Tackle tester Davy Proudfoot quite literally gets to grips with the innovative Casting Glove from Gardner Tackle. Although not designed with sea anglers in mind, here’s a piece of kit with plenty to offer and multiple applications across the saltwater fishing world.
Finger protection for casting is nothing new but the huge uptake of ever-thinner braid mainlines prompted Gardiner Tackle to think outside the box and develop their well considered Casting Glove. Available in both right and left-hand versions, the glove has much to offer particularly beach anglers using larger fixed spools and braid.
The Gardner Casting glove sports a fully covered index finger and thumb, with the remaining digits fingerless. The common horrible cheese-cutter mishap synonymous with braid and wet fingers is well addressed by the gloves simple design. There’s Double-skinned leather protection on the index finger to ensure positive trapping against bare braided line or a mono leader. Rod slippage problems stemming from wet, bait-smeared hands are countered by anti-slip ribbed padding on the palm area, while Velcro wrist strap ensures neat fitting.
This is not some bulky boxing glove where thick padding serves to remove all casting ‘feel’. Rather, high quality, thin materials mean that 101 fishing tasks can still be achieved without any need to remove the casting glove. The glove is not 100% waterproof but it is resilient enough and has served me well over the course of a bitterly cold winter.
Other Applications
Afloat, anglers practicing speed jigging tactics will be impressed with what the casting glove offers too. Casting confidence, finger protection and padding where it matters to help prevent painful blisters resulting from relentless reel and rod work are covered by this simple, non-restrictive piece of attire.
I have yet to try the casting glove for spinning on the move, but I can see obvious benefits for bass plug-slingers and other lure anglers casting metal and plastic over a long session. And although not intended for use with multiplier reels, the thumb does provide firm adhesion to the spool when casting with the reel on top of the rod. Another perhaps less obvious task at which the Casting Glove excels is filling a reel with braid. Pressed together, the protective thumb and forefinger surfaces allow measured tension to be applied to the line without risk of smouldering, friction-burnt fingers… and no more green fingers from displaced dye from the braid.
I have used the Casting Glove over a winter of boat and shore fishing, and despite the ripping verbals comparing me to MJ and Tiger Woods, I am convinced of its usefulness among sea anglers. Other than slight flaring at the ends of the half-length fingers the glove has held up very well after regular saltwater trysts.
The glove comes as a ‘one size fits all’ item and is suitable for age 14 and up. I would like to see a junior version introduced, which would greatly assist young anglers learning to cast by removing fear of line cuts etc. The Casting Glove is priced at £7.50 and available from Gardner stockists. Details of the full Gardner Tackle range can be found here.
