casting distance for beginer

[5thehalls]

I have just recently got a zero grafity rod as a gift. This is all new to me. I fished briefly as a kid with a fly rod , but not enough to know anything. My goal is to fish for redfish and trout. I have fished extensively for trout and reds for years and am looking for something alittle different. I have a 9' rod 8 weight . I can cast about 40 to 50 ft. have only practiced half a dozen times. what distance do i need to salt water fish...I cant wait to hook a good fish fished under the lights 1 night caught small bait fish it was a blast.

[saltydancindave]

40 to 50 feet is plenty for saltwater if you're stealthy, but that's about where a zero G just starts to load properly for those 70+ feet casts. Had a chance to test drive a zero G 4pc #8 tip flex & it was little heavier than an old #6 weight, but thinner and so fast & effortless that it would hold 40 feet of line plus a 9 foot leaderin the air even on the backcast into a 25 mph wind! Shouldn't need much more than a single haul for casting, and with more practice to get the rods timing down you'll be at 70 + feet before you know it!

[MuddlerMinnow]

If you want some tips, head on down to an Orvis store and tell them you just received the Orvis rod. In the words of my local Orvis, "We take care of our Zero Gravity customers." (For those prices, they better!) I'm sure they'd be happy to give you a casting lesson with the rod.

One thing I've found with a Zero-G rod is that they perform better if you use the proper line size (don't go up a size for more distance)-- if the rod is an 8 weight, use an 8 weight line (or even a 7). With heavier line the rod flexes more, but it ends up opening your loops up. Your results may vary.

Have fun with the new rod!

[FlyFlinger]

In an educational video, Chico Fernandez says to practice your saltwater casting at 65 feet.

[saltydancindave]

If one is walking the beach for snook less than 40 feet of line & leader is the norm. Sometimes it's like nymph fishing when there's about a rods length of flyline + leader and all you do is flick the wrist to get the fly in the water. Wading the mangroves about 40 to 50 feet is plenty of distance to hit the pockets in the branches, as I've probably spooked more fish wading right up on them on the flats when they should have been under the mangroves, because of old eyesight. If you're fishing out of a hull slap happy boat, then you'll need that 70 foot cast to work the mangroves so as to not spook the fish getting the boat too close.

[okflyfisher]

Practice in the wind. If you can cast 50 feet into a 15knot wind you will be ok for most inshore type fishing.
I would not consider bonefishing until you can cast to any distane desired

[meadowlark2]

IMO, 50 feet is fine...if, and only if, you can accurately place a fly where you want it at 50 feet with a minimum of backcasting. I've fished the flats considerably for Bonefish, Permit, and small Tarpon and accuracy is very important...being able to hit a spot at 50 feet with only one backcast will get you plenty of flats action. Accuracy and minimum backcasting...that's the ticket.

[ducksterman]

"Accuracy and minimum backcasting..."

IMHO that's true of all fly fishing....OK ..give me exceptions