ashphalt and also ruined the line .
I only have my good line left , I live within walking distance to a sandy beach . Before I go ruin a good line , can anyone tell me if the sand will abrade the line like the ashphalt did . I did practice in the park on grass till several small boys decided to tease me . Nasty little creatures . I did go to a fishing lake to practice costs about 30 bucks for the round trip so cost is a factor and besides the lure of catching fish intervened and practice goes out the window . Anyone else have trouble finding a practice spot ?

[Jackster]

I don't know the answer to your question specifically, but I think I've found a way to help preserve practice lines a little longer.
After you make your final cast, flip the line back towards to so it piles up in front of you then strip it in. This may take more than one flip.
I see no sense to needlessly drag the line across the ground on the retrieve.


[This message has been edited by Jackster (edited 16 October 2005).]

[Greg H]

Really, grass is the best alternative to water. I suggest you go to a different park, or go at a different time of day. You can probably cast outdoors all year in Penticton, so a short drive and search for a better place would be useful. Otherwise, in winter, see if you can use the high school gym in an evening (esp. if you don't have to pay). Is there not a club near you? - maybe a few others could share the cost or have some (location & casting) ideas.

[Jeremy]

Hi Gnu Bee,
I practice about 3-4 times a week and every weekend when I'm not fishing.

Since the trees in my backyard have matured (dangit!!) and my bride no longer allows me to prune to keep my "casting lanes" *BGrins) open I either go to my next door neighbors or drive a mile to an open yard on city hall property.

Ya just have to put up with a (very) few catcalls. Some folks think it's pretty cool too!

And you can do it in winter too, preferably on the sunny/warmer days in a dark coat to absorb heat.

It's great!

Jeremy.

[fishyfranky]

Hey, if yer Canadian then you should have no problems practicing on snow! I learned to cast in February on an outdoor tennis court with 1 foot of snow cover. It was tricky getting there because the entrance had 2+ft of snow mounds. Fun with a 4WD tho.

[DG]

Yes, sand will eat your line. Sand is little rocks, basically glass, just like the surface of the street. Gives a bit more when you step on it, but not much difference to a fly line.

If you want to learn to cast, so you can fish, and be realistic about it, find a place where you can cast on water. Nothing else will provide the right resistance to picking up your line, mending, etc. Plus, if you are going to be in the water up to your waist when you fish, then that is how you should practice. World of difference when your backcast has two and a half feet less elevation to occupy. Grass casting is grass casting, and I have yet to ever find a fish in my lawn.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I should have mentioned , Bad knees , cannot wade , . The good news is I found a raft at a nearby lake to practice from . Its a little chilly in the wind but aside from that is working for me .

Yo fishyfrankly , I know Ont is snowbound 10 months of the year with just 2 months of poor sledding . *G* ( I lived in the Nations capitol for 6 years thats one cold place !) but out here in the Wild west you can't count on it snowing all that much . Some years we get almost no snow at all . This is desert country very mild winters most years we don't get to -15 at all -10 is a cold day here . Poor old Santa has to hitchhike some years just to get around . Sorry couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at you folks out East . lol

[plh]

I routinely practice in a park. I arrive at the park before the crack of dawn, I perform some stretching exercises using a 2 foot stick, I then assemble my 4 peice rod and put on the reel, I then practice the backcast, drift and stop, the forward cast, stop and drift all before it is light enough to see. I then string up my rod in the dark, finish the cup of coffee I am drinking and then practice for an hour. All the while nobody even knows I have been there. This all happens 30 or 40 feet from my truck and sidewalk.
Hope this helps.
Paul

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

Plh , Thanks for the Very good tip . It is so simple I never thought starting at Dawn . I can use a nearby soccer field before any persons or nasty little doggies awake .

Ps. for DG.... Have you not heard of Grass carp .. White Amur = Ctenopharyngodon idella
Although I have never caught one myself I understand some lawns are rife with them . You just need a #14 Buffalo grass nymph , the right presentation and a little luck .

I just re-read the post from Greg H . His suggestion was to try a different time of day . I just didn't really think it out till Plh Mentioned dawn . I am full of grey monents like that .

I thank everybody for their helpful suggestions .


[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 18 October 2005).]

[Jed]

Not meaning to sound snide, but if there is a sandy beach, is there water on the far side of the beach? Can you use that?

Sand will eat at a line, but much slower than asphalt because the sand moves with the line and the asphalt does not.

And as for your park, if the little buggers tease you, so what.

Other thoughts: Municipal buildihngs often have long lawns out front. Hospitals as well. School yards are sometimes grass, ball fields, neighbor with a large lawn. School gyms or your YMCA might have time that their gyn is not being used.

Good luck on your pursuit of the perfect practice area.

Finally, if you have a ruined line, it may not work in the water, but may be fine for practice.

jed