LONG & SURF CASTING: Part 2 – Rods & Reels

WORDS: Hennie van Rooyen* | PHOTOS & VIDEOS: Supplied LONG & SURF CASTING: Part 1 – History and Background to Competitions As promised, this is the continuation of my article series related to long casting, both as an exciting sport, an enhancement of one’s casting abilities, and keeping fit while doing so. At the onset I want to assure everyone who would like to participate in long casting, whether on a personal or competitive basis, you don’t need to spend a fortune to acquire rods and reels. Current members will gladly assist and we as a Federation have rods and reels set aside for interested members who still need to find their feet. The cost of rods is as affordable as any high-end rock and surf rod on the market. https://youtu.be/8k2U-wk-1eg https://youtube.com/shorts/1ECLEevf-0M https://youtube.com/shorts/SgieheyU5y8 Rods and reels play a key role in long casting and it is necessary that specific attention is given to these aspects as it play a pivotal role in casting long and far distances. LONG CASTING RODS Rods typically range between 4,16m - 4,276m. It will normally consist of two pieces but may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer to also incorporate a three-piece rod. Long casting with these rods generates a huge amount of force. These forces can exceed 10N and more. Pendulum casting typically creates these types of forces. A 175g weight that is cast as hard as possible over 250m certainly tests the limits of one’s equipment. Pendulum casting during the International in Paraguay. The stiffness and material utilised in the manufacturing of the rod also play a vital role in your success in reaching great distances in casting and to accommodate the stresses that are placed on these rods during the casting effort. Construction and material are therefore essential aspects. Carbon fibre construction produces a lightweight but incredibly strong rod. Some models incorporate graphene, enhancing durability, sensitivity, and casting distance. Anti-twist technology reduces rod twist during casting, improving accuracy and distance. Durability of these rods is absolutely essential. High-quality guides, reel seats and coasters ensure a strong seating of reels to the rod. Movable coasters on a Century Carbon Metal rod. Movable real seat on a customised Century TT rod. Many rods are customisable to suit specific needs, such as reel seat placement or guide type. Rods are known for their lightweight feel without compromising power, making them versatile for both long casting and suitable to fight large fish if you have a need to fish with the rod. Long casting rods are specialised fishing rods designed for casting long distances, commonly used in long casting as a sport, surf fishing, beach/surf casting, and other situations requiring a long cast. Many manufacturers produce long casting rods, often focusing on materials like carbon fibre – already mentioned above – for strength and lightweight performance. https://youtube.com/shorts/mtRVzzJDxjk https://youtube.com/shorts/tlY9o3xqT0Q Zziplex and Century are rod manufacturers of choice for long casting participants during tournaments in South Africa and internationally, although there are also other known international companies. Century is a UK-based company specialising in long distance casting rods like the Century Tip Tornado and Century Eliminator and Carbon Metal. Zziplex is another UK manufacturer that has been taken over by Century since October 2023 and is well-regarded for custom high-performance long and surf casting rods. Various other known international companies manufacture equal quality rods which are utilised for surf casting and fishing. These include inter alia: Italcana, Tokio, Seabay, Shimano Surf Leader and Shimano Speedmaster Surf. Daiwa Tournament Surf series and Daiwa Emblem Surf. Custom rod makers can also tailor long casting rods to your specifications, including length, action, and material. These can often outperform mass market models for specific uses. Please feel free to contact me if you need a custom rod builder for the purpose of long casting. Zziplex customised rod with a fixed reel seat. Century Carbon Metal rod. Other known rod manufacturers include the Penn Prevail and Penn Carnage Surf, Okuma Rockaway Surf rod series, S. Croix, Avid Surf and Legend Surf series. CTS is a New Zealand brand that produces customised, high-quality rods designed for distance casting. Sonik Sports is a UK-based company offering affordable yet high-performance options like the Sonik Gravity X and Sonik SKS series. Yamaga Blanks is a Japanese brand known for precision-engineered rods such as the Ballistick series. Regional/smaller brands include Blue Marlin and Hearty Rise. https://youtube.com/shorts/nHso8SQTsDQ https://youtube.com/shorts/XcANcIdUfCQ LONG CASTING REELS In our previous article (link at beginning of article) we referred in short to reels and the type of reels that can be utilised for long casting. No specific reel is prescribed when long casting. However, two types of reels stand out as the reels of choice by all distance casters. The spinning reel has become more popular recently as a long casting reel and is the reel of choice by surf anglers. Casting with a spinning reel is uncomplicated. No over winds are created when the line leaves the spool and therefore gives the caster more confidence to make long casts without any technicalities. Some reels have a long cast spool. These reels are widely available on the market and there are too many to mention here as quality and pricing are very diverse but affordable. It is a spool that has a large arbor that enables line to easily shoot off during the cast. The use of the bionic finger improves long casts and casts of 230m have been recorded with these reels on a regular basis during the past 12 months. Multiplier reels have been in service and utilised extensively by long casters and surf anglers and have been in service since the last century. It is more costly and more complicated to cast because there is a possibility of an over cast, especially if casts are forced. Popular models utilised by long casting athletes include Akios, Zzetha, Abu Garcia and the Omoto Chief series of reels. Whilst the Zzetha model reel is the pricier reel the Omoto Chief series reels can be purchased for around R1000 a reel. These reels are manufactured in Taiwan. They are durable, precise and very smooth to operate. Zzetha is a premium reel and is more at the top end and can cost around R20 000 per reel, while Akios and Abu Garcia are more to the medium cost end. Both the Zzetha and Akios reels have a built-in magnetic controller and does not need to be adapted. Reels that are utilised have a built-in or modified magnet controller installed which assists in the controlling of the reel spinning when a cast is made which helps prevent overwinds. These magnetic controllers can be built into reels like the Abu Garcia, Omoto and even the Daiwa SL30. Set of Akios reels with 0,25, 0,28, 0,31 and 0,35mm line each (weights included for display purposes). The bearings in these reels ensure that spools revolve freely and therefore enable a smoother and longer cast. Reels are fitted with steel bearings, hybrid steel and ceramic bearings and pure ceramic bearings to increase distances for a long cast. Every centimetre a long casting competitor can achieve counts and therefore bearings can make the difference in an average cast and that of a record cast. Fully prepared rods with reels spooled and ready for casting during an international event. Long casting greetings! In our next article we will discuss the preparation of rods, bearings for reels, line diameters and filling of reels for the casting exercise. This will also include line choices, knots, leaders, casting techniques and weights. *Hennie van Rooyen is President of the SA Long Casting Federation. Contact him on email vanrooyenhennie64@gmail.com or phone 072 281 5277, or visit www.sasaa.co.za.

LONG & SURF CASTING: Part 2 – Rods & Reels

THE KEY ROLE OF RODS & REELS

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