Get More Distance from Small Casting Plugs

light braidSometimes it pays to think smaller when it comes to choosing a lure. Smaller spinnerbaits, smaller spoons, smaller crankbaits—they all have their place now and then, so it pays to keep a few smaller sizes of your favorite lures on hand. In many instances, though, smaller also means lighter, which can be a little tricky when it comes to casting. Today we’ll take a look at small casting plugs and how you can gain more distance when casting them.

When you’re working with smaller lures, in order to get more distance from them you’ll want to go with the lightest line that you’re comfortable using for the fish you’re after. The lighter line will help a lot. Be sure to grab limp line, or treat your line with spray, in order to decrease its memory, which is a fancy way of describing the circular shape that line tends to display due to being coiled around a spool. Trilene XL or P-Line CXX monofilament are great options for limper lines and they’re both very strong.

Another way to go is the braid route, which is popular due to its superior strength, thin diameter, and abrasion resistance. 20-pound braid has the diameter of 6-pound monofilament, so you can drop down to 10-pound, or even ice fishing braid depending on the fish you’re after, and still have enough strength to get through weeds or handle a sizeable bass or pike.

If you’re still after big fish with small plugs, go with longer rod with a fast action. The whip-like action of such a rod will do well at getting the small lure out far. If smaller fish are your quarry, then you can go with a panfish rod, or even a noodle rod. Either will do just fine.

Small casting plugs tend to be lighter than other small lure versions, due to their topwater buoyancy. Heed the tips outlined today, though, and you should have little trouble casting them far enough to entice fish.