Over Analyzing Baitcaster Setup?

[Gaerith]

I'm hoping someone can help me understand this better.  I got my first b/c a few weeks ago and I've figured out how to cast it by watching youtube video.  In his video he says to turn the tension knob until your lure just starts to fall at a steady pace.  When I try to do this,  I get it to a point where it starts to fall, but it accelerates instead of falling at an even pace.  If I turn the tension back up even the tiniest bit, the lure doesn't move unless I jiggle my rod.  I'm using a BPS Pro Qualifier for a reel.  Is there something else I need to do to achieve this?  Does it really even matter?

 

I am probably over thinking this, but it gets to me that I can't replicate what Glenn's suggesting to do!  I'm not having any troubles casting it normally (can't seem to pitch more than 10 ft, any tips for setting up for that would be great too).  Do I need to adjust the internal brakes or whatever?

 

Thanks for any help!

[motodmast]

are your brakes off? i dont have a pro qualifer so i dont know what type of brakes it has, but the outside one turned to 0, and the internal tabs pushed in? 

 

 

as for piching, its all about getting a fast rod movement, the faster you can move the rod, the further the bait will go, and you want your spool tension knob set so you bait almost free falls, but when pitching, you need to use your thumb to control the spool so it dosnt free spool and get a backlash. its a complicated process and takes time to learn, but i suggest you go in you backyard, setup a target to pitch to, ( 5 gallon bucket) . first set it about 10 yards away, after you can successfully get your bain the bucket 8-10 times in a row, move it another 5yrds away, do again, then another 5yds away, till you feel confident in you pitching. thats what i did and it really helped me alot.

 

hope that helps some!

[Gaerith]

I set my brakes to 0 while setting it up, then set it to 6 or 7 while fishing.  Never opened the side plate to look at the internal tabs.

 

 

as for piching, its all about getting a fast rod movement, the faster you can move the rod, the further the bait will go, and you want your spool tension knob set so you bait almost free falls, but when pitching, you need to use your thumb to control the spool so it dosnt free spool and get a backlash. its a complicated process and takes time to learn, but i suggest you go in you backyard, setup a target to pitch to, ( 5 gallon bucket) . first set it about 10 yards away, after you can successfully get your bain the bucket 8-10 times in a row, move it another 5yrds away, do again, then another 5yds away, till you feel confident in you pitching. thats what i did and it really helped me alot.

 

Thanks!  I can do this with my spinning rod, but I suck so bad when I switch to b/c. Do you lower your tension or brakes when pitching?

[Fish_Whisperer]

I set my brakes to 0 while setting it up, then set it to 6 or 7 while fishing.  Never opened the side plate to look at the internal tabs.

 

 

Thanks!  I can do this with my spinning rod, but I suck so bad when I switch to b/c. Do you lower your tension or brakes when pitching?

I lower them, to the point where if I was to cast with it, parts of the backlash would slap my face lol.  

 

Swallow your pride, crank your brakes up and start small and work your way up, your line and agitation level will thank you.

[Chris at Tech]

Since you're so new to baitcasters, start with the tighter setting (lure not moving until you jiggle the rod). As you get more experienced, you can reduce the brakes and instead use your "educated thumb" to add some control on the cast. Eventually you'll see an increase in your casting distance.

[roadwarrior]

Since you're so new to baitcasters, start with the tighter setting (lure not moving until you jiggle the rod). As you get more experienced, you can reduce the brakes and instead use your "educated thumb" to add some control on the cast. Eventually you'll see an increase in your casting distance.

 

As your skills improve you will eventually have the spool tension loosened just

to the point where the spool doesn't wiggle. That's wide open. For the most part,

setting the brakes is "one and done" on Shimano reels unless you are using the

same rig for vastly different weighted lures. The spool tension is sometimes used 

to make slight adjustments for wind.

 

 

 

[Hogsticker]

If you hold your rod tip up and let the lure fall it's not gonna drop at an even rate, as the further it drops it gains momentum. That's why they put brakes on reels. Without them the more momentum the lure gained, the faster the spool would spin just like it's doing when you let the lure free fall.