how to cast a feeder

I could do with a bit of help casting a feeder on a stillwater.

I struggle especially with the heavier cage feeders, whilst a decent percentage of casts land where they are supposed to, my casting doesn't feel very smooth, and i feel i'm going to crack off which i have occasionaly.

I'm usually allright if i cast over my right shoulder peering backwards and watch the feeder as it comes over my shoulder but i find i'm not accurate as i cant eye up my target.
I find i'm more accurate casting over my head whilst lining up my target but find it difficult to do smoothly

How much length should be between the rod tip and feeder when attempting the cast

I usually go for about three foot.
Look at the point where you want to cast to, and with the rod over your shoulder check the line isn't caught around the tip ring.
Let the rod swing back slightly and then "bowl" the feeder out once you can feel the feeder on its backward swing (going away from your body).
Once you have got used to this, you can then shorten your casting length and give a more forcefull chuck.

Nicky,

Accuracy can easily be improved by remembering that it is a function of two main criteria; Distance and Bearing.

The distance element can easily be controlled by using either the line clip on your reel, or IMHO a safer method of using a wide elastic band around the spool to govern how much line is let out on the cast.

Bearing is even easier to control, simply pick a far bank (or skyline) object in line with your intended cast and use that every time. Line your shoulders and hips up with your chosen target and cast in an easy, unhurried and smooth action.

When starting keep about 3 feet between the rod tip and your hook and you can shorten this as accuracy and smoothness improves.

Remember you are casting a loaded feeder so try to avoid any jerky movements, as this will empty your feeder before it even hits the water.

Holding your rod with one hand above the reel seat and the other at the butt using your finger to hold back the spool line, swing back and allow the rod to flex under the weight of the feeder on the backcast. You will 'feel' when the rod has built-up the necessary power and then SMOOTHLY use a push-pull action with your hands your achieve your cast.

Failing this ask an angling friend to show you as, like many things in our sport, it is a lot easier to demonstrate than it is to decribe.

Good luck and just keep on prectising. In fact, you might start off just casting the loaded feeder without a hooklenght in a few pracrice sessions.

Hope this helps.

Well described Peter, it is important that you pay particular attention to the push with the right hand and pull with the left hand (assuming you are right handed) this is the action that will give you the smoothest and longest cast. In fact casting anything is best achieved using this method including a float.

Just casting with the right hand pushing is fine for short distance but no good at all for distance and accuracy. How Peter has described it is exactly how you do it and with practice you will achieve distances of up to 100 yards with the heavier rods.

All the above annnnnnd practice, practice, practice!

If you have a quiet park/field etc near you, have an early morning practice session when you have the time. Try loading up a feeder with mud or plasticine etc to practice with.

I used to practice all my casting, fly, float, ledger and even long distance casting on a massive piece of wasteland. (dont worry it was all very safe indeed)

Rods themselves can differ in the way you cast. Faster actioned rods do seem to prefer a longer drop from the tip ring, to keep the cast smooth. Where as through actioned rods can be more forgiving. As a rough guide, try half the length of the rod, and adjust from there. (bankisde permitting)

I'd echo what Phil has said re: practce on a field. Push a stick or couple of sticks into the ground and practce casting in between them at different distances.
You could even measure or pace a distance out and that will give you a good standing on what distances you are casting to on a lake.

And the above posts are an example of why this site is so good!

(in fact I may even be able to cast a feeder and hit the spot after that!..well maybe).

as usual thanks for all your advice, i want to get the hang of feeder fishing on my local stillwater this year, as i've never spent much time fishing the feeder in the past only on rivers.
if you find it difficult it takes alot of the enjoyment out of it, i think i need to break the mould and put the float rod down and practise more untill i master it, thing is for me float fishing is the easy option as i'm ok at that.

one thing i noticed that you all pointed out is the length of line between rod tip and feeder.
i usually have this distance fairly short maybe a foot or two, i then sometimes end up slamming the feeder down into the water shorter than what i intended

Don't forget mate when you release the line on the cast, keep the rod pointed at about 45 degree no lower, until the feeder is about to hit the water. then feather the line down or slow it down by touching the line on the side of the spool with your finger. This last action makes less of a splash when the feeder touches down.