Beginners new to the art of attempting to catch fish will likely have their first experience with a standard spinning reel and rod. It’s an ideal set-up to go after the type of fish typically found in freshwater lakes and rivers, and it offers a lot of versatility when considering what types of tackle you’d like to put at the end of your line. But even if you do your homework to get the right bait or lure on your line, it won’t do you any good if you can’t cast it properly. Learn the fundamentals of properly casting a spinning reel and you’ll find that migrating to other styles of fishing, like fly fishing, is far easier.
1: Grip the rod in your dominant hand and hold it horizontal, so the reel is below the rod, facing the ground.
2: Reel in your line slowly, until you have 6-12″ of line hanging off the tip off your rod.
3: Align the line roller with your rod.
4:Pull the line off the roller with your index finger, holding it against the rod’s grip.
5: While maintaining your grip, use your free non-dominant hand to flip the reel’s bail up.
6: Bring the rod back up over your head just past vertical, and then use a forward throwing motion, releasing the line with your index fingers as your arm is at 45 degrees.
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Submitted by: Jay in Briarcliff, NY, USA
