Would Upgrading Bearings Help Cast Farther? Curado 200I And Avid X Combo.

[Roadblock]

Would upgrading bearings in a baitcaster help cast farther? Setup in question is as follows.

 

Reel: 2014 Shimano Curado 200I

Rod: 2015 St. Croix Avid X Medium-Fast 7'

Line: Power Pro Slick 8, 20 LBS

Bait: Normally 5/8 cranks or 1/2 jigs with plastic of some type on them.

 

I can cast over twice as far with my old 1985 Shimano TX-110Q on a Ugly Stick as I ever have with this Curado. I've cleaned the bearings, oiled per instructions. Cleaned the drum/brake thingy. 

 

Was watching a video on Hawg Tech's bearing and wondered if the extra free spool ability would help casting? I had sort of asked this question before but it turned out I had a bad bearing (was REALLY loud when casting) so I replaced the reel and the noise is gone, casts much better but still not getting good distance.

 

I would say normally I cast about 20 or so yards? I can clear 30~40 on my spinning reel/rod from 1985. Makes me not really want to use my baitcaster when I'm on a boat, I just can't get the baits out there.

 

Who knows, maybe I'm not suppose to be casting that far? Maybe I have the wrong rod power? Maybe I should stick to using spinning rigs and not own a baitcaster?! Probably just user error!

 

School me boys and girls!

[fishballer06]

You can't cast over 50 feet with your Curado?! You've got your settings all out of whack or something. I can pitch 50 feet with my Curado. Casting, you should be able to easily launch well over 100 feet. 

 

On the SVS, set it to 2 on, 2 off. Set the dial knob to around 2. Set your spool tension knob so that a 1/4 oz. lure will slowly fall under it's own weight. You should be able to easily sling with those settings. 

 

And put some 40 pound test on your reel. 20 pound braid is way too thin for any baitcaster. 

[J Francho]

Bearings aren't going to fix that.  You need skills.  That comes with practice.

[rippin-lips]

Free spool means nothing really. Just a catchy gimmick per say. Flushing the stock bearings is more than adequate. Anything over abec 5 is useless. It does help the spool start up faster which is good for light baits and pitching. Rods also play a big role. Under or overloaded can affect distance. I don't know the specs on your med rod but 1/2 and 5/8 would be suited for a mh rod. A deep cleaning from DVT would make a big difference in the reel. None of this is better than experience though. Adjust your settings and practice.

[Roadblock]

You can't cast over 50 feet with your Curado?! You've got your settings all out of whack or something. I can pitch 50 feet with my Curado. Casting, you should be able to easily launch well over 100 feet. 

 

On the SVS, set it to 2 on, 2 off. Set the dial knob to around 2. Set your spool tension knob so that a 1/4 oz. lure will slowly fall under it's own weight. You should be able to easily sling with those settings. 

 

And put some 40 pound test on your reel. 20 pound braid is way too thin for any baitcaster. 

 

Yeah I'm guessing between 50 and 60 feet, roughly 20 yards. I would say my spinning reel is more like 35+ yards?

 

I have done everything you mentioned. I have 2 on, 2 off, I'm set right around 2 and I've also tried 1. I re-adjust the spool tension so the baits drop under there own weight.

 

The ONLY thing I've not done it try heavier braid.

 

Side note the rod is rated for 1/4 ~ 5/8.

[Verisimilidude]

HEAVIER braid will probably result in more wind drag = less distance

[F14A-B]

It's not the reel..you just need to practice with a 1/2 to 5/8 bell/ bank sinker and preferably ditch the braid ( lol ) put mono on.. Just to learn the reel.. I can throw 190' with a 3/4 on that reel.. I just think you got learn the rod & reel.. The bearings are plenty good, as is the reel.. Practice in the yard, at the park anywhere that's open.Just to become familiar with that reel @ 1/4 is not advised.. That can come later. 2 brakes on is plenty, rotate you're dial to max, then back off in small amounts, remember you are trying to become familiar with the reels capability's, as well as you're own.. Even going 3/4 will help you build confidence while helping you to understand the mechanics involved with casting a baitcaster. Practice at the park/ yard.. On the water brings different challenges.

[Verisimilidude]

Personally I think braid is better for a beginner since it's more forgiving to backlash.

[J Francho]

Ever try picking a backlash in 20# braid where a loop is buried in the spool?  I'd go up to at least 40# diameter, or 14-17# mono.  Peel off a casts worth of line (30 yards or so), tape the spool, and wind the line back up.  Start working on setting the reel up properly, and casting.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

1/2 oz bait should load that rod well enough. The advice given above is all prudent. My guess is that there is a setup/adjustment issue somewhere. Once you get it dialed in and get some practice a good cleaning will put the icing on the cake.  

[buzzed bait]

all good stuff above.  couldn't agree more that the 20# braid is NOT suited for the baitcaster.  I find 40 and 50# braid to be the most suitable for baitcasting. 

also, while everyone wants to cast as far as humanly possible, it is more important for me to be able to hit the targets dead on.  Focus on gaining a little more distance, but not sacrificing any accuracy for increased distance. 

[bootytrain]

With your brake settings 100 plus feet should be easy. Are you casting overhead or side arm? Also, I keep the outside dial at 1 and only go up if I'm back lashing. Better bearings could help but they aren't going to double your distance.

[TrippyJai]

I would replace the line like other people suggested and use at least 40lb. Set it to 1 on and 3 off and start from there. If you're getting backlash then adjust the dial. The cast control should allow your bait to free fall to the ground without getting a backlash. Feel free to bomb your baits over your head. Make sure you have your thumb on top the spool to keep control and before the bait hits the waiter or when it lands on the water, stop the spool.

 

Flushing your bearings or upgrading them will improve your distance a little bit. The biggest benefit is less effort in casting to achieve max distant.

 

Other things you can try is put your reel on another rod and see how it performs. After try some cheap mono and see if it makes any difference.

[zelmo]

  couldn't agree more that the 20# braid is NOT suited for the baitcaster.  I find 40 and 50# braid to be the most suitable for baitcasting. 

 

 

I disagree.  I use braid almost exclusively on my baitcasters.  While I have some 50# on a couple of reels I have 20# on many and have a few with 15# and even 10#.  I don't find it harder to cast the smaller sizes, nor do I find picking out backlashes any harder.

 

I do agree that you need practice.  Keep in mind that you don't need to swing for the fences.  Smoothness and release point should be your focus after you adjust the reel settings as suggested.

[new2BC4bass]

Ever try picking a backlash in 20# braid where a loop is buried in the spool?  I'd go up to at least 40# diameter, or 14-17# mono.  Peel off a casts worth of line (30 yards or so), tape the spool, and wind the line back up.  Start working on setting the reel up properly, and casting. 

 

My fellow Pennsylvanian may use 10# braid with no problem, but my limited experience with braid falls more along the lines of Mr. Francho's suggestion.  I have 6# mono on a couple baitcast reels, but remember 10# braid is either 2# or 4# mono equivalent depending on brand.  That is thin!  My latest reel came with 30# 832 Ghost.  Spool was slowing down way too fast.  Was out with a friend.  He gave it a shot, but kept pulling out more line after every cast.  In his opinion the line was digging in.  This was on an Alphas F.  Now it is my first F, but I have 2 Purple Alphas, and they cast great (with mono).  I use 40# braid on my STX-L and have absolutely no problem zinging a lure way out there.  Same with 55# Samurai on a Daiwa Type R.

 

Personally I like 12# mono on MH rods.  If I were you I would give mono a shot (somewhere in the 12#-15# range) before giving up on the reel's ability to cast long distance.

 

Also I have to think these guys casting 60-100 yards is not the norm.  I'd wager most of mine are in the 30-35 yard range, and I am usually throwing hard.  Outside of the one day I was casting a 3/4 oz. spoon with the STX loaded with 40# Performance on a 7' MHF Jupiter rod, I probably can count on one hand the number of times I have reached or exceeded 45 yard casts.  I don't know how guys spool their reels on a cast.  That one day with the spoon saw me at least 1/2 way down.  I fill to the spool's bevel on the lip.  I don't know whether or not the reel's 12#/140yd capacity is based on the line being filled to within 1/16 to 1/8 from the lip per the manufacturer's suggestion, but if it is then I was getting more than 60 yds. on occasion that day.  I sure wouldn't call that normal for me, tho.

[Roadblock]

I do have one thing to add after reading all the comments.

 

So as I said I run 20 pound Power Pro Slick 8. I've gotten my casts down to almost NO backlash or birds nests. However I've had some nasty line dig-in's lately. I wouldn't say they are any better or worse right now, I've always had them and that it one thing I've never really improved on. I normally get one or two per trip that renders my reel DOA. I mean as soon as they happen its down for a good 30~45 minutes while I pick at it. 

 

I noticed if I cast too hard the baits will get out there about 20~30 feet and the line will dig in and bite HARD bringing my cranks to almost a stop mid-air. When I say cast "hard" I don't mean that it's super hard or anything that I would think cause this but it seems to. I just assumed it was because the line was getting too loose on the spool.

 

I friend of mine had mentioned he has no luck with Power Pro Slick 8 and was getting line dig-ins too and suggested that I try Seaguar Smackdown. I happened to read a review of it then other day on ***, like an actual review, not a forum user post or anything. Anyway the person who wrote it said that he experienced far LESS dig-ins with Smackdown Vs. another major brand line and hinted that it was Power Pro Slick 8. 

 

I actually made a post on here asking for opinions on that and got mixed thoughts but some people felt it dug in less.

 

This got me to wondering if it was possible the Slick 8 might be TOO thin and that was why it was digging? I see that theory is coming up here too now.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I disagree.  I use braid almost exclusively on my baitcasters.  While I have some 50# on a couple of reels I have 20# on many and have a few with 15# and even 10#.  I don't find it harder to cast the smaller sizes, nor do I find picking out backlashes any harder.

 

I do agree that you need practice.  Keep in mind that you don't need to swing for the fences.  Smoothness and release point should be your focus after you adjust the reel settings as suggested.

 

Same here but replace the 50 with 40 on one reel and that just recently. For years 10+ used 10-15# braid and couple years ago went all the way up to 20#. Quite doable and if I had issues wouldnt continue to use light braid.

I had 15# PPSS on a tatula and hooked a 20+ pound carp with a lipless crank. Quite a few drag pulling runs On very next casts not a hiccup in the cast, actually wasnt even thinking about the line still thinking about the nice catch that just happened. That would have been the exact time for an issue to happen but dig not an issue. 

I dont think I do anything differently but I get the base braid on VERY tight. I use straight braid on my 50 size spools and put 150yd spools on other reels with mono base filler.

Ill take a backlash in braid over mono or FC any day. A loop caught tight in FC and its toast time for new line. Now there are extremes to any but overall braid handles a backlash the best.

 

If the line is new and still has some extra coating look for the line sticking to itself this is different from digging.

[T-Rick]

  Peel off a casts worth of line (30 yards or so), tape the spool, and wind the line back up.  Start working on setting the reel up properly, and casting.  

 

I've seen this recommendation in a number of places and was looking for confirm how this was done.  When one says "tape the spool", how exactly should you tape it and with what type of tape?  I always assumed it was standard electrical tape and to put a single piece across the spool lengthwise.  Is that correct?

 

Thanks!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Electrical tape works well. I cut a 3" or so strip and wrap it around the spooled line.

[zelmo]

 

I noticed if I cast too hard the baits will get out there about 20~30 feet and the line will dig in and bite HARD bringing my cranks to almost a stop mid-air. When I say cast "hard" I don't mean that it's super hard or anything that I would think cause this but it seems to. I just assumed it was because the line was getting too loose on the spool.

 

 

 

I think you are seeing a backlash and not what I consider "digging in'.

 

I don't have the reel you are using but I have other Curados.  Try tightening the tension knob.  A good setting to start is to make it so as you hold the rod up the bait will not move.  Then loosen it so it falls slow enough that when it hits the deck you don't have over run on the spool.  Adjust from there.  As time goes on you can train your thumb to compensate if you want to back off the tension more.

[BobP]

Measured tests of a group of experienced fishermen showed that an "average" cast is 80 FEET and a long cast is 100 FEET - NOT YARDS.  Don't let wild guestimates of casting distance fool you into thinking otherwise.