With all the cold weather we’ve experienced this winter, I was frequently asked if I go ice fishing or if I like ice fishing.

The short answer to both of those questions is “not really.”

When I was younger, I had several friends who were enthusiastic ice fishermen, so I usually would accompany them to a frozen lake somewhere once or twice each winter. The socializing and camaraderie out on the ice was always enjoyable, but dropping a line through a 10-inch hole in the ice was a bit far from my concept of fishing.

One of my favorite aspects of fishing is the casting. I’m referring, particularly, to the kind of freshwater casting we do here in Pennsylvania for trout, bass and panfish with spinning, baitcasting or fly tackle.

My enthusiasm for casting along with the desire to be an accomplished caster has always made me a better fisherman and enhanced my enjoyment of the sport. Like most kids of my era, I started with spinning tackle. Soon thereafter I acquired a fly rod. I bought my first baitcasting outfit after reaching adulthood. And every time I procured a new type of tackle, I dedicated myself to mastering it with lots of casting practice.

Spinning tackle, of course, has the shortest learning curve. An hour or two of practice in the backyard is often enough for even a beginner to produce consistent casts of adequate distance and reasonable accuracy. That assumes, however, that your rod, reel and line are matched to the weight of the lure or bait you will be casting most of the time.

You should also have the reel spool properly filled with a good quality line. These recommendations are based on open-face spinning reels rather than the closed-face or so-called spin-cast reels. I know spin-cast reels have their following, which is fine, but in my experience, open-face reels will outperform them in virtually every casting and fishing situation.

Baitcasting tackle takes a bit more practice than spinning gear to become proficient with it, but nowhere near what it used to be. Most good quality baitcasting reels nowadays have wonderfully effective built-in braking systems that all but eliminate backlashes and overruns. Most of the baitcasting reels I’m currently using cost in the range of $120 to $200 but are a pleasure to cast and well worth the cost.

For most anglers, fly casting takes the most time and effort to gain an acceptable level of proficiency. And having been a fly-fishing guide for more than 35 years, I know most fly fishermen, from novice to veteran, could increase their on-stream success by improving their casting abilities. Yet even those who realize some improvement in casting skills would directly help them catch more fish rarely, if ever, devote any time or effort to be better casters.

So what components of your fly casting should you strive to improve?

Unless you spend significant time fishing larger streams or rivers, forego raw casting distance for accuracy. In recent years, 90 percent of my fly fishing for trout has been on small to medium streams where the majority of casts will be around 20 to 25 feet.

Practice your accuracy at your realistic fishing range. In Pennsylvania, there will be a tree behind you in every good trout spot. Learn to roll cast. And if you want to improve your dry fly success, learn what I like to call tactical casts, such as curve casts, slack-line casts and slack-leader casts. They will help you achieve better drifts in tricky locations.

Wild Game Feast

It’s always my pleasure to announce plans for the popular Wild Game Feast hosted by the Altoona Alliance Church. This year marks its 19th annual Wild Game Feast, which will be held on Saturday, March 14 at the church, located at 3220 Pleasant Valley Boulevard next to Planet Fitness.

The featured speaker for the evening will be Tony Bolton from Franklin, Tenn., just outside of Nashville. Bolton is an outdoor enthusiast, country singer and motivational speaker. His presentation is titled “Hunting for Answers.” He will also be speaking and singing at the AAC 10:45 a.m. Sunday service on March 15 — all are welcome to attend that service.

The buffet style meal will include a variety of delicious wild-game dishes that typically includes deer, elk, moose, rabbit, pheasant, chukar and more. The exact makeup of the game dishes included on the buffet depends on the generous donations from hunters and anglers sharing their harvest from the past season. And there are always some “regular” foods like store-bought turkey and hot dogs, along with sides, an array of desserts and drinks.

Doors for the Altoona Alliance Church Wild Game Feast will open at 4 p.m. for access to displays from various outdoor-related vendors, including support for Taylor Yon and his Cast Out Cancer outreach, and a chance to sample and identify the “mystery meat” of the evening. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m., followed by Bolton’s presentation, a special recognition of veterans and the awarding of a generous selection of door prizes and an opportunity for a guided coyote hunt.

Space is limited, however, and tickets are required for admission. A suggested donation of $20 per ticket is requested to help cover the costs of the event. Getting your tickets early is encouraged to avoid disappointment because they tend to go rather quickly once the word gets out. Tickets are now available at the AAC church office. Tickets are limited to ages 10 and older.

To obtain tickets or for more information, call the church office at 814-944-0171 weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.