Getting the right distance on the feeder or lead was a haphazard process before distance sticks arrived. We’d cast to where we thought was right, clip up and count the turns of the reel handle when winding back, ending up with a measure of 40 or 50 ‘turns’.
Truth was, we had no idea how that translated into metres, and it gave no room for manoeuvre if you needed to fish closer in or further out. Also, this approach meant several casts to get your range, which in turn made a lot of noise as the feeder or bomb crashed into the swim – no good in winter or if the fish were finicky.
Distance sticks, though, have done away with all that. It now takes me just a few minutes on the bank to know to the centimetre exactly how far out I’m fishing. Another advantage of knowing in metres how far out you are is if you fish a certain venue regularly.
Setting up sticks
Distance sticks are essentially two banksticks placed in the ground at a set distance apart. While you can use standard banksticks, dedicated distance sticks are much easier to use as they’re specifically designed for the job. You then count how many times you wrap your line around them to determine how far out you’re fishing.
The simplest way to set the distance between the sticks is to lay your rod on the ground and position one stick at the tip and the other at the butt. This way, if a stick falls over or is removed, you can easily reposition it and fish the same spot without guessing where it was.
It also means that when you return to a venue, you can find the exact spot again with ease! While you could use a tape measure to set the distance, you’re far more likely to forget a tape measure than your rod!
CAST MORE ACCURATELY WHEN FISHING AT RANGE BY FOLLOWING THESE ESSENTIAL TIPS!
Keep the tension
It’s important to keep the line coming off the reel under tension, and you can do this in one of two ways depending on your preference. Some anglers use the backwind feature on their reel to allow the line to come off at a steady pace, while others open the bail arm and use their finger on the spool to apply pressure, preventing the line from coming off too freely. I prefer my spool open and also like to wrap the line around the sticks in a figure-of-eight pattern to eliminate tangles.
When winding the line off the sticks, trap it between your hand and the rod blank to keep it under tension as it goes back onto the spool. If you don’t do this, the loose line can form loops during casting, which can result in crack-offs!
IF YOU WANT TO FISH MORE ACCURATELY, THE BEST FEEDER RODS MAKE IT FAR EASIER.
Coming in closer
Just don't forget to count and record the wraps so you can remember where to clip up again if you do happen to crack off or need to fish closer in. To go shorter, repeat the process, stopping at the distance you want and clipping up. Keep the original distance on the clip so you can switch back.
A PERFECTLY SPOOLED REEL WILL REDUCE TANGLES AND HELP YOU CAST FURTHER.
