Baitcaster Casting Problems 2024

MDBasser reply :

Hey all, this is a question regarding casting with a baitcaster. I have used spinning outfits, but recently purchased my first baitcaster. However, I didnt realize the difficulty in casting these. I think I might be doing something wrong, because I frequently get significant backlash, and the line on the spool ends up getting all tangled. I know you have to stop the line with your thumb once it hits the water, but I am sometimes experiencing tangles before that even happens. Any advice on the proper way to cast these, or some techniques to use?

Also, I got the baitcaster because I wanted to be able to throw some heavier lures with some more distance and accuracy. It seems like I can cast my spinning outfits farther. I have to be extra careful with the baitcaster because of the frequent tangles I experience. Do these just take a lot of practice to master, or could I be doing something terribly wrong? Also, can anyone give advice on the reel settings?

Zebco202 reply :

Yes, they do take a lot of practice to master. I just bought my first BC back in the spring and I practiced with it every night for the first month that I had it. After that I kind of got the hang of it. I still get a backlash every now and then, I still get a "professional overrun" sometimes but not very often any more.

Raul reply :

You just lift your thumb enough to allow the spool to rotate freely but not lifting it too much or the line begins to flow through the port.

roadwarrior reply :

Just above this comment is a post by Zebco202 which refrences the tutorial by ReelMech.

I think this will help you with all of the technical prolems you have faced.

There is a learning curve, but once you have climbed the ladder, it is worth the effort.

Good luck!

MDBasser reply :

Thanks for the advice guys. I read through that article and made some adjustments, and It made a huge difference. Although I do need some more practice, I feel much more comfortable with it already.

Thanks!!

x-trued reply :

I agree with reel mech in his article. If you have the reel's owners manual by all means read it and familirize yourself with the controls for your reel. Having the reel adjusted for the lure you are casting has everything to do with sucessful casts. Here is an encouraging story for you:

My son and I have been fishing together for two years now, just about every weekend except for winter. He just turned 9 last week and has always used Zebco 33 spincating reels and the ocassional spinning reel. He has been wanting to learn to use a baitcaster for a while now, so for his birthday he asked for fishing equiment money from everyone. I took him shopping and he bought an Abu Garcia Ambassador C4. We set it up on a old 6-6 med ugly stick we had while saves for a better rod (he want's a BPS Crankin Stick). We tied on a plug and he began to cast in the back yard. I was dissaponited to see that he would only cast a few times, get frustratd and set it down. He lated came back and cast a few more times and that was it for the day. I thought to myself "you are never going to get the hang of this if you don't work harder at it than that". Then we took the boat out yesterday. There was a night and day difference in his casting. He had 5 backlashes in 7 hours. I am not sure what made the difference, but he did so much better and loved his new reel. Maybe actually fishing made it more interesting. Maybe catching a fish on it and felling the difference made him want to try harder. I don't know. He has not mastered it yet. His casts with a 3/8 oz. spinner bait are still only going about 20-30 feet, but that is great for a beginner, and more importantly, he is having fun doing it.

So adjust your reel and keep at it. You will get the hang of it. My son alreay says he would ever wantto go back to spincast.

guest reply :

x-trued,

Your story is typical for those trying to learn a baitcaster in the front or back yard. It is very intimidating to try and learn a casting technique with the trees and bushes that many yards have. Especially when the new-comer to baitcasting is trying to learn only for one reason the "longest cast they can".

Many anglers forget go short at first.....

I have had adult and juniors alike get really nervous of the fact that they haven't learned enough control to keep the practice plugs out of the trees and/or bushes and it does cause them to choke up.

When I sponsored the Junior Bass Club here, we would load all of them up take them to a park in an open area, and you would be amazed at the fun they had. Set up some targets on a football field or open space area and watch how fast they learn...

Practice......Practice.......Practice......Practice

Tight Lines All!

dodgeguy reply :

when i first learned baitcasting i wanted to throw mine in the lake.i was 34 yeras old at the time.after i mastered it i wound up prefering it to spinning.i still have a spinning rod but most ofmy fishing is done baitcasting.

VAbacklash reply :

I don't have a problem casting a baitcaster. I fall into the same catagory as another poster on this site that states, "I never met a baitcaster that I can't backlash". I got a good laugh out of that ! I don't know if I should list brand names on this forum, but her goes. About six years ago I decided to "upgrade" to a "better" quality reel. I dived right in a bought me six (6), Quantum (Zebco) Tour Edition 600 baitcasters.

These babies were advertised as the "Cadillac" of the round type baitcaster. Six bearings and cast like a dream. NOT !!!!!!

These things are nearly impossible to adjust for any weight lure. I have had enough "professional over runs" to last a lifetime. Yes, I did read the book about adjusting the internal spool speed control weights. I have sent them off to be adjusted and repaired with little sucess. Now, the ?yokes? are wearing out or whatever they are doing and I find that the reel has long been discountinued and parts are no longer available. Does anybody know of a reel shop that may have parts?

GAMEOVER reply :

I dont understand your post backlash you baught six cheap baitcasting reels and they broke now you cant find parts?

dodgeguy reply :

i had 2 us 600's.there is nothing wrong with how they cast.but i will grant you there are better reels.it's time to buy a better reel.

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=85315&hvarDept=100&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=1&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

this is my next reel.

VAbacklash reply :

GAMEOVER, you are exactly right with your comment about better reels out there for purchase. You can pay $400 or more for a reel. For those that can afford that, go for it! As far as your somewhat offensive comment about not understanding my complaint, anytime I pay over $130 plus shipping for a reel, I expect that reel to perform as advertised.

These reels dropped in price to $80 plus shipping from Bass Pro. Too bad that was AFTER I had purchased mine. I assume that was when Quantum (Zebco) decided to stop production. I guess you thought I was buying the cheap stuff when you saw the name Zebco in my first post about my problems with them. Zebco. under the name of Quantum, markets some very good quality fishing equipment and well as low end stuff. I buy what I can afford and what I feel is good quality based upon experiece, advertisments and word of mouth.

This is one of the best sites on the Internet for bass fishermen. Temper your sarcasm when you post in the future.

guest reply :

For all of those baitcasting newbies here is a little help..

Basic Baitcast Reel Setup 101

Practice Practice Practice

Tight Lines All!!!

Gr8wall reply :

hmmm i apologize if this is under the wrong thread but i just got the daiwa viento (a bit much for a newbie but i figure do it right the first time hopefully). i just used it for the first time and didnt have a big problem with backlash or birds nest (really conservative settings). however i was only successful throwing it side arm. all my overhead casts were rock bombs. how do you guys cast? and would a light side arm be considered a pitch (just tryin to figure out the terminology so i dont sound dumb next time...isnt this alot of inserts lol)? i was using about 3/8's to 1/4 oz. lures. any suggestions or different techinques? or is it that the better i get and the looser the settings are the further i cast? oh yeah my set up consists of the daiwa tierra mounted with a daiwa viento. thanks for you help guys

guest reply :

Gr8wall,

Read the article and Practice, Practice, Practice!

Gr8wall reply :

yeah i did read it, so eventually i will move up to over head casting?

KYbass1276 reply :

I agree with Reel mech the best way to learn baitcasting is to practice. But If your having trouble with the overhand cast Hold your reel with the reel handles pointing toward the sky and cast it that away and try using both hands as well. No matter what anyone tells you on how to baitcast there's still no subsitute for practice though Worry about the basic's not distance and the rest will come to you.

Gr8wall reply :

yeah im not looking to cast far, of course the basics need to be learned first. however, if there coudl be further detail about how to cast over head....i guess maybe an approximate release point to reference from. thinking back, i dont think i really even konw where to begin. sidearm was easy to figure out, but i tried starting out light and i was still slamming the bait into the water lol. any help woudl be appreciated. but those were great articles to read especially on how to set them up. thanks guys

justfishin reply :

Let whatever you are going to throw hang about 10" below your rod tip and shake it a little bit until it hits the floor. If it does't backlash that is a good place to start. After a while you can loosen things up as your thumb gets educated.

scott000 reply :

the first time i used my brand new BC was last weekend. i couldnt get it to cast 10ft! how can i practice casting?

justfishin reply :

Follow ReelMechs advice, then, practice,practice, practice. I use both spinning and casting but, if I had to chose one I would take a baitcaster anyday. One day it will be second nature to you. We all had to start somewhere.Good luck.

NBR reply :

When I started fishing baitcasters were all that was available. So after 60+ years I still get an ocassional over run and very infrequently,when I do something stupid, a real bonafide backlash that I takes a knife to clear.

Having said that I use a baitcaster for everything except real light baits, drop shotting and skipping. You don't have to mortgate the farm for a satisfactory bait caster. I think today's baitcasters in the $85 to $120 range will perform as needed for a very high percentage of the fisher folks.

The secret as expressed by so many is practice, followed by practice, followed by practice. After all these years I still practice every spring before ice out. I put some targets (chalk marks) on the drivewayand if it rains I stand inside and do roll casts.

danbowhntr reply :

a couple of pointers. for a overhead cast the most common problem is people "chop" the line off and then don't stop the spool soon enough, results bird house. you have to follow through just like with a golf swing come all the way over and point the tip of the rod at the spot you want to cast to. set the spool tension until the lure or casting plug barely spools off and stops with the rod held level and the lure hits the ground the spool stops. if you have a magnetic control start at mid range and as you improve you can loosen things up for a longer cast. another thing when casting overhead rotate your hand till the reel is on its side this way the spool will set against the side and not "float" like it does holding it level.......remember follow through ...never change directions of the rod once you start or you will back lash. before you know it you will develope a "sixth sense" and be able to feel how hard you can cast under different conditions......hope this helps

Slug-go's rule....Danny

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

I cast with my right arm and reel with my right BUT i can say this i been using BC reels for 20 yrs and i still get a few back lashes it happens then agian i can get most out within 5 seconds also they all seem to b the same kind of backlash LOL if that makes sense during this time i have learned to cast anyway thought possible with a BC laying down even ,up trees , backwards, with a broke arm with a broke finger... like REELMECH says practice pratice pratice

LONGEARS reply :

Just to touch on land practice the reason some do better on water is that water gives when stopping the lure land doesn't.So therefore the line stops faster on land than water and the spool just keeps on going and going and going.(Think battery Bunny)

Jeff21 reply :

yea they take a while to master...i just bought the quantum accurist and it has a really good backlash control..ive been fishing with baitcasters for 5 years now and still cant say that i am a master at it...still get some backlashes once in a while...i practice during the winter which helps out...check your drag and make sure that the drag isnt set down...that could be ur problem but just keep trying and it will eventually come to you...hope this helps!!

ThaKing reply :

Baitcasting is a little difficult but if you know what to do and never done it then you'll do a little better.

Pros can cast that thing in several ways and rarely backlash, they make it look very simple. But you have to realize that they have been doing this for years. Once you get the hang of it, you wont want to go back to spinning unless fishing real light.

Just bought the new shimano curado 100dsv and threw it on a shimano carbomax and i love it.

sowl323 reply :

I just bought my first baitcaster and used it for the first times on saturday and sunday. Of course I got some backlashes; many minor ones and a few major ones (luckily i was in a kayak, so i could backup while letting out line to fix them). I found backlashes to be almost non-existent when I casted backhand, it was casting forehand where I had more problems. But overall I think I did pretty well and also got a lot of fishing in. The distance I got was somewhat decent and I figure it will only get better. However, the big thing for me was my accuracy was terrible; with my spinner I can hit a 2 foot circle just about anywhere, but not even close with the baitcaster. Is this generally the case that casters are less accurate? I hope not, I really hope the accuracy improves!!

guest reply :

I( just went over to baitcasting last year THAT ARTICLE FROM REELMECH PROVED TO BE THE BEST!!!!!!!! Anyway I am to the point where I can ast all day with limited tangles my avg cast is between 35 and 40 yards WITH CONTROL

Listen to what the fellas suggest. The #1 thing that helped was going on the Fork trip and fishing with various fellas one would say Hey keep the handles up. another don't horse it LOB IT etc Practing in those windy conditions really helped :

rebar reply :

The first thing I allways tell a new "baitcaster" is release the line a little sooner than with spin-cast or spinning. For example on an overhand cast with the reel handles sticking up (right handed, right hand reel) start you overhead cast. With a lot of tension on your spool you can do this in fairly slow motion until you get the right trajectory. Release spool with rod in 12 O'clock position but don't stop, follow through until your rod is pointing at your target. Then practice previous mentioned spool control. It took me nearly all summer to learn by myself. What made the light come on was when I picked my spinning reel after learning baitcasting and made a cast and the lure went straight up. I have taught several men and kids to throw a baitcaster this way and they allways make me mad when I remember how long it took me to learn! > It still takes a lot of practice but this should get you fishing pretty quickly. It's allways a good idea to take an extra reel or enough line to respool. Sometimes, it's easier to trade or respool than to pick the loops out, easier on your nerves and on your line. Also most baitcasters work with a certain weight line better, especially if you're on the lighter side. Most heavy lines cast pretty good if they're limp enough. You need a small light spool for light lines. HTH. I'm not that good but I'm old and made all the mistakes. ;D

fishfordollars reply :

Here's a trick to get the backlash out. Before you start pulling on the line put your thumb on the spool and apply some pressure. Nine times out of ten you will be able to spool the backlash off without having to pick it out. Another suggestion is to change the line after a day of backlashes. It kinks the line and will cause additional backlashes. I keep a backing on all of my baitcasters and change the line after each day of fishing.

Jake P reply :

i had a shimano spirex spinning reel and heard alot of talk about these baitcast reels so i went ahead and got me an abu garcia 2 days ago. due to work i havent hit the lake yet so i havent got to try it out but from what ive read yesterday and today it looks pretty intimidating. this weekend im headin out to the ol' fishin spot, i have a feeling im gonna need to bring my other rod n reel

Jake P reply :

Well that wasnt so hard

TeamBerettaGold reply :

A trick I used to use when I first started out throwing a baitcaster is to make a good long cast that doesnt backlash. before you reel it in, take a peice of tape and put it on the spool, now you can only cast that far, with no backlash. This really doesnt increase your skill level though. I used to do this when it would get really bad. But you cant beat parctice.

Castamasta reply :

i have a bass pro edition bc setup and i have been having great success with it for about 2 years, recently after catchin a couple of lunkers with my friends it seems that the brakes have been engaging immediatly after i cast.........any one know why????

basspro96 reply :

I learned when I was nine years old in Mississipppi. I stole my dad fishing pole cause he made me mad not letting me use it and learned to throw it. Same thing with his gun! ;D ;D ;D ;D

FishingMastah1 reply :

I use my personal "two touch method" in which case you give it a solid solid cast for distance and RIGHT AFTER you cast you put your thumb on the line and pull it back off. This slows down the spool to the good speed, while keepin the solid cast distance. Then the second touch is stopping it before it hits the water. Almost fool proof for me.

coolhandlala reply :

I got my first bc reel about 2 months ago and it just took a lot of practice and fine tuning the brake and spool control and now I have it just right. I can tell when someone has messed with it because it doesn't cast the same if you change the settings just a little bit. Just keep pracxticing and you will get it. To start with turn the spool tension so it is pretty tight. You won't be able to cast very far but you will get the feel of the reel, then slowly lighten up the tension to the point you like and then you are ready to rock and roll.

minnesotabass reply :

I just found this forum - great resource. I just bought my first baitcaster after using spinning rods all of my life. I took it out tonight to try and practice and on the first case got a backlash that looks like it's about half of my line. After reading this and watching some online instructional videos, I think I had too much line on, didn't keep my thumb on the spool AND had it set on free. Sounds like the perfect storm.

Any tips on getting my line back in shape - it's a total and complete mess.

BFBoy reply :

My first reel was a Pflueger Akron. This was a knuckle busting baitcaster. This was before monofilament line, and braided dacron was the line of choice, for me. It took quite a while to learn how to cast it without big backlashes. (At least I learned how to get them out).

When I bought my first ambassadeur reel, things began to change. After many years of practice and technology, baitcasters became my reel of choice.

I still get backlashes, now and then, but they don't annoy me too much. The control I get with them is worth the occasional overrun.

With a new baitcaster, I make sure I have a lure that is streamlined, and set the spool so it drops to the ground just fast enough to overrun slightly. When I cast it, I don't whip it too fast, but try to cast smoothly. (one of the problems, people face, is watching the guys on TV whipping the rod very hard, and they try to replicate that move). My thumb is always close to the spool ready to slow it as the lure hits the water. This also allows for a good measure of distance control.

Once I have become used to the particular reel, I can loosen it up a bit, and get longer, smoother casts. Practice and confidence are the keys.

darcy tucker reply :

Usually I set my VBS at neutral (half on half off) with my shimano reels and as I switch from differing weighted lures "I only manipulate the cast control knob." I've never had a problem with this before and have been very happy with my limited backlashes.

I just bought a new Citica and was talking to the salesman. He said it was vital that when I change lure weights that I also change VBS settings. Is this true? Is it like a must? I do not understand why I must do this if the cast control knob seems to be doing the trick.

dodgeguy reply :

that's completely wrong.the cast control knob should be loose once your thumb is trained.the brake weight setting controls the intial backlash and should remain constant unless your casting style changes.

darcy tucker reply :

So if I am fishing and switching from a heavy spinnerbait to a light crankbait there is no problem with me just adjusting the cast control knob looser like I normally do. No need in me switching the VBS if I don't feel I need to?

kyle90ranger365v reply :

Darcy, do what works for you. There's no absolutes about using BC reels. My Dad and his brother set theirs completely different and neither one has any troubles to speak of. My Uncle sets his where he ALWAYS has his thumb on it (i.e. very loose) and my Dad and I both work ours until its set where the spool stops or is going very slow just about the time the lure is hitting the water on a long cast and we then use our thumb to stop it. I've got different reels that require different settings for different lures and then I've got others that seem to need very little adjustment.

I'd say how you're doing it is very close to how I would. Changing those brakes (once I found what worked good for me would only happen for me if I go from one extreme to the other and just have to). You can use your thumb instead of the brakes anyway.

Let me put it this way.....I have to vary my casting and thumb action a little when I C-rig. My cast becomes more of a real lob and I let the line start to slip just the slightest bit earlier than normal to start the spool spinning slower instead of a jerking quick start that can happen with the longer line out of the rod tip that a C-rig requires. It's all about feel. You've got to throw them enough and think about what you're doing when you do it. Play around with the settings and find what works for you and your casting style. Some seem to do better with a lighter spool tension knob setting and more brake and some the other way around. YES - the initial setup shown in that article is a great place to start and then ease up on brake and knob tension until you can maximize your casts with minimal overruns. Guys these days have it so much easier trying to learn how to use BC's than we did when I was growing up. You either learned how to "feather" that spool with your thumb or put the thing down, cause you'd spend all day picking out backlashes. Learn to use that thumb .......heck GOD put it there for a reason....use it

I used to be able to throw farther with my spinning reels years ago but once I got comfortable with my BC's, not so......not even close.

bass slayer 17 reply :

this is probably a dead topic but anyway i couldnt even immagine fishing without a baitcaster.. when i first began using them i thought i would never be able to cast beyond 20 ft with it ;D but after practicing everynight with it in the backyard i am able to cast well beyond what i could do with a spinning reel/rod setup.. take the time to use it and you will be happy

dodgeguy reply :

Quote
So if I am fishing and switching from a heavy spinnerbait to a light crankbait there is no problem with me just adjusting the cast control knob looser like I normally do. No need in me switching the VBS if I don't feel I need to?

correct!!!

adclem reply :

There is some great info in here. It has really helped me get my bait caster setup good and I am beginning to cast very well with it. They are very intimidating at first but rather easy if you just practice and practice.

Thanks,

Bass Bro reply :

Does anyone know where i could find a video on the web that shows how to cast a baitcaster the right way?Thanks ;D

JL Zingg reply :

Practice!?! However, after I bought my baitcaster, I practiced probably twice, got intimidated and let it set for about three weeks. In the meantime, I read every article, and viewed every video I could find on successfully using it. The next time I "practiced", I had pretty good control and accuracy. I basically studied the technique. My friend who was practicing almost daily started asking me questions, now we have it figured out, but yeah, we still get the occasional backlash and overruns. I am definitely no pro, but I can now use it with confidence. Is there a place where you can trade in all of your spinner reels for baitcasters

JL Zingg reply :

Videos. For those still lookin', here is a link to some informative videos.

JL Zingg reply :

OKAY, for real this time, here is the link for those informative videos...

http://www.truveo.com/tag/baitcaster

Bass Fear Me reply :

All right guys, a big thanks to this thread. Many years ago someone gave me an old baitmaster that I grew frustated with very quickly. (half a dozen or so casts). Threw it away after it sat in my closet for a couple of years. Have been using spin casters every since. A few months ago I bought a cheap baitcaster (Shakespeare Axiom). I am on a low budget you see. Never could get the nerve to use it though, as past birdnests danced in my head every time I looked at it. After reading this thread and knowing I'm not the only one and picking up a few tips I drug it out today. I put an old crankbait with no hooks on it today and made sixty to seventu casts with backlash only twice and nothing major. Was able to cast about fifty feet. Nothing great but a good start I think. Wound not have messed with it had it not been for you guys. Thanks again. A few more days and I will put something lighter on it. I feel pretty good about today.

guest reply :

If you haven't already adjusted your baitcaster to the lure(s) your having problematic bird's nests with, try the following:

1 Locate and adjust the Backlash Knob. This knob is located near the handle. Tightening this knob will reduce the looseness when in free spool. Completely tighten the knob, hold the lure up to the rod tip, then engage free spool and allow the lure to free fall. Loosen the knob until the lure descends at a desirable rate. The line should run from the spool smoothly, without any tangles or loops.

2 Locate and adjust the Casting Dial. This dial is usually on the opposite side of the handle, labeled with numbers counting down from 10. Start out at a high number and work your way down until you've reached a desirable casting distance.

Remember not all lures have the same densities or casting properties and should be adjusted appropriately. Try to tighten both and loosen in increments until you've mastered this rewarding style of fishing.

Bankfisher reply :

Im going to try to help you the best I can as it seems these responses you are getting are very vague. There are a couple things you need to adjust to get a good cast from a baitcaster. You should start with adjusting the brake control. This can be found on the side of your reel that does not have the handle. Brakes can either be a knob that you turn or some you have to open the side of the reel to access the brake system. This control will either slow the spool down during the lures flight or it will allow the lure to really fly. If you are using a light lure or casting in to the wind you should have this set pretty high. Reason being is if you cast a light lure the lure will start very fast as soon as you throw it, but as the wind grabs it during flight the lure slows down but the spool will continue at that initial speed and a backlash will occur. This happens because the lure is no longer taking enough line with it but the spool is still spinning fast and the line has nowhere to go. Its always best to start with your brake set high and loosen it a click at a time before each cast until you are happy with the distance you are getting. The heavier the lure the looser the brake can be because a heavy lure will keep a lot of speed through out the cast and will take the line with it. The other control is the spool brake. This is the little round knob right next to your cranking handle. This is meant to slow down or speed up the initial start up speed of the spool when you make a cast. This adjustment is important but not as critical as the brake system. A good rule of thumb for adjusting this is to start with the brake tight, hold your rod parallel to the ground with your lure tied on. release the spool bye pushing the cast button, and start to loosen the brake until the lure starts to fall to the ground. It should not fall fast. it should be a controlled fall and the line should stop unwinding once the lure touches the ground. Thats all there is to it really. Might help having your reel in hand as you read this so you can get a visual. Good luck and tight lines!

Bankfisher reply :

Quote
that's completely wrong.the cast control knob should be loose once your thumb is trained.the brake weight setting controls the intial backlash and should remain constant unless your casting style changes.

No, thats not totally correct. The cast control knob controls the amount of start up inertia. You cant have too much or you will backlash right away instead of during the cast.

Bankfisher reply :

Quote
As a prize for winning angler of the year from a tin boat owners site I am a member of, I won a Revo STX. My first bait caster. I use a conventional style reel when trolling for salmon but never cast with them. I did learn a few things from the link provided early on in this thread. My first mistake was trying to cast too light of a bait. I stepped it up a bit from 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz and have much more control. I still have to remind myself to think about when to release when casting overhand. I have absolutely NO control as to where it is going when cating side arm. I look at my target bring the rod back, feel it load slightly, bring it forward and cast, releasing nearly straight out to my right and the darn thing still goes way left. What am I doing wrong?
I am using a 7' ML BPS Cranking stick with a fast tip and 12 lb mono. I am casting with a 5" jerk shad if that helps.

If your lure is still flying way left I would assume your lure is either too light, or your holding the spool too long. One other thing about casting a baitcaster is you have to use a slightly different casting technique than what you would use for a spinning pole. On a spinning pole you use kind of a wooshing, half circle type cast. With a baitcaster, you have to make your cast more of a snap. When you throw a lure you should use more wrist in the cast to snap the lure out there and really commit to the cast. If its a light wooshing cast like with a spinning pole the baitcaster wont respond the same. You really need to let the rod tip load up bye starting the cast and then just before you throw it use your wrist and "fling" your lure out there. Kind of hard to explain but you could get on youtube and watch people casting to get a good idea of what im talking about.

Tom Sawyer reply :

First off ; thank you for the fantastic insight on BC's. I practiced this wknd in 30 degree weather with my new QUANTUM ACCURIST PT . Maybe not a great BC, but its my first freshwater one. Anyway I learned more from this thread than from the tragic booklet it comes with. There booklet does not even explain the "F" - "O"switch . I have learned the "F" is for flipping, and the "O" is I think for the obvious.. Thanks again guys..Btw 1 birds nest in about 35 casts, not that tragic.

JL Zingg reply :

ALL of the information given IS VERY helpful. Read everything you can find, even watch videos online: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=baitcasting+videos&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=1z0lSoC6OIKJtgf0kJzcBg&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=5&ct=title#

Google - baitcasting videos.

When determining my first baitcast reel, a Gander Mtn. salesman recommended I buy a cheaper one to learn with, then a more expensive one later. Well, I had made the decision to switch to baitcast period and disagreed with the cheap one first theory. My first one was the 2008 Quantum Energy PT, my next three were 2009 Energy PT's. The moral? Buy a solid quality sturdy reel, they cost more but the smoothness, reliability and castability are worth it.

Jerry

Landingthebigone reply :

I have found that if you stop the "line guide" in the center, then cast, it helps.

DOVERANGLER reply :

when i first started using a bait caster i spent more time picking birds nest then fishing i found that for cranking i use setting 9-9 1/2 on the magnectic brake. the cintrifical brake takes a little tuning. i think i have the terms right for the brakes, but the cintrifigual i am refering to is the nob behind the crank and the magnietic is the dial on the side. i would also recommed digging through your tackle and finding a beat up lure you dont use anymore that is close to the size you want to use, and take the hooks off, and go to the yard and practice practice practice

Teal101 reply :

Easy as pie. With my first cast on my new curdao 201dpv I backlashed. I remembered I never messed with the VBS. I engaged 2 and then retried. I've had one backlash since and it was my fault for not thumbing properly. I almost prefer the baitcast to my spinning setups now and I've only used the baitcaster for 4 days! Already planning on my next baitcast setup!

Lynx reply :

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

BaitCasters are not for the faint of heart. They do take several man hours to master. My best advice for you is to do some dry casting in your yard or at a park. By doing this it helps to dial in the reel. On a typical BaitCaster there are 3 setting (this includes the drag dial & both brake dials(1 to the side & other behind drag dial)), if you have to much reel play the your line is going to over spin, causing a "Bird's Nest." I usually have 4-5 poles on the boat, which each are all dialed into 1 specific lure, plastic, jig, etc., depending on wieght, crankbait, spinnerbait, swimbait, etc. Something to always remeber is when you dial in your tackle, make sure its dialed into the size of fish that your targeting.

GOOD LUCKS TO YOU IN CATCHING THE "BIG KAHUNA."

Retrofan reply :

I read the suggestions in this thread last night and ReelMech's excellent article before I took my new Pinnacle Inertia and Shakespeare Xterra baitcasters to the lake today. Result: no significant backlashes in more than 9 hours of constant casting. There were a couple of instances where I had a bit of line overrunning the reel, but no problem to fix and all in all had a very smooth day.

Caught 15 largemouth bass (10 oz. to 3 lb 14oz) as the shad were in huge schools and the bass were aggressive. In fact, I recorded my first double ever as had 2 bass on one shallow diver crankbait when I cast it into the shad school. I am a bank fisherman, so I just followed the action on top of the water as it moved up and down the waterway.

Caught bass on spinner, spoon, crankbait, and super fluke. No luck today with worms or Senko.

urp reply :

I agree that your reel must be properly set up and practice practice. You'll love it when you've mastered it. I've used one more years than I can count and still manage to thro a rats nest now and then. Especially into the wind.

bt fisherman reply :

how i got good with bc i would cast out in my yard with a heavy lure then cange to a lighter bait every other time. how i got backlashes to stop i would just practice and mess with the settings of the reel till i got it good enough to cast a light bait fairly far.

Harley Camper reply :

I know this thread is ancient, but where can one go to read that article by ReelMech that was mentioned here several times?

dulouz reply :

I have only been using a baitcaster for a year now. All of the guys I know have been using them for many, many years and don't use the brakes or the spool tension knob. These old school guys do it all with their thumb.

Being the hotshot that I am I tried that for most of the summer. I have been getting a lot of backlashes. Recently I put braid on one of my BCs. For fear of not wanting to backlash I actually set the spool tension for the lure and started with the brakes on a bit. To my amazment, the frequency of my backlashes dropped dramatically.

Another thing I have noticed is that the rod makes a HUGE difference. I have a medium light rod with and xfast tip that loads up with very little effort. I have to be very careful at the start of the cast, then I can let up with my thumb in the middle. Other rods I have only need my thumb at the end of the cast.

I am still learning...

Lcomfort reply :

Talk about digging a post out of the bottom of the can lol! this is a OLD post lol.

astaf reply :

Hey what you're going through sounds a lot like what i have been doing the past couple of days, i recently bought a pinnacle baitcaster because i saw a lot of pros using one. They made it look so easy that i didnt realize how frusturating it was to start out with on right after you get it (especially your first like me). I realized though that all it would take was practice, so i re-spooled my reel and started practicing, like what Guest_DavidGreen_* said, short at first and once i got comfortable with that i started casting longer distances. even though i keep getting backlash a lot its still a lot of fun so keep at it.

Practice...Practice...Practice

astaf reply :

wow didnt realize how old this was

MAD reply :

Old post but still being read so I will add some pointers on how I learned. I started with Abu C3s so I did not have magnetic brakes. Read the manual and then read it again. Set your baitcaster as they explain in the manual. Spool it with 20-30 pound test cheap mono when first practicing. It will be easier to fix the back lashes. Second put tape on the spool after pulling out a little more line than you can cast. This will stop the big backlashes. Start casting with a heavy weight to get the feel of stopping the line. I also think starting with a moderate rod action will help. Also, leave a little extra line habging before the cast and use two hands for better control. Good luck and keep practicing.

Mike

.RM. reply :

Great Reading...............

Basic Baitcast Reel Setup 101

Tight Lines All!

hatrix reply :

Well I read quite a bit of everyone tips on how to use a bait caster and personally I think I would teach some one entirely different. Free spool right out of the box brakes all the way and never use the tension knob. Start making lob casts with good casting baits like heavy lipless cranks, unless you snap the tip it is pretty hard to back lash it. I think using the tension knob when I first started taut me nothing. Rarely did I have to thumb it and when I did it was nothing really.

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