Running on beach - how far to stay behind fishermen casting from beach (fishing, fish)

[beachrunner39]

I like to go running on the sand. Where I live (Sunset Beach, CA), some fishermen fish from the beach. How far is a safe distance to stay behind them to make sure I won't get hit by their lines when they cast? They don't seem to pay very much attention to the beachgoers around them and I worry about getting hooked.

P.S. I know nothing at all about fishing- sorry if this is a stupid question.

[bumpus7]

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minimum 25-30 feet or more.

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[bornincali]

Yes, I would stay well away, and avoid crossing when they are actually casting. Just because you are out of range of the general movement of the rod/lure doesn't mean you are safe. Guy could screw up, snap bail shut, snap the line, and send lure flying behind him backward, straight up, or whatever.

It goes the other way too. I've done some surf fishing myself. I've had pedestrians walk right behind me and a friend as we motioned that we were preparing to cast. You do not want a lure with treble hooks in the face-trust me!(a lot of surf casting lures are also very heavy) Same goes for folk in the water who felt that our particular section of beach was the perfect place to exit. It also goes without saying that it is general impolite to snoopily walk up behind a fishermen with his rod at ready for a cast and peak in the bucket and ask if they have caught anything. Maybe I would be if you moved!

[Cape Cod Todd]

Yours is not a stupid question.
Surf casting rods are usually longer than regular rods and they can be 10-15' plus long. The lure or bait usually hangs off the end a foot or 2 , depends on the fisherman so figure that in.
As you are running along you could probably time when you will be passing so the hook will be either getting to or being reeled back in from the water. Unless the guy is fly fishing which requires a lot of casting and a lot of line going back and forth through the air I would give those guys a very wide berth. For a regular fisherman 25 feet should be good.
If you are a woman and attractive the fishermen probably wouldn't mind you running under their line and rods but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Cleonidas]

I don't think there's a formula. I would say that whatever distance your good judgment tells you is safe for you and courteous to the fishermen. An easy standard to adhere to may be that if you are close enough to eavesdrop, then you are too close.

[crue cab]

We surfcast a lot, and have never hooked a runner. I lead out about 6 to 8 ft of line then cast, so stay at least that far back and you should be fine.