Bait Casters?

[massrob]

I just started using baitcasters this year and I've finally started to get decent with it. I've found that while I can use a righthanded reel it feels a little awkward. So I bought a left handed reel and it feels much better. I'm righthanded and setting the hook with my dominant arm just makes more sense to me. I've had problems setting the hook with frogs because you really have to drive those hooks home and with my left arm it just doesn't feel right. I'm still gonna use both and see if it starts to feel normal.

[thomas15]

I just started using baitcasters this year and I've finally started to get decent with it. I've found that while I can use a righthanded reel it feels a little awkward. So I bought a left handed reel and it feels much better. I'm righthanded and setting the hook with my dominant arm just makes more sense to me. I've had problems setting the hook with frogs because you really have to drive those hooks home and with my left arm it just doesn't feel right. I'm still gonna use both and see if it starts to feel normal.

 

You may have a point. It took me quite a long time to get fairly good with a baitcaster. I literally spent hours upon hours practicing in the yard.

[AdamsEye]

I learned on a Old Lews BB1 that had no brakes, but many bearings. That thing was all thumb, and had no problem throwing 10 yards of line at you lol. This is how I learned, and I am glad I did. The key is learning to control that spool with your thumb, and to me over using the brakes stops you from learning how to use the reel. It instead teaches you to rely on the brakes, and creates bad habits that can be harder to undo then learn right the first time.

 

I don't mind switching hands, and really that only plays a part when say fishing a buzzbait. But I am still young and quite the ninja, so for now I am comfortable with my ways.

[Josh Smith]

Did you pull the brakes out of that old Lew's?

[new2BC4bass]

Correction on the line I'm using suffix siege 10 lb smoked green I've had some good luck with that line and on a side note im sold on the bait casters practiced this morning and I'm in love now what to to with my other reals lol back ups

 

Well...........you've stepped in about a 4' pile of doodoo.  Be prepared to spend a few thousand on new gear.    It is easy to get carried away.  Now that you know you love a b/c reel the Bait Monkey has you by the you-know-what.    I'd concentrate on a few quality set-ups and buy once.  Voice of experience from many of us.

 

On reeling:  It isn't hard to use either hand, but some feel it to be awkward to use both while a very few find it impossible.  Only you can determine which camp you fall in.

 

Switching the rod:  I was totally against this at first.  I have had a few strikes the instant the lure hit the water.  Some switch while the lure is still in the air.  I prefer to wait for splash down for better control.  I'm not the caster many are.  Now my reels run about 50-50 LH / RH.  If a fish hits instantly, you can always use the thumb on the spool to try for a hookset....but unless fishing for money I don't see what the big deal is about missing one or two fish a year.  Heck, we can lose more than that with the rod already in the correct hand.

 

Working the rod:  At first I was most comfortable using my dominant right hand.  Now it doesn't bother me to use either hand.  I can throw as far with either hand, but accuracy suffers on the left side.

 

Pros:  Being able to use either hand reel means 1.) you don't have to pass by a great deal on a reel because it isn't in you cranking hand and 2.) there are still quite a few reels that only come in right hand.

 

Cons:  Can't think of any for being able to switch hit other than spending too mch money. 

[new2BC4bass]

Im fairly new to baitcasters. I would recommend cheap floro line before braid until you get the hang of it. No use burning through expensive line until you can keep the birdsnest down

 

 

I have to disagree on cheap fluoro unless it is more manageable than the few brands I have used.  Your best bet it either a soft mono (my first choice) such as Sufix Elite, Berkley XL or Sunline Super Natural or a braid.  I'm a long ways from having used every mono on the market, but these 3 seem to be the easiest handling of those I have tried.  Braid is expensive, which is why I recommend mono over braid.

 

 

I use P-LINE c21 Copolymer on everything, superlines are stiff and more prone to birdsnest, braid is very difficult to cut off the spool after a mega-birdsnest.  P-line is tough but soft as long as you stay 10 lb or below.  Cheap baitcasters dont have the better brakes or backlash controls that  the better reels do, you would be better off with the cheapies after you mastered them, and can thumb the spool to control your cast. settings and line type are the 2 things that I found important when I first started using them, I still fish with spinning reels and bait casters depending on what I am throwing.

 

 

Have to disagree with braid being very stiff and more prone to backlashing.  I've heard a very few can be a bit stiff at first requiring a little break in period.  I think Fireline falls in this bracket, but I only used some on one of my spinning reels, so it wasn't a problem.  Had to re-spool one of my reels last year while in Florida.  Picked up 40# PP Original at Walmart.  I felt it was stiffer than my other braid filled spool, but not enough to cause any problems casting.   I bought an Alphas F that came with 30# Sufix Ghost.  This line is really soft.  At least it was by the time I got the reel.   Over-runs require a few pulls on the spool to eliminate.  I put new 10# Ghost on a spinning reel, and it definitely is soft as well.  I don't consider backlashes with braid any harder to remove than any other line.  As a matter of fact the only line I have cut to remove a backlash has been mono.  These were top notch, A-1, professional grade backlashes when the lure caught on something on the back swing.

 

 

Line is very important when you first start casting. Berkley xl cast easy. 10 to 14 lb. I don't use it anymore but it t is reasonable and cast great.

 

 

Agree.  Definitely wouldn't suggest anyone use a fluoro to learn on, or any stiff line such as P-Line CXX or Izorline Platinum.

 

 

Stick with 10-12lb mono in the beginning.  A squirt of KVD line conditioner or Reel Magic should make casting smoother.

STAY AWAY from braid.  Any major birdnest will have to be cut out.  GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

 

Again, I disagree about the braid.  I can (and have) backlashed every reel I own with the exception of my MagForce 3D reels.  Never had to cut braid yet.  I do agree about the mono.

 

 

I suggest braid, with at least 10 lb test. I use an Abu Garcia black max 2 on a 6'5" Abu Garcia vendetta medium-heavy rod. Love it, would recommend it to anyone.

 

Some guys claim never to have light braid dig in.  I'm not one of them.  I'd suggest 40# minimum to learn on if braid is what you must use.  The reel that came to me with 30# 832 had some tight spots that had to be pulled out.  I didn't get anymore during the 2 weeks I used it while in Florida.  We fished almost every day, and anywhere from 8 to 12 hours a day.  It helps to keep braid spooled snug.  I managed to snag lily pads several times without getting another dig in.

 

[blckshirt98]

I just started using baitcasters recently and I've used strictly left handed retrieve reels (I'm right handed).  I see the RH vs LH retrieve debate as similar to normal guide wrap vs spiral rod wrap on a casting rod - one is more "natural" than the other, but, because it's always been done a certain way it's been accepted by the majority of the population as canon.  Also because people that do switch hands get used to it, it's seen as not a big deal.

 

Left handed reels are harder to find for all makes/models but two arguments I read led me to use and stay with LH retrieve reels -

 

1)  If you cast your bait out there's the remote chance that you get an immediate hit on water contact...the fraction of a second it takes you to switch the reel from one hand to the other might be the difference between a fish and a missed hookset.  A minor point but you never know when that topwater is gonna get blown up on contact.

 

2) The bigger reason is that you want your dominant hand/arm controlling the rod/fish.  It might not matter if you're catching panfish or dinks, but if you hook onto that DD bass or go out on a charter boat for pelagics, you're most likely going to be using casting gear and once you hook onto that tank of a fish you want your stronger side in control.

[new2BC4bass]

I just started using baitcasters recently and I've used strictly left handed retrieve reels (I'm right handed).  I see the RH vs LH retrieve debate as similar to normal guide wrap vs spiral rod wrap on a casting rod - one is more "natural" than the other, but, because it's always been done a certain way it's been accepted by the majority of the population as canon.  Also because people that do switch hands get used to it, it's seen as not a big deal.

 

Left handed reels are harder to find for all makes/models but two arguments I read led me to use and stay with LH retrieve reels -

 

1)  If you cast your bait out there's the remote chance that you get an immediate hit on water contact...the fraction of a second it takes you to switch the reel from one hand to the other might be the difference between a fish and a missed hookset.  A minor point but you never know when that topwater is gonna get blown up on contact.

 

2) The bigger reason is that you want your dominant hand/arm controlling the rod/fish.  It might not matter if you're catching panfish or dinks, but if you hook onto that DD bass or go out on a charter boat for pelagics, you're most likely going to be using casting gear and once you hook onto that tank of a fish you want your stronger side in control.

 

 

1)  Hits as soon as the lure touches down don't happen often, but I've had it happen several times to me.  If I could just hit the lottery as often, I'd be retired and living on my own private lake.    I also want to point out that some people switch the rod while the lure is still in the air, so they should be ready for a hookset and to start cranking immediately.

 

2) Some old timers (using baitcast reels, not in age............or maybe both ) suggest the baitcast reel is used to wench the fish in (as opposed to lifting with the rod and reeling down like when using a spinning reel) and therefore needs to be in your dominate hand.  I lift  the rod and reel down with both types of reels.  Guess it is because this technique has been ingrained into my brain since I was 6 years old.  I don't fish for money, and therefore don't need to power the fish to the boat in 3 seconds flat although I fail to see why I couldn't do that with either hand.  Actually I would probably be faster with my off hand since I used spinning reels and cranked with that hand until about 6 years ago. I have to agree with you that it makes sense to be working the rod with our dominant arm.  Especially for a beginner.  However, some practice will go a long ways towards making the off arm just as good.  If I can't land a bass reeling with my left hand (non-dominant side), then either 1) I've got the world record bass on plus about 50 pounds of slop, or 2) I need to consider another sport.

 

The only thing I can't do as well with both arms is cast as accurately with my left arm.  The younger you are, the easier it should be for you to become equally proficient with either arm (to cast) / hand (to reel).  However, I was 65 when I started making myself use both arms for casting.  I don't expect to ever be as good with the left arm when it comes to accuracy.