Zero Brake Setting for Casting Reel

[islandbass]

I broke out my right-handed Abu Garcia 5-Star round reel earlier today. When I last checked it out a couple weeks ago, I discovered that something was wrong with it. The retrieve was uneven and not smooth. However, attempting to fix it was the last thing on my mind with my broken ankle on the mend.

Today, I finally had the chance to look into it found out that putting the handle side back in place was difficult to do. The brakes (two little white shoes) were preventing the reel from closing properly. They hung out farther than the rim that contained them. Also, when I managed to close the reel, the brakes rubbed against the same rim at certain times with each revolution of the handle. This was the cause of the uneven and rough retrieve.

Without the brakes in place the reel was easily and quickly assembled. The turning of the handle became buttery smooth.

Next, I thought, hmm…. Can I cast this baby without brakes? I wasn’t sure but I was going to try. I gave my thumb one instruction: “Stop the spool dead cold if it spins out of control. Do not wait or stare like a deer in the headlights.”

I mated the reel to a low-end 6’ rod, rolled out to the driveway in my office chair with my good foot (won’t be able to try walking until August), took a breath, made the cast, and wow! Holy smokes!! I have never seen this reel spin so freely!! It was beautiful. My thumb served as my personal, “islandbass DC (digital control - digit comes from the Latin word for finger or toe). J

There weren’t more than 3 loops of overrun but now my thumb knew the when and where for future casts.

I made right and left handed casts from the chair and stood on my good leg to make an occasional pitch to a manhole and other objects.

The zero brake setting yielded about the same or slightly farther casts but not by too much versus having 2-3 brakes of a centrifugal system on. I noticed that the thumb is definitely more involved and part of me thinks that is part of the fun I experienced. The other thing I noticed was that it took less effort to make those casts. The less effort just might help out in the long run of a long day of fishing.

How many of you fish with zero brakes as the setting on the reel and if you do what are your thoughts about it” To be honest, I expected some nasty overruns. I was surprised that they didn’t happen. I think I am going to try a zero brake setting on my Curado 101D.

If you’re willing, if you’re daring, give the zero brake setting a whirl.