First casting rod 'n reel

[Abbeysdad]

Okay, always used open faced spinning gear except that time in my youth when I tried fly fishing mostly for "tree fish". As a youngster, I well remember my dad with his old school bait caster and him cussing every 3rd cast or so that backlashed - lol (In the olden days, I don't think they had the casting adjustments and counterweights like modern reels so if your thumb wasn't really smart relative to the toss, there'd be a mess).
I decided on an inexpensive Shakespeare rod and reel to dip my toe in the water without getting too crazy. I put some 14lb Stren sonic braid on it. I think I'll play some on the lawn before getting to the water.

[AUFred]

Good Luck. Tighten everything down to start with and adjust as you get more comfortable. Always check your adjustments before starting to fish.

[nofearengineer]

Boy are you screwed, Abbey. By this time next year, the bait monkey will have made you buy about 6 more baticasters. Take it from a guy who grudgingly switched this year, and is now a 100% believer.

[bassboogieman]

SIX? Noway he'll get away with ONLY 6. More like 10 or 12, TO START WITH. I can hear the Monkey howling with laughter now. Because we all know - for every new reel, he'll NEED A NEW ROD. Doomed, the man is doomed.

[Bassboss]

Doomed is right!

Congrats on the new combo. Keep at it and you'll get good though!

[Abbeysdad]

Well I took it out in the yard and made several casts. I quickly realized that the release has to be much different than I'm used to lest the bait goes way left (Need to release much sooner than with spinning gear). Sidearm works best as an overhead cast seemed to plummet into the ground not far ahead of me. I sortof got the hang of it but confess that I can get twice as much distance from my spinning rigs. On the up side, backlashes when they happened were very minor.
So using the instructions I decided to try and adjust the centrifugal brake weights but these were just flimsy plastic pieces that would pop off easily (nearly lost one). Not too impressed. The only saving grace is that with the boat, typically, I don't need to cast a country mile (like from shore) and I suppose I'll get more distance with practice.

[BigBassin144]

I think you'll have the same problems with most centrifugal brakes now days. They all, with the exception of the Pflueger and BPS's, feel very cheap to me, including my Shimano Citica and AbuG Revo.

Hang in there, and you'll definately get the hang of it.

BB

[Abbeysdad]

I dunno about 'you all', but I can get much more distance outta my spinning rigs than this casting rig....especially if I try to throw a light Jig. I'll be okay baitcasting in/from the boat, but I'm not gonna be leaving the spinning tackle home anytime soon.

[BigBassin144]

When I first started baitcasting, I definately got more distance with my spinning reels.

As you get better and turn the brakes and spool tension down, you'll be getting much more distance than you are now, maybe even more than with a spinning reel.

If nothing else, I think baitcasters are more versatile. While you'll probably always be able to get more distance with lighter lures (1/8 oz and less), you will probably be able to throw bigger lures better with a BC.

BB

[nofearengineer]

Agree with BB144.

Something to add. You have to compare apples to apples too. I have found that most people's spinning rods are less stiff than their baitcasting rods. I'm sure this has something to do with most people using baitcasters for the heavy gruntwork, while using spinning tackle for light finesse work. So there's somewhat of a self-fulfilling premise going on here.

The point is, a medium-light or medium spinning rod with a moderate action is going to load up much better with a light bait than a medium or broomstick-like medium-heavy baitcasting rod with fast or extra-fast tips.

I've been looking at drop shot rods (spinning) for next year, and have been amused at how much more flimsy and springy they seem than my other rods.

[Cavs1123]

good luck man

[riverfisher]

Practice practice practice!! Once you get the hang of adjusting the reel you will have a setup for each different lure that you throw. Bow now the the monkey your DONE!! I used to use just open face reel's. I had a about ten of them now I only own 2 and now have 12 baitcasters. Took a whole winter of throwing it in the snow to get used to them. THEN you move on to pitching and flipping in a bucket. It get's addicting especially once the bucket turns into a shot glass.

[Abbeysdad]

Something to add. You have to compare apples to apples too. I have found that most people's spinning rods are less stiff than their baitcasting rods. I'm sure this has something to do with most people using baitcasters for the heavy gruntwork, while using spinning tackle for light finesse work. So there's somewhat of a self-fulfilling premise going on here.

I think the real difference is more basic relative to design. With an open face spinning reel, open the bail and the line is free to spill off the end of the spool. the only resistance is the friction of the line on the line and eyelets - but with a casting reel, the reel has to rotate with all the frictional drag not only of the spinning spool but also the dang centrifical brake stuff going on to minimize the backlash.
I pulled the reel apart to adjust the brake only to find four little plastic tabs barely hanging on to little spokes. The lock/unlock indicated in the instructions that came with the reel are a bit of a joke. I tried to move one of the tiny plastic pieces and it popped off - lucky I was able to find it and put it back on with needle nose pliers that required the dexrous skill of a brain surgeon - (in the boat it's likely this little piece of ...'technology' would have been gone).
Anyway, short of taking them off, these don't really lock/unlock to adjust in any way I can see.....jeez.
I was at least able to make a casting adjustment relative to the weight of the bait to allow the reel to spin (when casting).

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by Abbeysdad

I pulled the reel apart to adjust the brake only to find four little plastic tabs barely hanging on to little spokes.

That's your brakes. Pushed out to the ends of the spokes means they're on, pushed in towards the middle means they're off. To start, it wouldn't hurt to have them all on, but you'll probably end up with two on, two off, or even all of them off.

This should look something like your reel. Obviously, this reel has 6 brakes vs. your 4.



When you cast with the little plastic caps/grommets/doo-hickeys pushed out to the end, the centrifugal force of the spool forces them against the inside of the body of the reel, slowing the spool down. If they're pushed in, they don't touch anything, so the spool spins more freely.
Be sure to keep your brakes balanced...don't turn 1 on, 3 off, or whatever. Your reel, having 4 brakes, can either have all on, all off, or two on two off. With a 6 spoke setup, you could turn 3 on 3 off, 2 on 4 off, etc...as long as it's symmetrical to the axis of rotation, you're good.

[BigBassin144]

I think your problem with the brakes may be the cheaper reel. Like I said before, they all feel cheap, even on a $280 reel, but I've never had one come off of either of my reels with centrifugal brakes. I still find I like the performance of magnetic brakes better.

Here's a couple pics that I have.





you can see what I mean by the brakes on the BPS and high end Pfluegers being built better.



BB

[WaffleJaw]

Doesnt centrifugal braking brake more of the beginning of the cast and magnetic braking brake more at the end of a cast?

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by WaffleJaw

Doesnt centrifugal braking brake more of the beginning of the cast and magnetic braking brake more at the end of a cast?

Close. Centrifugal brakes apply more stopping force the faster the spool is turning, so they affect the spool during the beginning to probably 3/4 of the cast.

The magnetic brakes have a smaller effect than centrifugal, but affect it the whole time. So they have the most effect during slow parts of the cast, when the centrifugal brakes haven't kicked in, notably the end, or when doing short range pitching.