I used to spend three months every year casting 1/16 oz and 1/32 oz jigs for
White Bass. With the right set up you can make fairly long casts. My
favorite rod is a 71/2 foot Cabela's spinning rod, either Light or Medium Light
action. I can't cast well with a rod that's too limber. Most so called Ultra
Light rods don't have enough backbone to give you the necessary "snap" to
really shoot a light lure out there. I've used 8- and 9-foot rods and they
can cast very well, but my arm and wrist get tired way too soon to suit me.

Which line? I like 4 lb. clear mono or 8 lb PowerPro. I agree that a larger
diameter reel works better than the tiniest of ultra lights, but also believe
that there is a point beyond which a large diameter is counter-productive. I
haven't actually measured the old Mitchell 300 spool, but I think it's about
the right diameter.

It's true that filling a spool to its ultimate capacity can add a little
distance to your cast. The first cast, that is. Maybe even the second and
third. But sooner or later, the line will come off in a pile of
uncontrollable loops and the resulting tangle will make you wish you'd payed
attention to the owner's manual and stopped the line when it got about 1/16 of
an inch from the lip.

Also -- you might take a look at which lure you're using. A small plastic grub
on a jig will give you more casting distance than the same jig head tied with
feathers or bucktail -- especially if the jig is overdressed. The grub is less
wind resistant and it also has some weight of its own which helps load your rod
and carry the cast.

Family, Friends, Fishing,
Rob Storm
http://stormsrestaurants.com