Baitcaster newbie

[swl]

Been fishing for 25 years, never touched a casting reel. The other day I'm at dicks and they had a pflueger/all star combo discontinued and reduced. I think it sold for like 100 bucks, I ended up getting it for 30, so I had to buy it. It just looked so cool!! Anyway, I've been reading about "educating your thumb". my question is, do I feather my thumb on the spool the entire time, or just at the end of the cast? And the knob thats right next to the crank, is that magnetic or centrifical, or neither? I have it set now so that a 3/8 sinker falls slowly to the floor, then the spool stops. Is this the most efficient way to set it up? Appreciate any help!! I'm almost embarassed to be asking! All this time I thought I was a hardcore fisherman! HA

 

[dingbat]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

No feathering. Distance reducing.
Slow stop to the floor, distance reducing. If you did that with one of my conventional reels the spool would continue to spin for the next 30-40 seconds, by design.

The biggest mistake people make when trying to learn how to throw a conventional reel is to use a rod that is not matched the weight of the bait. The other thing they do is to by a ?cheap? reel. There is nothing harder to throw than ?cheap? reel.

Practice, practice, practice, then some more practice until you don't need to use any spool control at all other than your educated thumb. Then when you think your good, go out and practice casting in the dark with the wind in your face.

 

[R Socey]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

It's probably a Pflueger Intensity ( RED ) . You will get use to it quickly. I let more line out before I cast than with a spinning reel,
and sling it as opposed to a snap cast. Just keep your thumb at the ready, and start off with short cast - play with the tension,
and you will quickly get a feel for it. Casting is more of an art than a sicence. I hope that helps.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

I have it set now so that a 3/8 sinker falls slowly to the floor, then the spool stops.

For starting out, yes you want the spool tensoin set, but it will limit your casting distance. Start with the lure slowly falling, and once you have mastered that, back off the spool tension a little bit at a time. I run all of my baitcasters with the spool tension backed off all the way, the spool barely "clicks" if jiggled side-side. But, that can make some nasty backlashes if you don't pay attention.

There should be centrifugal brakes in left side plate of the reel, start with all of them engaged. I cast with some of the centrigufal brakes engaged, depends on the reel, You could also have a magnetic brake (they are usually on the left side cover) and this is the easiest brake to adjust. Start the magnetic brake at full and back it off until you find the right setting. When I fish a magnetic reel I cast it a couple times to find the sweet spot, where the mag brake ofers the best control without limiting the casting distance. When I fish my mag reel (only have 1) I just heavy back and let it rip, taking my thumb all the way off the spool until touch down, the mag brake controls the spool that well.

For thumbing the spool, you always want your thumb close to the spool, don't cast and lift all the way away from the spool. Feathering is lightly touch the spool to slow it down when it starts to fluff. Most of the time you won't be touching the spool, just enough to slow it a bit if it's over-running. If you keep light-constant contact with the spool you will have short casts, you will need to figure out when to lift and when to touch down lightly. After some practice, you will be able to hear when the spool is running away.

- Only fill the reel 3/4 full when starting out.
- make a long cast, put a small piece of tape on the spool/line, then reel in. this will limit how severe your backlashes will be
- If the spool has high flanges, try to feather your thumb on the flanges, not on top of the line
- wet your line before casting, or make an easy cast to wet your line when starting
- practice in your back yard or a park to figure it out, go every day for a week and you will have it down.
- When you change lures (weight, aerodrnamics) the reel will cast different. More/less acceleration on the spool.
- Start with casting a sinker, then try casting a light plug with the hooks removed, the plug will be harder to cast.
- Don't practice cast anything heavy (sinker) with people, vehicles, etc. down range. Get a backlash, snap it off and you have a flying projectile.
- I only use baitcasters for 12# line and up, anything lighter I use a spinning reel.
- Start with a limp line like Berkley XL. Stiffer lines create more backlashes.

 

[swl]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

Thank you all. Some good info here. Socey, it is a pflueger intensity, seems great for the money (not that I know any better). Fishrdan, there does seem to be brakes under the side cover, look like little plastic switches in a circle, but how do you engage them? gonna head out in a bit to practice as its pretty mild today. Plan on being ready when its time to get out for real! Thanks guys

 

[dingbat]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

there does seem to be brakes under the side cover, look like little plastic switches in a circle, but how do you engage them? gonna head out in a bit to practice as its pretty mild today.

Those are the centrifugal brakes. You adjust them by adding or removing them as needed. Leave them all in there while you?re learning. Remove one by one as you become a more proficient.
The external adjustment is done via the tension knob on the side of the reel.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

Those are the centrifugal brakes. You adjust them by adding or removing them as needed.

Also,

Some reels you have to add the brake blocks (little tubes) for more braking and remove them for less braking. Most of my saltwater conventional reels have this type of setup.

Other reels have "ears" on the brake blocks and you click them in for less or out for more braking. On this type of reel you are not removing or adding the brake blocks, just engaging or disengaging them. Most of my freshwater baitcasters have this type of setup.

If you have to pull the spool to adjust the centrifugal brakes, make sure you push the brake blocks inward before inserting the spool again.

 

[swl]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

I lasted about 45 minutes yesterday practicing at the river. Felt like I was gettind the hang of it. Just using a sinker, I got 2 backlashes and the one happened when I unexpectedly plopped the thing into the water 5 feet from where I was standing. What an amateur!! I quit when I could no longer feel my hands (It felt mild outside, til I got near the water) Sure am excited to be learning something new though. Guess I'll just keep at it, and look forward to showing off the fresh skills when it warms up a hair. Thank you all, I really appreciate it, steve

 

[Fed up]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

I know when i got into using bait casters it was a steep learning curve for me. What I did was spooled up some 20lb mono and a heavy sinker. When I got proficient enough to keep from backlashing that i started to work down to the line size that I would use on the reguarl. I have now been using them for about three years now, and occasionally still have the professional over run.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Baitcaster newbie

Practice, practice, practice.......I learned to cast with an old trolling reel back in the 60's long before the fancy magnet controls. I have some of the modern ones but set everything to off. Casting is learned and all in the thumb and wrist. Start with a practice plug in the back yard. I started when I was 10 and by 15 was doing really well.

Open face spinners will do until you learn......anyone can use them, but getting accurate takes time with any of them.