I have a Skeet Reese crankbait rod with a Shimano Curado baitcaster... I can't seem to cast my crankbait far?

at all... the crankbait that I am using are Bomber Square A lures and Strike King KVD Square Bill crankbaits... I have just started using baitcaster this year, so maybe i'm just not great at it yet... But my friend has a Curado also and i can cast lures with his rod and reel a mile long (not crankbaits), but with my rod and reel i cannot cast as far as his... he has a 5.1 and mine is 7.1... I know that 7.1 is for topwater but i bought it anyways because i'm gonna use that for topwater anyways, just have not had the chance to go by antoher one for crankbaits and other lures? so can ya help me to why i can't throw lures as far... is it becuase mine is a 7.1 and/ or i just need a litlle more practice... THANKS...