Help Me Trouble Shoot A Backlashing Baitcaster?

[Sam]

Try this:

1.  Check rod's line test and bait weight so you will be within those parameters.

2.  Don't overfill the baitcaster. Leave about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the top of the spool.

3.  Rig up your rod, reel and bait.

4.  Set your spool tension knob and drag to where you "think" you want it and set your "magnetic brakes" in an "X" position.

5.  Point rod tip to 11 o'clock and drop the bait to the floor. (Not carpet but hardwood, outside or on your boat)

6.  Adjust the spool's tension so that the bait drops slowly and the spool stops turning when the bait hits the ground.

7.  Make a light cast and adjust the spool tension once again just to make one last correction.

8.  Now cast without any backlashes to your heart's content.

 

Do this every time you change your baitcaster's baits.

[aavery2]

I don't have that particular problem with my reels - but then my reels all say SHIMANO on the side of them.  Coincidence or not?  Beats me.  All I know is that when I have a backlash, and I have my share of them, operator error is generally the cause.

Is it a coincidence that all Shimano reels have backplay in the handle?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Is it a coincidence that all Shimano reels have backplay in the handle?

LoL nope thats how all reels are supposed to be backplay means its perfect

[Hattrick7]

If you're tying on a leader to braid the knot might not be going through the guides right. If it does get a little stuck while casting your spool will overrun. If you do have a leader put the reel on a rod with regular guides and see if the same thing happens.

If not maybe the reel is bad because with my SX I don't even bother to change the spool tension anymore just the brakes and never have an issue unless the wind is really, really gusting.

Id make sure your brakes are set to at least 1/2. No need to got full 100% brakes but anywhere from 8 to 5 you should be good to go. It could be your casting style not sure. I've got the reel on my CB rod and I just two hand blast that thing with no problems.

The only time it does get stuck mid cast is if my braid has dug a little from either a big bass or I had to get it I unsnagged with a little pulling.

[TorqueConverter]

I'd sell it and get another reel featuring centrifugal braking by itself or preferably dual braking.  The Doyo style mag isn't even acceptable on the Black Max let alone a Revo.  I'm not sure what Pure Fishing was thinking on that one.  If you want to hold onto it then give it a deep clean and light re-lube to free the gunk and overlube from it including the bearings.  Set it up to cast with the mag brakes off, relying on the spool tension.  The purpose of this is to verify that you have functioning baitcaster because its not too uncommon to see a shim or two missing from the spool tension knob making the reel unusable.  You need to be able to verify that it can be set up to function off of the spool tension alone.  Once this is established you can then play around with backing off of the spool tension while increasing mag brakes, but don't expect amazing results.  Mags by themselves are trash.

[KritterGitter]

Maybe DVT can chime in but I know on the ABU ambassadors the spool tension is kept under tension by a plastic spring type piece that is known for breaking, my buddy would have issues because the spool during a cast would vary between tensions, lose to tight and vice versa causing the same issue your describing. Now this could all be pointless if your reel doesnt use the same thing but neverless I would start with the spool tension and go from there though, once the brakes are set they arent going to vary, the spool tension on the other hand has the possibility to vary. Just my .02