Reel Problem..

[Zildjian]

Hey guys I just purchased my first baitcaster. It's the Shimano Curado G Series. My problem is that when I try to lock the Palm Side Plate it will not lock! But if I take out the spool and then try to lock the side plate it locks perfectly fine.

What am I doing wrong? Anyone else have this problem with similar baitcaster models?

Please help!

Thank you guys,
-Zildjian

[pro reel]

You need to loosen the cast tension cap first. Thats the cap beside the drag star. It puts tension on the spool between the two side plates and if you open the brake side plate while it's under tension you will not be able to close it.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I wanted to answer, but I figured I would wait on the masta! I couldn't remember what I did when it happened.

[Zildjian]

Thank you do much!

Any advice on how many on/off breaks I should start out with?

[MississippiBoy]

With your first baitcaster, start with them all on. That will limit your backlashes while you're learning. You also might peel off 20-30 yards of line, then put some electrical tape down to hold the rest of the line, and reel the line back in. That way, your backlash won't go any farther than that.
Keep the spool tension tight, too....the one Pro Reel referred to. Keep it tight enough that when you hold the rod at about a 45 degree angle up, press the spool release and aren't touching the spool with your thumb, your lure either stays still, or barely, slowly, falls to the ground.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I use 2-3 on mine, but I have been throwing them quite some time. Pro Reel has brought up a good point lately about setting your brakes properly and not using your tension knob by your drag for spool control. The best way is to get out in the yard and start setting it up for what fits you the best. Everyone throws a little different. Learn what the brakes do for different situations in case you have to make a change on the water for high winds or what nots too. As you get used to the reel, you might be able to come off the brakes some more to get better distance out of the reel.


Wasn't trying to contradict you Dirty, we were writing at the same time.

[MississippiBoy]

No problem. I'm thinking he needs to first learn without wasting any line to backlashes, and back off the brakes and tension once he kinda has an idea about using a baitcaster.

[islandbass]

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

With your first baitcaster, start with them all on. That will limit your backlashes while you're learning. You also might peel off 20-30 yards of line, then put some electrical tape down to hold the rest of the line, and reel the line back in. That way, your backlash won't go any farther than that.
Keep the spool tension tight, too....the one Pro Reel referred to. Keep it tight enough that when you hold the rod at about a 45 degree angle up, press the spool release and aren't touching the spool with your thumb, your lure either stays still, or barely, slowly, falls to the ground.

First, congrats to the reel. I would highly recommend that it does not stay completely still when you hold it at 45deg and give it a little twitch. When you twitch it, it should be enough force to make the lure start its descent to the ground. If it doesn't that's just too tight, even for a beginner.

In no time you'll have the tension knob set loosely for sure. A great starting place with your brakes is to go with 3 on (outward) and 3 off (inward). You can fine tune from there.

If I could only give you one nugget of advice, it would be this, which is what I taught my daughter when she was 6 1/2.

No matter what you do, you must stop the spool from spinning before the lure hits anything. And I mean anything. This is the biggest key I could recommend to a newbie, and assuming that the lure's weight is at least 1/4oz and the reel is set to the lure's weight, there really isn't much else that could cause a true bird's nest other than a thumb failing to stop the spool from spinning before the lure hits anything, be it the water's surface, or the street in your cul de sac, or your neighbor's fence.

You are going to have a blast now.

[Zildjian]

Wow thank you guys for all the help! I love this forum! Lol

I just went out back in my yard and started casting with a 3/8oz casting plug. Tightend my drag to how I like it, Had all 6 brakes on, and tightened my casting knob tight to where it wouldn't fall down on its own unless I shake the plug to make it fall at all, but not over tighten.

And I was casting great! Very soft at first with no backlash, then I wanted to see how much distance I could get.. So I caster harder and harder after each cast to see how far I could get, and also to see if I could backlash. And it wouldn't! So I tried an over head cast and boom backlash lol. But I picked it out and fixed it without cutting. Very happy. I wanted to get more distance, so I loseend my casting knob just a very tiny bit, and when I cast the first very lightly it backlashed. So I tightened back up and just adjusted my breaks to 6 on to 4 on and 2 off to see if I could get greater distance, but didn't really notice much of an improvement.

Now i have to take my setup to the lake!

[Zildjian]

btw this is my setup.

Rod- Powell Endurance: 673 C Medium Heavy Ex-fast Action 6'7" 10-17lb. Test 1/4-3/4oz.

Reel- Shimano Curado 201G6 6.5:1 Gear Ratio

Line- Berkley Trilene XL Smooth Casting 14lb test.

[islandbass]

Yeah, you're right. It is amazing how such a tiny adjustment to the cast control knob can make a huge difference.

You're definitely on the right track and have taken measures to speed your learning:

1) heavier line choice - translates to easier line management with its thicker line diameter
2) Tape - Man, if I had known this trick, I would have saved a lot more line.
3) 3/8 oz weight - by starting out with something greater than 1/4 oz, you also saved yourself a lot of time.

You can master this within three focused, 30-minute sessions in the yard.

[Zildjian]

Thank you man! Yes in the yard I was for about 30mins. I did manage to catch a big Tree Fish though... Lol

[joedog]

All advice given is great!
I feel you must START HERE!
The best two and a half minutes you will spend in your quest to mastering the baitcaster!

http://www.bassfishin.com/fishing-vi...ster-backlash/