Learning My New Baitcaster...mono To Start?

[drew27c]

Hey Y'all

 

I just spent a pretty penny on a Curado 300E and a St Croix Premier PC66MHF2 6'6'' Med-heavy. Eventually I'll be pitching plastics into heavy cover with this using heavy braid and mono or tape backing. I bought the bigger more robust 300E so I can do some occasional pike and muskie fishing.

 

My question is this: Should I just spool this thing right up with mono to get used to baitcasters, or should I just go right to my final setup? I know the learning curve can be a tad steep.

 

Thoughts, opinions, advice?

[Tartan34]

It might be a lot cheaper (and easier) to throw on 12# mono to learn. Once you are comfortable with that, switch it up with braid if you want.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I'd say mono to start out with.  I also just bought my first baitcaster and birds nest are a real pain.  If you look on YouTube you can find a video of a trick to clear backlashes where you tighten down the drag and turn the handle a couple times while thumbing the spool.  Don't know why it works but it does about 85-90% of the time.  The really bad ones you may have to cut out which equals wasted line and braid isn't cheap.  Another tip is that after a good long cast, put a piece of tape across the spool.  That way if a backlash does occur, it won't be able to go very deep.  Hope this helps.

[derekxec]

the tape thing is a good idea and also just find some of the cheapest mono you can no matter what kind it is and use that to learn before you put braid....if you can find some spools on a nice sale is perfect then you can respool a bunch and not waste a lot

 

although i find braid to be easier to get backlashes out and even wind knots too

[tbone1993]

I work in a bait shop and get this question all the time. I would spool up with a 10 or 12 lb test mono for pretty cheap and learn first. Then once you get it down in a week or two take about 3/4 of the mono off then tie a uni to uni knot or any similar knot to tie the mono to the braid. That way you have mono backing.

[SirSnookalot]

I didn't use a b/c for about 30 years, but it's like riding a bicycle.  I bought an Avet about 5 years, no brake or spool adjustments and no level wind.  I loaded up with 300 yds 20# Shakespere Supreme for about $4.00 and headed to my pond to practice.  Lobbing a 1 oz sinker for a short while I started casting for distance, had my share of bird nests (flattened the barb  on an old hook for a line pick), about an hour later I was back in in the groove.

[Hogsticker]

Personally, I would spool up with the heavy braid to start with...gotta learn sometime. The two lines are going to behave different so no need to learn all over again after switching from mono to braid. Its actually hard to backlash heavy braid imo. Learn the reel, that's the trick. High breaks and tight spool tension to start. After 20 to 30 casts back off both and keep minimizing as you progress. Braid nests are pretty easy to pull out.

[TNBassin']

That brake system makes casting a breeze, so I say spool it up with what WANT to use. Put 3 or 4 brake blocks on, and you should be fine. 

[Arv]

I'd spool up with mono first. You may catch a nasty backlash you need to cut out. Hopefully it doesn't happen, but if it does, it won't hurt as bad cutting out expensive fluoro or something like that.

[Topwaterspook]

If this is your first baitcaster, I would definitely suggest a cheaper mono to start with. It will be cheaper in the long run.

[BigMoneyGrip]

Spool it with braid and put all of the brakes on. When you get the feel of it, then start turning the brakes off one at a time. It won't take you long until you get the hang of it.

I'd also set the spool tension a little higher than normal. I can set up any of my baitcasters to where they won't backlash. I'd also use an old crankbait with the hooks removed to practice with.

[TNBassin']

The braking system in that reel is fool proof. Start with 4 on and go from there. 

[Brandon Dozier]

I'm also going to recommend starting with braid if that's what you plan on fishing with.  Braid doesn't backlash as easy for me and it's also a lot easier to get them out unless they are reeeeeally nasty.  To avoid that, start with more breaks on and tighten down your level-wind a bit.  I personally fish with my level wind off, 3-4 brakes and use the magnets to fine-tune for distance.  Once you get a feel for when to thumb the spool, you can start backing off of level-wind and brakes, progressively.  Hope this helps!

 

Edit: fixed typo's

[davew41]

Hey Y'all

 

I just spent a pretty penny on a Curado 300E and a St Croix Premier PC66MHF2 6'6'' Med-heavy. Eventually I'll be pitching plastics into heavy cover with this using heavy braid and mono or tape backing. I bought the bigger more robust 300E so I can do some occasional pike and muskie fishing.

 

My question is this: Should I just spool this thing right up with mono to get used to baitcasters, or should I just go right to my final setup? I know the learning curve can be a tad steep.

 

Thoughts, opinions, advice?

 

Takes mere SECONDS to set up your baitcaster

here is a little video I did on the subject

 

http://bassfishinschool.com/how-to-set-up-a-bait-cast-reel/

 

 

[drew27c]

Here's an update. I decided to go with 10# mono to start. I put all 6 brakes on and kept the spool tension to a point where my 1/4 ounce weight fell slowly. I threw it in a field for about 20 casts with zero issue. Went down to 4 brakes and threw another 50 casts again with zero backlash. I think I'm getting the hang of it pretty quickly if I do say so myself! The only thing that takes some getting used to is the release point as compared to a spinning setup...it's much earlier. Once I get that down I'll reduce the brakes down to 2. Many thanks to all of you.