Help me with my baitcaster

[thebus71h]

Alright, I just bought a baitcaster from BPS the other day, and have been messing with it quite a bit here in the last few days. I can flip, and pitch it awesome. I can hit the popcorn bowl in the kitchen or at least get it close all the time from lots of different angles and distances. But the problem comes from casting.

And I know it all comes from setup, but I cannot find a happy medium at all, and I think its cause I don't know what the hell I'm doing really when it comes to it. I can set it up so I don't get any backlash at all, but the lure goes about 10 feet and slams into the water. If I change the way I throw it, I may get a bit more (3/4, or sidearm), but that's about it. When I try to loosen up the brakes (they are the centrifigal (SP?) type), I get backlash, and when I tighten that up, and then loosen up the other knob that controls the spin after the lure hits the water, I get backlash. So I have to be doing something majorly wrong, either on when I let my finger off the spool, or how far forward I'm extending. Part of my problem is I want to cast it just like a spinning setup. So basically, my long winded question is... How do you cast a baitcaster compared to a spinning setup?

[skeeter944]

with a spinning setup,you can throw it really hard,with a baitcaster,at least until you can cast pretty good,do you throw it softly. my next door neighbor has been fishing for a really long time,and when i got my first baitcaster,he showed me how to do it. he said,point your rod out outwards,and engage the free spool and lossen up the knob under the hadle until the lure slowly falls. with the brake,i dont use any with my cheaper reels,but with my b.p.s. extreme reel,i have to use their wonderfully designed itb brake, i have it on 4. i reccomend about half of the centrifugal weights in,and just make simple overhead lob casts,and just start lobbing it harder after you get the hang of thumbing the spool. once you can make about 30 or 40 casts in a row,then start taking out brakes,one at a time,until you like the distance you are getting. if you learn to rely more on your thumb instead of your reel,you will be a better caster. just stick with it and keep on trying. oh,what bass pro shops combo do you have?

[Rebbasser]

Take a look here:

http://pages.infinit.net/fishing/bait101.htm

Best site I have seen for setting up a baitcaster.

[betursweetbass]

The only thing I would add, to the above, would be to recommend around 14 to 17 pound test for practice, and once you're confident you got the knack of it down, then go to you're preferred line test. Good Luck

[thebus71h]

I've got the tourney special combo. It was only 50 bucks, but the pricetag on the reel said 60, so basically got a 10 dollar discount on the reel, and a free rod, so I didn't think it was to bad of a deal.

That website definately helped me out quite a bit, but doesn't really help with getting any distance for me at all, becuase if I back off on the brakes, I get mega backlash. My father in law told me don't teach yourself to use your thumb to control the speed of the spool on a cast, the brakes should do that for you. True or false?

[thebus71h]

Oh, that and the guy at BPS also told me you can't have "half" the brakes on per say. He said always do it across. On this reel there is 6 brake adjustments, so you have to either do 2, 4 or 6. All across each other. Is this for balance, or what?

[JB]

ya need to educate your thumb, I always use the thumb more than the brake on the reel..my advise to you is to put on a one ounce lead and practice casting, pitching, and flipping with it. A heavy lure is easy to throw, then keep going lighter with weights, like 3/4 or 1/2 ounce..go over to Frames and see if they sell a practice plug..I work with rick frame, his brother should be able to help you, or get a heavy bolt or washer.
I always set every bait caster to drop any weighted lure about 8 inches and then stop, and set the brake to 4..then practice using your thumb to massage the spool as it casts, and esp when the lure is about to hit the water.

[Deacon]

I didnt see it mentioned so i thought i would add to help with back lash while your getting used to it it to pull out as much line as you need for that particular technique. For example if your pitching or flippin...pull out 15 or so ft and put a piece of tape there. That will stop the line from birds nesting while learning. Thats how i practiced and it really help me out. Just my .02

[lizardsrule]

ONCE YOU READ THE BAITCASTING 101, and understand "WHAT IT SAYS", you'll be a lot better off. Quit worrying about distance till you can cast it consistantly without backlashing. Once you do that, then loosen up the controls a "TINY BIT", and continue to practice. After no backlashes with that then loosen it up a "TINY BIT MORE". You have to learn to educate your thumb as JB said, and you have to keep praticing. If you try for long distance cast too quick you might as well just put the thing up and use your spinning reel. Just keep practicing with the tips listed in the link Reb posted. If you have one of the major ingredients it takes to become a consistant bass fisherman(PATIENCE), then you will pick it up. However if you don't then you will not be a consistant bass fisherman, maybe a great spinnerbait or crank guy, but not consistant over the long haul. This is just MY OPINION, but you gotta quit trying to cast a country mile.

Lizards

[AKM]

Don't worry about backlashes too much.I am 37 and I got my first baitcaster when I was 12 or 13 and I still get backlashes.
One thing that I have learned over the years is that I don't cast into the wind very good at all.
I also prefer to cast a heavier lure vs a light lure.
I just bought a Shimano Curado 300 Series reel and the manuel states that if your backlash occures at the begining of the cast then you need to adjust the brakes or whatever they call them.
If your backlash occures at the end of the cast then you need to tighten your cast control knob that is located near the handle.
Also,DO NOT try and sling the rod as hard as you can.You need to use a nice and easy smooth cast.
Hope this helps.

[thebus71h]

Originally Posted by lizardsrule

ONCE YOU READ THE BAITCASTING 101, and understand "WHAT IT SAYS", you'll be a lot better off. Quit worrying about distance till you can cast it consistantly without backlashing. Once you do that, then loosen up the controls a "TINY BIT", and continue to practice. After no backlashes with that then loosen it up a "TINY BIT MORE". You have to learn to educate your thumb as JB said, and you have to keep praticing. If you try for long distance cast too quick you might as well just put the thing up and use your spinning reel. Just keep practicing with the tips listed in the link Reb posted. If you have one of the major ingredients it takes to become a consistant bass fisherman(PATIENCE), then you will pick it up. However if you don't then you will not be a consistant bass fisherman, maybe a great spinnerbait or crank guy, but not consistant over the long haul. This is just MY OPINION, but you gotta quit trying to cast a country mile.

Lizards

I can cast about 10 feet no problem all day long without backlashing. I can pitch it, and I can flip it, but just can't cast it. I've put light stuff on, and I've put real heavy stuff on. I don't want to throw it a country mile, I want to throw it as far as I can throw my spinning stuff, and as far as my father in law throws his baitcaster.

Tell me something, explain me educating my thumb. To this day, nobody (even the guys at BPS, or at some of the tourney's we fish), have ever explained it to me. When I move the rod forward, when do ya'll take your thumb off the spool? And why has everything I've ever read about baitcasting said don't let your thumb do the work, and that you should only use your thumb right before the lure hits the water.

[Rebbasser]

Bus, what they mean by educating your thumb is to use your thumb rather than the brakes on the reel to slow the spool down. With practice you will be able to cast for more distance using your thumb as the brake, and will learn how much pressure to put on the spool to get the distance you want. Everyone gets backlashes, so don't get discouraged. One thing that helps is to put your thumb along the edge of the spool as opposed to the middle of the spool-I find I have better control doing that. Deacon gives a good tip-pull out a long cast's worth of line and put a piece of tape across the spool. If you backlash it won't get any deeper than the tape.

To answer your question about the release-are you putting the reel in freespool before you start the cast? If not, that might be your problem. One time my dad was backlashing every cast until I noticed he was hitting the freespool button as he was casting rather than before he started the cast. It made all the difference. Put the reel in freespool, using your thumb to keep the spool from rotating and THEN start your cast, releasing your thumb as you start the rod forward. Light pressure on the spool will control the rotation helping to prevent backlashes.

[st.croixman]

ok put on a 3/8s oz spinner bait loosen the mechanical brake until it just barely falls to the ground set the other brake on 3 (stager and turn on every other brake) the guy at bass pro is a moron and then start casting cast two handed not that hard just use the flex of the rod to get your distance its a smooth thing and when you go to cast let out enough line to hang almost to the 3 eye. flame me if you want but that is the simple way to learn go from there if you feel the birdsnest coming thumb the reel always have your thumb riding on the reel first thing that doesnt feel right thumb it.

[st.croixman]

(btw if you read and understand the article mentioned instead of skiming it you would understand.) but thats ok i dont have any patience either.