dodgeguy

I used to balance my rods with rod balancers bps used to sell. I have arthritis through my entire body and thought it used to help. Then the rods started getting really light about 8 years ago and I found I was better off without the added weight. Try it and see if you like it.i found a link for you. https://www.mudhole.com/The-Balancer-Removable-Butt-Cap

Absolutely correct.

Or a Lews lite Lfs for 169$ weighs 5.4 oz aluminum frame 20 lb carbon drag 27 position centrifugal brakes. You cannot beat that deal.

Go to sportsmans outfitters and get a Lews Tournament Pro for like 139$. The 27 position centrifugal brake can't be beat. Neither can the carbon drag..

Its a little low. Still more than enough to fish with. As the spool gets lower the amount if line reeled in per handle turn decreases. Basically it your call at this point.

Lews is far from sub par.I put my Lews tournament pro up against any Shimano or Diawa.

I'm all for distance. I just think you don't gain that much heaving it as hard as you can. The rod only loads so much. A well performed flick of the wrist works wonders.

LOL!!!

I could understand that. I get the reasons for long casts but I question if it's worth it with a baitcaster. Guys suffer way more backlash forcing distance. A lot of surf cast fishermen use spinning gear and don't have a backlash issue. This post why inspired by how many guys seem to snap off braid trying to bomb cast. That wouldn't happened with spinning. Guarantee the first braid loop is done as soon as that lure starts moving. That's why I needed more thumb and centrifugal brake . If it loops it's gonna dead stop. There goes your $50 3 oz. swimbait. My suggestion is more finesse when you cast not more power. A properly matched setup will cast really far without forcing it. Your body will thank you as you get older.

Ok I get that guys needs really long casts sometimes. I love long crankbait casts. Lots of guys try to Bomb Cast and I just don't get it. Here's why. I was fishing yesterday and figured I'd see how much different actually bombing casts out makes. To start I'm going to assume people are using the right rod matched to the right weight lure so that the rod can properly load to cast the lure.i compared casts made by simply using my wrist too double handed bomb casts. My lure was a 1.25 oz spoon. I set my reels extremely loose on the tension knob and use centrifugal brake and thumb .Casting my regular way towards a ripwrap wall I landed consistently approx 10 feet from the wall with zero backlash. Bomb casting with the brakes turned up and the use of more thumb I maybe got 5 feet closer. The brakes and thumb were needed to control backlash at the front of the cast.my conclusion was for the extra distance gained the benefit really isn't worth it. It's much less tiring to cast normally and backlash is not a concern. I really don't get when guys spend all kinds of monkey on bearings only to turn that brakes up and eliminate any distance benefits from the bearings. Maybe I'm old but I just don't get it.

Not really. There are plenty of valid reasons for using it. You just need to know it's stronger than your rod.

Buy a Lews with externally adjustable 27 position centrifugal brake if you want to minimize your thumb use.

Exactly what I do.I relax the drag to prevent pulling hooks.

Absolutely. If you're snagged with braid wrap it around a wood dowel and pull.beats breaking rods. Never high stick either.

Fish bite live bait when hungry. Fish will bite lures even when not hungry.

Some of us don't do any better when the bite is tough using flouro. I'm down to 20 lb. Fish love it on a Ned rig. I really have my doubts about line visibility being important. Anyway my original post was about guys having all kinds of problems with braid. If you like mono and flouro that's great. Keep using them. Post is not about if braid is better than mono or flouro.

I agree on the heavier line gives less issues. I have been using 20 and 30 on my baitcasters this year in an attempt to lighten up. Using Sufix 832 on Lews reels. It does dig a little sometimes but hasn't been bad. I fish Ned rigs on 20 lb braid on a 7 ft medium fast rod. I don't use spinning rods anymore. I feel the way you feel about braid when I use flouro. LOL !!!

I've grew up on mono. Used it for years. Every once in a while I spool some up but wind up going back to braid. Have tried flouro also. I always wind up back to braid. You would think I'd learn and stick with what I like.Your frog setup probably works well . If it ever digs in use thicker braid. Tight lines buddy.

https://images.app.goo.gl/LmFYtQ4SxbutKyNs6

O.K. I'm not perfect. I'm not even close. But I am 60 years old and have been fishing since I was 7. That's 53 years so I think I know something. As many of you know me I love braided line. I've used it since 1993. I've used a bunch of different brands and numerous products within those brands. I've read many reviews on braids and many posts about braids. I've read about braid snapping when casting. I've read about wind knots.Ive read about tip wrap. One guy will say a braid is to limp. The next guy will say it's to stiff.It seems a lot of people have horrendous issues with braids. Knots seem to be one of them. I use a Palomar knot all the time and have never had it slip with any brand of braid.I am completely convinced that 99 percent of peoples problems with braid are user error. Yes some braids are better than others.But the problems you read about are amazing. In all the years I have fished braid I have never snapped it on a cast. Even with a 1.5 oz spoon and having a backlash stop the cast. Granted I used 50 lb test with it. If your throwing big lures on light line what would you think might happen. I would never throw that on light braid. Another complaint is that braid is hard to remove a backlash from. No it's not. It's really easy and the line doesn't Get damaged. I've maybe had to cut out 5 backlashes with braid since 1993. The good old Bill Dance jam your thumb on the spool and reel technique works for me. Like I said guys I'm not a perfect angler and many here could probably outfish me but when it comes to braid and the problems people have I just don't get it.

Quality reel first. Crap reels don't last and are no fun.

Free spool means reel crank is not engaged so reel can cast. That's what happens whenn you push spool release button.the knob on the side should be adjusted so the lure falls slowly when you hold the rod out straight and hit free spool. The dial on the other side is another brake. Turn it up all the way then back it off until it starts to backlash.thats where you start using your thumb. I think you may be backlashing due to improper adjustment. This would cause your line to stop and your line could break from the force of your cast.eventually your thumb gets better and you can loosen your brakes. Or you could always buy a Lews Tournament Pro with a 27 position centrifugal brake. That reel set up properly never backlashes.

Or you got a bad spool of line

I'm a big-time fan of Lew's reels but I would never buy any Reel with a carbon frame no matter who makes it

the Lew's lfs is an awesome reel the non clicking clicking tension knob should feel a little tight so it doesn't lose its adjustment