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Pro Angler Demonstrates 5 Ways to Cast Your Fishing Line

Aaron McAlexander has fished his entire life: His first memory is of fishing around a stump on a lake near his home. Today he is a collegiate bass fishing champ and master caster with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. He practices casting an hour a day.

“It’s the only way to get better,” McAlexander says.

Start with these basics from McAlexander, and you could soon be casting like a pro.

THE SHOOTER

Great For: Fishing Boat Docks and Brush Piles

“Shooting is basically an old crappie fishing technique,” McAlexander says. “I just took it and went into the bass world with it.”

Step 1: Lower the lure about half the distance between the rod tip and reel.

Step 2: If you’re using a spinning reel, flip open the bail, which is the thin wire part of the reel that is flipped from one side to the other. Hold the line with your dominant hand, and grasp the lure with the opposite hand.

Step 3: Draw the rod tip down and pull the lure back to your chest. You can even shoulder the rod like a rifle.

Step 4: Aim straight down the rod, then release the lure with your fingers and point straight down the rod with the finger that was holding your line. The line will come off the spool and propel the lure forward.

OVERHEAD CAST

Great For: Distance

“You can really get a lot of power behind an overhead cast,” McAlexander says. “It’s very accurate too, because you’re looking where you’re casting.”

Step 1: With your thumb, hold down the button on your bait casting reel and bring the rod back.

Step 2: Bring the rod forward and release your thumb. The bait will drag your line out.

Step 3: Push the button back down with your thumb to slow your spool. “If you don’t do it efficiently, you can end up with a backlash (line tangle),” McAlexander says.

PITCHING

Great For: Casting 10 Yards or Closer

“I like to use pitching for up-close, finesse fishing,” says McAlexander.

Step 1: While holding the rod straight up, let out enough line so that the lure comes down to the reel.

Step 2: Hold down the button on your reel, holding the spool steady. Grab your lure with your opposite hand. (Watch out for the hook!)

Step 3: Drop the rod tip down, bringing back your lure while keeping the line taut.

Step 4: Raise the rod tip in one swooping motion, pulling the lure out of your other hand. “That will drop the lure wherever your rod tip is pointing.”

Step 5: Control the distance by slowing the line with your thumb.

FLIPPING

Great For: Casting Into Weed Mats

“Flipping is a little bit faster than pitching, but it’s even shorter range,” McAlexander says. “It’s extremely effective, especially around shallow docks with mixed timber and vegetation.”

Step 1: Pull out a lot of slack line, estimating the distance to your target. Keep your thumb on the spool or keep your reel engaged.

Step 2: Start the lure swinging, then let the lure go out with the slack line. Do not let your thumb off the spool.

Step 3: “You can sit there, jiggle it a couple seconds in that spot, then pull your slack line out and do the same thing for the next spot.”

SIDEARM CAST

Great For: Windy Conditions

“If it’s windy outside, you want to keep your lure low,” McAlexander says. “With a straight overhead cast, the wind will really throw your lure around and reduce your distance. With the sidearm cast, you can skip your lure across the water and under cover.”

Step 1: Bring your rod back at your side, holding the button and using a circular swooping motion.

Step 2: Snap your wrist forward, releasing the button, which releases the line.

53 Comments on Pro Angler Demonstrates 5 Ways to Cast Your Fishing Line

  1. What if your on party boat do they allow you to over hand cast

  2. sumpinfishygoinon // March 7, 2015 at 9:47 am // Reply

    Thank you!!!!!

  3. Great tips! I’ve taught many beginners and casting’s the trickiest part. I devised a fishing rod, the Snappycast, that makes casting incredibly easy. Thank you!

  4. Awesome tomorrow I am going fishing and I will use these techniques.Thank you!

  5. cool techniques!
    what bait should I use?

  6. i learned a few new casting skills.

  7. cool this will help me alot while i am bass fishin’ this evening.

  8. Awesome.

  9. fishing is awesome it is my favorite thing

  10. i think that fishing is awesome

  11. GREAT LOVE FISHING.

  12. I have reeled in a fish when casting!

  13. Great tips-the shooter works extremely well

  14. I fish almost every weekend

  15. i love to fish 😀

  16. i love fishing. im going to try the shooter. i have a tip to use. next time you chew a piece of gum, save the wrapper, fold it up to where the sun can reflect off of it in the water. put it on your hook, and use the shooter

  17. any buddy know where pedro is :p

  18. i love fising, and these tips must really help

  19. I like fishing

  20. i would love to cast like a pro i might when i get older try to cath a realy realy big fish

  21. That shooter one looks cool

  22. amazing! simply amazing!

  23. Thanks for sharing those cool fishing techniques. Great to see a pro sharing with our boys!

  24. Thanks for sharing those cool fishing techniques. Great to see a pro sharing with our boys!

  25. Hey,im glad you posted those videos on how to improve my fishing techniques. i hope to go out soon and try some of the new moves. Thanks for the help and post some more videos!

  26. I love to fish but usualy I don’t catch anything. Now I know how to fish.

  27. shooter is awsome i caught a twelve pound bass that was unrder a dock that went out about 30 foot in thi water

  28. I caught quite a few trout with the overhead cast

  29. cool guy $$$ // July 7, 2010 at 2:11 pm // Reply

    asome I try those later

  30. fishing machine // July 5, 2010 at 7:46 am // Reply

    this is the only fishing video i’v ever watched

  31. thanks

  32. when I tried the shooter I got a hook in my finger 🙁

    • I allmost got hooked but i saw some one else do the shooter and thay put thare fingers at the back of the hook so i tried it and i didn’t git hooked.

  33. i caught 20 fish with it. in one day!!!!!!!

  34. 3210987654 // June 28, 2010 at 5:43 pm // Reply

    Sweet. I will definitely use some of those the next time I’m fishing!

  35. fishingrules! // June 24, 2010 at 2:41 pm // Reply

    That was info. totally necssary for fishing.
    Thanks for the advice.
    I plan to use it at Tesomas for my fishing badge.

  36. wow

  37. 1st time fisher // June 23, 2010 at 8:47 pm // Reply

    That was so helpful! ☺

  38. great tricks

  39. ill try it

  40. qwertyuioplkjhgfdsazxcvbnm // June 23, 2010 at 12:58 pm // Reply

    thanks im going to try it next time i go fishing

  41. i caught alot of fish with the shooter

  42. Whatever-Never going to work for me 🙂

  43. extreme beatles fan // June 22, 2010 at 9:37 pm // Reply

    it’s okay…….

  44. Thanks Aaron McAlexander!!!!!

  45. this has helped my fishing skills a lot, especially the shooter technique.

  46. man I was hoping he would catch a fish 🙂

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