Helpful tips or ideas about Baitcasters

Ron Fogelson · March 19, 2007, 07:44:53 AM

Baitcasters can be a pain in the butt at first

Here are a few things that worked for me when I first started using them.

1. Practice with a weight or casting plug 3/8 or 1/2 ounce worked well.
2. When you first start real the weight all most to the tip of the rod and hold it straight out in front of you and release the spool. Adjusts the spool tension knob until it lets the weight fall and hit the floor/ground without backlashing.
3. Practice 1st with a side arm, roll cast or pitching the weight, hold off with the over hand casts until you get your thumb trained to stop the spool just before the weight hits the ground.
4. Once you can handle the above casts with little to no backlashing try over hand but when you cast turn the rod one 1/4 turn in your hand. If your left handed the reel handles will be facing the ground if your right handed the handles will be pointed to the sky. Not sure why but this helps keeping the backlashes to a minimum.
5. Now that you have all the above down you can start to back off the spool tension knob giving you more casting distance, but also more of a chance to backlash if you make a mistake so just back it off a little bit at a time.
6. Every time you change baits even if it is the same weight you will need to adjust your reel, because each style of bait will have different wind resistance and will cast differently enough that it can affect your current set up.
7. Practice, practice, practice, and practice at home, in the front/back yard or where ever, this will save you down time on the water. If you are having trouble at home, it will only seam worse on the water. I still pitch and cast in the front yard on days I don't have enough time to get on the water. I set up cans and try to cast into them from different points. This not only helps get used to casting but helps your aim so when on the water you can put your bait where you want it rather then the trees

Now when you get a backlash, and they happen no matter how good you get sometimes you just can't help it, but to avoid getting them to bad cast as far as you can and then strip off another 3 or 4 rod lengths of line and put a piece of tape over the rest of the line on the spool. So when you get a backlash it will not get so bad you can't work it out. When trying to work out a backlash most people just start pulling line off the spool and it will get stuck every time. Rather next time try tightening your drag up and hold your thumb firmly on the spool and wind the reel a few times. This will tighten the line from the inside out. Next carefully pull the line off the spool until it snags and then once more hold your thumb or thumbnail on the spool and give it a few turns. This will help keep the line from digging in on it's self and once I learned how to do this I have only cut line off my spool once in the last 2 years.

Once you get everything else worked out you can start to play with the brakes on your reel and get some great casting distance. I've only been using baitcasters for about 5 years now and have not looked back once I learned the above. It took a while and my 1st three baitcasters were cheep Wal-Mart reels that ended up in the water over backlashes, but once I bought a quality reel and just practiced what I've talked about here it all came together.

tmarsh83 · March 19, 2007, 10:14:46 AM

Good info thanks. I am a charter member of spinners only anonymous because I have been unable to make my baitcasters work with any regularity. Your post gives me a couple new ideas and the inspiration to try again. HAHA..

THANKS!!

Ron Fogelson · March 19, 2007, 11:38:46 AM

Quote from: tmarsh83 on March 19, 2007, 10:14:46 AM
Good info thanks. I am a charter member of spinners only anonymous because I have been unable to make my baitcasters work with any regularity. Your post gives me a couple new ideas and the inspiration to try again. HAHA..

THANKS!!

Don't feel bad, my 1st three baitcasters are on the bottom of a lake, well 2 are on the bottom of Cypress and one is on the bottom of Cross

I picked them up one at a time they were Wal-Mart rod and reel combos on sale for around $20.00 and I just gave up. I won a very nice baitcasting rod in a tournament that year and figured I would get a nice reel to go on it and spent a little $$$$ about $100.00 on a reel and then took the time with some help from friend to get it set up at home before ever hitting the lake with it. Everything here is from trial and error and worked well for me. Each of us will cast or handle our rods a bit differently so if anything here helps great but if you come up with something that has worked for you let us know. You might just be the one to help out the next guy/gal that needs it.

See you one the water.
Fogy

scatch1 · March 19, 2007, 05:02:17 PM

I can,t wait to try out the idea of taping after you have a little more line out for that long distance cast. Hopefully no more big profesional overuns.

tmarsh83 · March 20, 2007, 10:09:11 PM

Went out today and got the baitcaster some action after a couple days practice and tuning with these tips. I was throwing a 3/4 oz jig, and while I know that weight makes it a little easier, it was the BEST day I have ever had with a baitcaster. No fish, but only 2 VERY minor backlashes. I was getting it out there after a while too. The backlashes were thumb problems, knew it as soon as I let go. Thanks again for the tips, my confidence is already leaps and bounds ahead of where it was a week ago.

Ron Fogelson · March 21, 2007, 06:51:25 AM

Quote from: tmarsh83 on March 20, 2007, 10:09:11 PM
Went out today and got the baitcaster some action after a couple days practice and tuning with these tips. I was throwing a 3/4 oz jig, and while I know that weight makes it a little easier, it was the BEST day I have ever had with a baitcaster. No fish, but only 2 VERY minor backlashes. I was getting it out there after a while too. The backlashes were thumb problems, knew it as soon as I let go. Thanks again for the tips, my confidence is already leaps and bounds ahead of where it was a week ago.

Thats great, it only gets better from here.

victory23 · March 21, 2007, 02:39:07 PM

i can sidearm cast very well with accuracy and distance but when i over hand cast the bait will go straight down 10 yards in front of me and i get a nasty birdsnest how do I fix this?

scatch1 · March 21, 2007, 03:08:15 PM

IMHO you are releasing too late.

bigjim5589 · March 21, 2007, 03:17:33 PM

I have added a few cheap aluminum crochet hooks to my tackle bags & boxes for picking out back lashes. I bought them in packs of 3 at a local store that sells crafts & sewing supplies, and I paid about $7 for a pack. At less than $2.50 each, they're inexpensive & well worth the price, especially considering the fishing time they can save!

My casting has gotten better, but like Fogy said, backlashes still occur sometimes & having a tool to pick them out sure makes it easier to deal with!

Ron Fogelson · March 21, 2007, 11:16:53 PM

Quote from: victory23 on March 21, 2007, 02:39:07 PM
i can sidearm cast very well with accuracy and distance but when i over hand cast the bait will go straight down 10 yards in front of me and i get a nasty birdsnest how do I fix this?

Quote from: scatch1 on March 21, 2007, 03:08:15 PM
IMHO you are releasing too late.

It could be a few things Scatch1 covered the late release, another thing to look at is your spool tension, if it is to tight on over hand casts it will do as you said and the other thing is to make sure your ot over powering the cast. Try the same cast but just do it nice and easy. Try to cast without an overrun rather then distance.

I'm sure you will get it down, the over hand cast tip I posted below helped me the best and that was to turn the rod 1/4 turn. I'm left handed so the reel handles on the right side of the reel is pointed at the water when I first start to bring the rod back over my head, once the rod is over my shoulder the handles are pointed at the sky and then after the cast is over the handles are again pointed at the water.

Be turning the rod 1/4 turn you can relaxe the spool tension get greater distance without to much worry of over runs.

bassfishing5 · March 21, 2007, 11:47:27 PM

Instead of tightening the drag, I just tighten up the cast control brake knob before I go pulling line. That way no more line comes off the spool while I'm working out the backlashed part. I just keep track how how many turns I was casting at before it happened. Either way works. I still haven't taped my line. I need to give it a try. I also don't have to make much of an adjustment when I change baits. I think it's because I still have my brakes set in my own comfort zone.

Don't put too much line on either. I only put on what I can cast plus a little extra to allow cutting/retying or in case I have to let a big fish take off some line.

Pitching is something I'm still working on. I'll be excellent at it for a few days and then completely lose it.

pete s. · March 22, 2007, 09:26:55 AM

this is old school. turn your wrist left not quite a quarter of a turn to the left. this sets up the spool vertical not horizonal. if you dont believe,try throwing a baseball with your thumb on top ot the baseball. then,try throwing it with your thumb on the left side of the baseball (traditional way). see what i mean. the only thing i can recall that you throw with your thumb on top is a frisbee. this is all for right handers(lefties just the opposite). this also helps with backlashes. way we had to cast in old days without all the antibacklash devices put on reels today.

Ron Fogelson · March 22, 2007, 12:00:21 PM

Quote from: pete s. on March 22, 2007, 09:26:55 AM
this is old school. turn your wrist left not quite a quarter of a turn to the left. this sets up the spool vertical not horizonal. if you dont believe,try throwing a baseball with your thumb on top ot the baseball. then,try throwing it with your thumb on the left side of the baseball (traditional way). see what i mean. the only thing i can recall that you throw with your thumb on top is a frisbee. this is all for right handers(lefties just the opposite). this also helps with backlashes. way we had to cast in old days without all the antibacklash devices put on reels today.

Yep thanks for saying it a little clearer.

victory23 · March 22, 2007, 07:26:40 PM

thanks for all the help just got back from practicing in my back yard and I have it down pat. the only thing i want to know is that i currenty am pracitcing with ten pound mono but when i fish i want to use 12 pound floro will this be easier or harder to cast and contral backlashes?

Ron Fogelson · March 23, 2007, 06:49:50 AM

Quote from: victory23 on March 22, 2007, 07:26:40 PM
thanks for all the help just got back from practicing in my back yard and I have it down pat. the only thing i want to know is that i currenty am pracitcing with ten pound mono but when i fish i want to use 12 pound floro will this be easier or harder to cast and contral backlashes?

All I use any more is floro, becareful with kinks as those will become your week point.

-Shawn- · March 23, 2007, 10:15:55 AM

Quote from: floater on March 21, 2007, 11:47:27 PM
Instead of tightening the drag, I just tighten up the cast control brake knob before I go pulling line. That way no more line comes off the spool while I'm working out the backlashed part. I just keep track how how many turns I was casting at before it happened. Either way works. I still haven't taped my line. I need to give it a try. I also don't have to make much of an adjustment when I change baits. I think it's because I still have my brakes set in my own comfort zone.

Don't put too much line on either. I only put on what I can cast plus a little extra to allow cutting/retying or in case I have to let a big fish take off some line.

Pitching is something I'm still working on. I'll be excellent at it for a few days and then completely lose it.

I think fogy said tighten the drag because you have to tighten it to reel against your thumb pressure to tighten the line closer to the center of the spool, not to control how much line comes offf the spool, this is a great way to work out your overruns. tighten your drag place your thumb firmly on the spool and give it a few cranks. Then with your thumb still on the spool pull out the line tilll it binds , Then reel a few more cranks , then pull out some more. this was excelent advice Fogy gave and you will be suprised how fast you can work out a backlash. shawn

bassfishing5 · March 23, 2007, 11:32:22 AM

I guess I'm just not visualizing it right. I'll have to try it, but I don't see how more cranking and thumb pressure unbinds the loop with an even tighter drag. I usually only have one or two binds to work out and all I do is turn back the cast control, pull out line until I hit the first one, pull up on the loop that's stuck, and then pull some more line out. It fixes pretty quick unless the spool keeps turning and letting out more line than I want which is why I tighten up the brakes.