Tom,
last year there was a casting competition (which i missed by an hour or so due to a obstructions on the I40).
Is there going to be another one this year?
If so are the parameters the same again or are you thinking of another weight and rod class or ?

I haven't gotten that far into things, yet. Regardless, there is a maximum distance that can be cast before you start bouncing plugs off of adjacent buildings. So it's not the type of thing where you can have surf rods tossing 3 and 5 ounces.

Last year, not a single entrant managed to hit the 150 foot mark with a 3/8ounce plug on a 6'6" rod. So that's still something to shoot for.

............

Thanks, yes I bet a surf rod would be dangerous in those confines for sure. Especially if a shock leader broke (i have seen a 4 oz weight go through a radiator of a parked car when things went wrong!). A good surf caster does over 700, the best over 800 ft with 150 grams.
It would be a special rod, reel, line and caster to get much over 150 ft with 3/8ths plug on 6 1/2 ft.

What line were you guys using, Tom? I want to give it a shot this spring.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

If we are still using the shuttlecock from last year the weather will determine if anyone will be able to cast further or not. If we are using the same plug where can I find one to test with? I have looked pretty hard and not been able to find one like it, all I can find are the hard rubber pyramid shaped ones, which in my testing went about 40 feet further.

The hard rubber plug we used came from Bass Pro Shops. It's not that different from the solid plastic ones. Now would it make any difference in the overall outcome since all use the same plug. If the plastic one adds 40 feet, it will add 40 feet for everybody.

6lb test mono or 12lb pound braid (6lb mono diameter) was the stuff if I recall correctly.

...............

Mike Harris
I want a rematch!

Hello Everyone & Happy New Year.

I will bring my rod this year and hopefully give you folks a run.
Same Place I take it? What was the time?
Steve I have the model of that blank we were talking about at Tom's Place if you are still interested.

Good Luck to all.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Steve my plan is to be there for a rematch, hopefully I can call Bob and borrow my rod back from last year and build a spinning rod, I have a few new reel tricks up my sleeve. The only issue I may have right now is that I am planning to switch from the BFL Savannah River division to the NC division since the regional is on Lake Hartwell which is one of my home lakes. The first tournament is on Norman the Saturday of the show, since Norman is only 1.5 hrs from High Point I may be able to come for the contest and still make the pairing meeting on Friday night, fish Saturday, and make the show on Sunday.

You must have access to a better stocked BPS than I have been able to find. I looked at 2 different stores, plus Academy and every other store or website I buy tackle from and I have not been able to find a casting plug like the one we used last year, the small rubber pyramid ones are the only ones I have been able to find. Obviously I should be the last one to wine after last year’s results, but I believe that the aerodynamics of the plug we used had a lot to do with the fact the results were so close together. Anything we can do to eliminate external influences like headwinds and poor aerodynamics of the projectile will produce a better test and allow differences in the rods and reels to be highlighted.

As long as everyone casts the exact same plug, any differences will be due to something other than the plug.

Wind is something that we can't do anything about, although everyone gets 3 casts, at their leisure, and all cast down the same alley.

The reason most of the results were fairly close is due to the fact that you reach a point of diminishing returns in terms of guide systems. There were perhaps a couple set ups that were a long ways off from state of the art systems and they brought up the rear by a good bit. Once you reached the rest, which were all based on sound principles and practice, the differences in distance were far less evident. It would be pretty difficult for anyone to arrive and outdistance most of the rods there by any large margin. As long as good builders are involved, the winner is always going to be decided by a very slim margin.

....................

Mike
"I have a few new reel tricks up my sleeve"

That's the only thing that worries me.

Hello Everyone

I ordered 8 practice plugs from Bass Pro Shops, they don't look exactly like the one tom has but there are 8 of them and they are 3/8oz.

I still need the time we are going to start so I can plan my start time to leave from Bridgeton, it's about a 5 hr drive.
Tight Wraps and Long Casts.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Pad your drive time... Last year I hit traffic snags around Washington, DC and then again below Richmond. What should have been 5 hrs turned into more like 8

Hello Ken

That is padded a bit, if I am ahead of schedule I will stop at my sisters house in Durham than ketch 85 there.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

I have some Eagle Claw rubber 3/8 plugs that I found in a local bait store. I think they are similar to the BPS ones.

[docs.google.com]

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

The Eagle Claw, BPS and all the other hard rubber plugs are nothing like the one that Tom had last year. His is about 3 times the size for the same weight, and has the aerodynamics of a barn