Frustrated With A Baitcaster

[Bostonstronggggg]

I've recently picked up my first baitcasting setup and have been frustrated of recently. I got a Lew's Speed Spool LFS on sale for $69.99

http://www.lews.com/casting-speedspool.php

AND

An Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 7'0" MH/F Micro Guide. It was a gift and I just noticed the micro guides...

But anyways,

I've read all about baitcasters, watched a million videos on how to set one up, adjusting the spool tension knob for each lure, brake systems, ect... BUT when I go to cast (i started with a side arm cast), my lure with go 15-20 feet at the most... And when I cast over hand, the lure with goes like straight into the water 10 feet ahead of me and I'll get a huge birds nest... I, first, spooled it with 50# power pro for frog fishing (5/8 ounce frog!) and thought, maybe it's too heavy of a line for a micro guide rod, and then I spooled it with 15# braid and got the exact same result...

I'm not whipping it like I would a spinning rod (even tho i tried that), I'm smoothly casting it and have no idea why I can't get any distance... Do I need to oil/grease up a new reel? It seemed to be over oiled when I got it.

Also, one thing to point out is, the guides on my rod seem to be 'not' perfectly straight. Could that be the issue? They seem to be leaning left.

Any advice??? It's making me only want to use spinning gear for the rest of my life and never use a baitcaster again. I promise, it's not my casting. I'm not that bad/dumb at casting, but I have no idea what the problem could be.

[John G]

Any advice??? It's making me only want to use spinning gear for the rest of my life and never use a baitcaster again. I promise, it's not my casting. I'm not that bad/dumb at casting, but I have no idea what the problem could be.

Ok! Since we already know that it isn't YOU, then it must be that cheap rod n reel that you bought! LOL

 

Sell the cheap stuff and go buy yourself a real expensive Shimano Antares HG or Daiwa Steeze and while your at it, pick up a $500.00 NRX! That will surely solve all of your problems!

 

In all seriousness, I doubt that it's your equipment. You are a nooby when it comes to casting with a baitcaster and you quite haven't got the hang of it. So what! The last thing that want to do is quit!

 

I have never used your rod but one thing that I would do is tie on a jig or a T-Rig with a bullet weight that is as close to your rods maximum lure rating as possible and practice with that. A heavier weight always helps and avoid lures that have a lot of wind resistance. Your reel has brakes for a reason. I suggest that you use more brakes than you currently use and tighten your cast control knob some and practice practice practice!

[Bostonstronggggg]

Ok! Since we already know that it isn't YOU, then it must be that cheap rod n reel that you bought! LOL

Sell the cheap stuff and go buy yourself a real expensive Shimano Antares HG or Daiwa Steeze and while your at it, pick up a $500.00 NRX! That will surely solve all of your problems!

In all seriousness, I doubt that it's your equipment. You are a nooby when it comes to casting with a baitcaster and you quite haven't got the hang of it. So what! The last thing that want to do is quit!

I have never used your rod but one thing that I would do is tie on a jig or a T-Rig that is as close to your rods maximum lure rating as possible and practice with that. A heavier weight always helps and avoid lures that have a lot of wind resistance. Your reel has brakes for a reason. I suggest that you use more brakes than you currently use and tighten your cast control knob some and practice practice practice!

HAHA! I guess it is me then?

But I seriously can't cast far at all. It feels like the line's not coming out smoothly. I also forgot to mention that when I reel in, there seems to be a sound coming from the reel. Is it just the line noise? Is that normal?

Thanks for you comment btw.

[John G]

I just read some reviews of the Veritas 2.0 and 1 review stuck out. The guy said the rods were stiff. I looked at the lure ratings and I see that they have a MH with a lure rating up to 1oz. 1oz is what my H Loomis MBR844 had. If I were you, I wouldn't use a bullet weight less than 1/2oz or a jig less than 1/2oz.

[John G]

HAHA! I guess it is me then?

But I seriously can't cast far at all. It feels like the line's not coming out smoothly. I also forgot to mention that when I reel in, there seems to be a sound coming from the reel. Is it just the line noise? Is that normal?

Thanks for you comment btw.

 

 

I am a Shimano guy. I have no idea what is normal for a Lews reel. With Shimano's centrifugal brakes, the brakes on the palm side control the cast (control spool speed) at the beginning of the cast and the cast control knob controls spool speed near the end of the cast. My guess is you need to control spool speed on both the start and finish. I think that you probably have a rod that is stiff and you need more weight to effectively cast with it. 

[Bostonstronggggg]

I just read some reviews of the Veritas 2.0 and 1 review stuck out. The guy said the rods were stiff. I looked at the lure ratings and I see that they have a MH with a lure rating up to 1oz. 1oz is what my H Loomis MBR844 had. If I were you, I wouldn't use a bullet weight less than 1/2oz or a jig less than 1/2oz.

Yeah, it is a stiff rod. It wasn't my first choice, as it was given to me as a gift haha, but I will keep that in mind. Thanks for your help, man.

[Bostonstronggggg]

Thank you for all your help, John! I will try out some heavier lures!

[John G]

Yeah, it is a stiff rod. It wasn't my first choice, as it was given to me as a gift haha, but I will keep that in mind. Thanks for your help, man.

 

 

I once had the opportunity to show a guy how to cast and his KVD Walmart Special made me look like a rookie. It was a MH rod and I couldn't stop getting backlashes until I adjusted the brakes and cast control cap a lot and then the problem was there was no distance. I finally realized that we were not using near enough weight to load the rod prior to casting. I didn't have a weight with me that was heavy enough to cast the rod effectively.  

IMHO, you should start throwing heavier more aerodynamic lures.

[smalljaw67]

A 5/8oz lure should be easy to cast with that set up and I'll see if I can help. The first thing is the spool tension knob, tie your bait on and hold the rod at the 10 o'clock position and loosen the knob until the lure begins to drop slow. The next thing is the brakes, that reel only has magnetic brakes which help more once the cast is away, if you have no experience with a casting reel this will make it hard for you to learn. The reason being is you need to feather the line at the beginning of the cast until the magnetic brakes can do their job, not knowing how to feather the line with you thumb is going to make the learning curve much steeper, this is actually a good reel but harder to learn as it has no centrifugal braking. So, the way we are going to fix this is by practice and not on the water, outside in your yard or if you don't have a large enough yard you can drive to a field somewhere.  Start by setting the spool tension knob like I mentioned earlier and then set the external brakes to 10 and then make short easy cast, remember to keep your thumb over the spool. Once you have the 10 to 20 foot cast down, set the brake dial to 7 or 8 and make the exact same cast and repeat until you feel you have it down and then decrease the brake by 2 each time until you get to 2. Once you get to two you will then set you brake at 8 and try to make a longer cast, if you can make a smooth cast without backlashing at this point, you should be able to lower the brake to 5 and get enough distance to fish, the important thing to remember is you need to practice, you aren't going to learn to use that on the water, it just isn't going to work well trying to lean to cast and catch fish at the same time, it just leads to more frustration. You got a decent reel, the problem is a reel with centrifugal brakes would be easier to learn on as they help you at the beginning of a cast and that is where most backlashes occur, magnetic brakes work at the middle to end part of the cast. If you practice with it for a couple of hours each day, you should be able to fish pretty good within a week but I've watched guys get it quick and within an hour they were good to go and I've help others that took a few weeks to get it down, it depends on how bad you want to learn, if you really want to use a casting set up you will get it, if you really don't care, you will most likely end up frustrated if it takes a little time and just end up spinning. Give it an honest go, take your time and don't force it and once you have it down it is like riding a bike, you'll be able to pick any reel up and get it to work but you will have to learn about centrifugal braking which isn't hard once you learn with your reel.

[Topwaterspook]

Boston, don't give up on a baitcaster. Once you've established some degree of success, I'm sure you'll be pleased. Yesterday, while bank fishing, I used one of my  old spinning outfits just because of the dense shore growth. I couldn't wait to go back to my level wind reel. Hang in there, it may take a while to get proficient with the new outfit. Good luck.

[masterbass]

I'm wondering if your reel needs cleaned and the bearings flushed in addition to you needing more time using it.

[ABW]

It may be your technique. Try letting the lure fly before it your rod hits 90 degrees. It's kind of hard to explain in words

[WIGuide]

Just stick with it, you'll get there. As a lot of the guys here stated use a bait towards the max the rod is recommended for. Also, when you cast overhand it's different than casting overhand with a spinning reel. Pick the point you are trying to cast to, and then aim about 10 feet above it. That should help you get a nice smooth cast and also get the correct release point.  Hang in there and you'll get it. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Pull off 100' of line and put a strip of electrical tape around the spool. This will keep any backlash from getting too deep. 

 

Casting is 90% rod. If it doesn't load properly with the weight both distance abd accuracy will suffer. Tie on a 3/4oz weight to practice with. 

 

The braid and mono are about the same size so no problem there.

 

Casting is just like throwing a ball in that release point is everything for accuracy. If the bait splashes down in front of you the release was late. If it launches up in the air it's early. Same thing left and right. Nice, easy fluid motion is the goal. Don't get frustrated and horse it. 

[BrownBear]

I bought one bait caster so far, a BPS tourney special, anyways, I see, hear, read about how great they are, well I guess that is true for the ones that "get it down" on the casting. Been practicing on and off the water for about a year now, still can't outcast my open cast, plus its right handed and the switch up after the cast is just weird for me. Been trying to find a left handed one to try out before wasting my money on another. So yeah I feel your pain Bostonstronggggg. Before everyone inputs, yes I have had people show me how to cast it. I wish I could get it down...IDK.

[Catt]

DVT nailed it, uneducated thumb

[Thornback]

It took me a long time to master a bait caster. During the learning period I became an expert at picking out a backlash . Don't give up, make short cast, overhead, underhand, and side arm, useing different weights until you find a weight that seems better for you. Then change the brakes to different settings until you find a setting that seems to work for you. Keep practicing with short casts and over time you can reduce the weight and slack off the brakes which will award you the distance you want. It could take a year, but think of all the fun you will have for 12 months

[CRANKENSTIEN]

All mono lines aren't the same.  Some cast way better than others.  For smooth casting I would use Trilene XL 12- 17 lb.   I dont use it anymore because of the stretch but with your stiff rod that could be a good thing.   You have lots of good advice above.   

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

For pure casting distance nothing beats properly setup spinning tackle. Some find baitcasting more accurate. I like the way casting gear handles heavy line and baits but you ca certainly setup spinning tackle to do the same. I feel like mastering different types of tackle is part of the fun and enhances the overall fishing experience, but it causes you more anxiety than it's worth stick with what you're comfortable with. BTW, a lot of people, myself included are right handed but prefer "lefty" casting reels.  

[NJSalt]

a lot of people go through this, I know I know I did. You have to overcome an inconsistent release point and an unedcuated thumb.

 

 

I started just pitching a jig into a trash can. That build confidence that my thumb was better able to detect and react to overruns happening. Once I had the thumb down, I could make more bad casts that didn't result in huge birds nests until it "clicked" and I started bombing baits. It took awhile, and a few spools of line.

 

 

I wish I would have read more and learned the tape trick... that saves some serious hassle and cuts the learning curve.

[stkbassn]

The 4 reels for me that I've had zero casting issues and the very least if any amount of backlash have been the Citica D,E, Curado E, Chronarch 100B, and the Tatula's. Lew's seem very moody to me....unpredictable I'd say. The only two Lew's I've had good success with is the BB1 and BB2 and I just traded my BB2 so no going back to Lew's for me, ever. I've done it a couple times and won't go back again.  Not saying you can't have success and cast great with them but I won't even try anymore. For as little time as I get to fish I can't go out there with a reel that's "moody". I need consistent , worry free casting. I've been casting baitcasters for a long time so I'm not too bad it but I absolutely believe there are brands and models that are easier to fish with than others. Not sure what makes them that way.

[offsidewing]

I taught myself how to use a bait caster in about an hour in the back yard.  If I can do it, you can do it.  Now, I was able to purposely choose my first gear, so I had that advantage.  It was a Lews Speed Spool Tourney which has a true dual braking system and a Cabelas Tourney ZX rod (M, Mod Fast).  I got some cheap 12lb mono (Trilene XL incidentally) and a 4-pack of 3/8 oz sinkers.  All I watched was the two "how to" baitcaster videos here on Bass Resource and started slinging a 3/8 weight around the backyard.

 

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to make sure you load up the rod. Whatever bait you are using, let it hang 24-30 inches from the rod tip. This will help build flex in the rod and science take over from there.  Make sure half of your centrifugal brakes are on and any external settings are set to halfway for starters.  Spool tension knob is important too.  The brakes control the spool the first half of the cast, the spool tension know the last half.  But the important part for me was is loading up the rod and using two hands for a consistent sweeping cast. The next part is training your thumb.  When in doubt, thumb it out.  Thumb down on the spool if you feel uneasy about a cast.

 

I'm a hockey guy, so the best analogy I can come up with is a spinning rod and reel is like a wrist shot where you want to use strength and leverage to flex the heck out of the rod to 'shoot' the lure.  The casting rod is like a snapshot or backhander where you have to bring the rod back to load it up some with the weight of the lure/bait. 

 

Also, heed these words.  Once you master the bait casting rod and reel - your wallet will empty.  And it will stay empty.  I have never witnessed anything like it in all my years on earth.  #BaitMonkey

[Glenn]

[hatrix]

Roll cast it to load the rod but do it gently. Swing the bait side arm over the rod in a circular motion. If you have a jerky cast or snap your wrist your asking for trouble when your just starting.

[Bostonstronggggg]

A 5/8oz lure should be easy to cast with that set up and I'll see if I can help. The first thing is the spool tension knob, tie your bait on and hold the rod at the 10 o'clock position and loosen the knob until the lure begins to drop slow. The next thing is the brakes, that reel only has magnetic brakes which help more once the cast is away, if you have no experience with a casting reel this will make it hard for you to learn. The reason being is you need to feather the line at the beginning of the cast until the magnetic brakes can do their job, not knowing how to feather the line with you thumb is going to make the learning curve much steeper, this is actually a good reel but harder to learn as it has no centrifugal braking. So, the way we are going to fix this is by practice and not on the water, outside in your yard or if you don't have a large enough yard you can drive to a field somewhere. Start by setting the spool tension knob like I mentioned earlier and then set the external brakes to 10 and then make short easy cast, remember to keep your thumb over the spool. Once you have the 10 to 20 foot cast down, set the brake dial to 7 or 8 and make the exact same cast and repeat until you feel you have it down and then decrease the brake by 2 each time until you get to 2. Once you get to two you will then set you brake at 8 and try to make a longer cast, if you can make a smooth cast without backlashing at this point, you should be able to lower the brake to 5 and get enough distance to fish, the important thing to remember is you need to practice, you aren't going to learn to use that on the water, it just isn't going to work well trying to lean to cast and catch fish at the same time, it just leads to more frustration. You got a decent reel, the problem is a reel with centrifugal brakes would be easier to learn on as they help you at the beginning of a cast and that is where most backlashes occur, magnetic brakes work at the middle to end part of the cast. If you practice with it for a couple of hours each day, you should be able to fish pretty good within a week but I've watched guys get it quick and within an hour they were good to go and I've help others that took a few weeks to get it down, it depends on how bad you want to learn, if you really want to use a casting set up you will get it, if you really don't care, you will most likely end up frustrated if it takes a little time and just end up spinning. Give it an honest go, take your time and don't force it and once you have it down it is like riding a bike, you'll be able to pick any reel up and get it to work but you will have to learn about centrifugal braking which isn't hard once you learn with your reel.

Super helpful!!! Thank you!!!