Bass Crash Course: Roll a Sidearm Cast for Accuracy, Quiet Lure Entry

“Master the subtle nuances of the roll cast so you can be stealthy to catch bass.

While the overhead cast is ideal for bombing lures long distances, the sidearm cast, or roll cast, is the choice when there’s a premium on accuracy combined with a quiet lure entry. Additionally, because the lure is kept very near the surface of the water throughout the cast, the sidearm cast has less chance of getting pushed offline by prevailing winds.

A roll cast is powered by using the centrifugal force of the lure at the end of the rod tip to load the rod with a high to low “rolling” of the wrist. Many newer anglers are naturally inclined to extend the casting arm and elbow in the same manner as a sidearm throw of a baseball or football. However, this is an inefficient and counterproductive motion in the roll cast. Instead, the wrist motion, aided by the opening and closing of the forearm, keeps the elbow relatively close to your side. It’s also necessary to start with 6 to 8 inches of line between the lure and rod tip, which will help generate the centrifugal force to load the rod properly and power the cast as you change direction from back to forward cast.

To get the sense of feel for the lure loading the rod tip, simply hold the rod directly in front of you and start rotating the wrists to get the lure swinging at the end of the rod: righties will rotate the rod in a clockwise motion while lefties will rotate counterclockwise. This is the basic motion that powers the cast as the forearm and wrist moves forward to eventually send the lure toward the target.

As with the overhead cast, resting the opposing hand on the base of the rod handle supports the weight of the rod in the back cast and is a force multiplier for properly loading the rod on the forward cast. At the start of the forward cast, pulling the butt of the handle toward the casting forearm or body with the opposing hand generates extra load throughout the rod blank for adding distance with minimal effort on your part.”

The full article can be found here.

 

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