Frustrated With A Baitcaster

[Bostonstronggggg]

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

Thanks for the Advice! And nice hockey reference! It made a lot of sense! HAHA!

[smalljaw67]

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

 

I want to point out 1 thing with your advise to the OP, remember, he is learning so you have to understand that not all reels are the same so knowing what he is using is key to helping. His reel has magnetic brakes only, so your way of casting isn't going to help him, he needs to start slow and stay that way until he can do it on a low brake setting consistently before trying for longer distance. The reason for this is because the centrifugal brakes help at start up, he doesn't have that help like you had, he needs to learn to use his thumb first, not later. You aren't wrong and you offer good tips but having that much line out without knowing how to feather the spool is going to make it tough, he has a good reel but if is a mag brake set up which is usually better for more experienced casters but he will be better for learning on it.

[Sam]

Suggestions:

1.  Open the side of the Lews and turn on all magnets. This means pulling up the little "T" shaped tabs.

2.  Read the rod's specifications stamped on the rod.

3.  Select the line of your choice within the rod's line test specs.

4.  Using a Berkley spooling machine ($30 and worth it) put the fluorocarbon line on the spool holder so the line comes off the spool from the top.

5.  Tie line to the reel's spool and taking a bathroom washcloth spray one spot on the washcloth with Kevin Van Dam's Lure and Line Conditioner. Make sure the area is soaked.

6.  Run the line through the soaked area on the washcloth as you spool the line on the Lew's.

7.  Be sure the drag is set tight and the spool tension knob is set tight when spooling.

8.  Do as DVT says and put Scotch Tape or electrical tape from one side of the spool to the other on top of your line. You can't use too much tape so be sure to cover all of the line in one area. You do this by estimating when you have enough line to cast your bait. 

9.  Start respooling once again and make sure to leave about an eight of an inch of space from the top of the spool to the top of the line.

9.  Staying within the rod's specifications, tie on the bait you want to throw.

10. Point rod tip to 11 AM and using the spool tension knob have the bait fall slowly to the floor and have the spool stop when the bait hits the floor.

 

You always point the rod tip to 11AM and drop the bait every time you change baits on a baitcaster.

 

Now, some other information for your consideration.

 

You may want to take your new reel to a professional who repairs rods and reels in your area and have him open the Lew's and make sure it has proper grease inside. Reels come from the factory with grease in them but hot weather and having them sit on the shelf can erode the grease.

 

Purchase some reel lube and put a little on the screw drive that moves the pawl and your line on the reel. Not a lot, but a little.

 

And NEVER EVER put grease on the outside of the reel. Grease goes inside the reel, only.

 

As for the magnets in the reel, as you practice casting you can reset them in an "X" manner to determine if this setup helps your distance.  You can set the magnets any way you wish and you will have to experiment, especially with a Lew's' reel. Seems Lews' reels spools spin faster than other brands and the magnets will help slow down the spool's rate of speed.

 

With his set up and the line and bait within the rod's specifications go outside and practice casting. Keep your thumb on the line as it comes off the spool at first until you master the 11AM procedure.  Once you get the 11AM procedure down the spool will stop when the bait hits the water.

 

Now you need to learn the various baitcaster casting methods, from overhand, sideways, underhand, etc. Find them on YouTube.

 

And you need to learn how to set the hook based on the baits you are throwing.  Over the head or sideways.

 

One more tip: Never allow slack in the line when fighting a fish on a baitcaster. Just a little slack means the bass will throw the hook. Always keep your rod tip high and the line tight.

 

Now, how about a discussion on your reel's speed ratio..........

[Master Bait'r]

From your casting issues is say the tip is too stiff for your baits. That will always happen if there isn't enough weight to load the rod on the cast which gets the spool really moving.

I did the same thing with a MHXF Crucial. It just would not cast under 1/2oz.

[kikstand454]

^ nonsense. I throw 3/8oz jigs constantly with my 7'mh/f veritas and I could use that thing for punching mats. It may not be OPTIMAL for throwing that sized lure - but it surely CAN do it.

Its practice. That's all that's needed here.

OP- all the answers are right here in this thread. .... everything I was going to suggest has already been said.

1. Set up the reel properly ( your 65# braid or whatever was fine. ...espicially if you were going to use this rod for frogs- which it is fine for)

2. USE THE TAPE TRICK. This will cut down 95% of your frustration.

3. Practice PITCHING first to educate your thumb. No more swinging for the fences until you know you can reach them

4. Use a slightly heavier bait. You CAN throw lighter baits with your setup, like I said, but you will find it much easier to LEARN to cast using a heavier bait that is closer to the Max of the rod.

5. Do not give up. Once you have it down, you will never even want to use a spinning reel again.

6. Prepare to be broke. The baitmonkey is a ***.

Good luck!

[Catt]

K.I.S.S.

Set your reel up as per Glenn's video, then refer back to CVT's post. If the bait splashes down in front of you the release was late, if it launches up in the air the release was to early...it's that simple!

Educate your thumb to feel for back lashes by keeping your thumb about 1/64" above the spool feeling for loose coils of line & simply stop the cast with thumb!

[K_Mac]

K.I.S.S.

Set your reel up as per Glenn's video, then refer back to CVT's post. If the bait splashes down in front of you the release was late, if it launches up in the air the release was to early...it's that simple!

Educate your thumb to feel for back lashes by keeping your thumb about 1/64" above the spool feeling for loose coils of line & simply stop the cast with thumb!

There you go! It is not rocket science, but it is a different skill set than you use when using a spinning or spincast reel. It is hard for some of us to relearn casting after years of doing it another way. Get over it! Learning to use a baitcaster well takes a little time and practice. It is a skill worth having so relax and enjoy the process.

[Alpha Male]

You have a lot of good advice here. The only thing I would recommend is to start out learning the sidearm cast for one simple reason. and that is to avoid the one issue youre having. The bait splashing down in front of you.  with a sidearm cast your left and right accuracy will suffer by either being early or late with the release but you wont get the birds nests that youre getting

[Bostonstronggggg]

From your casting issues is say the tip is too stiff for your baits. That will always happen if there isn't enough weight to load the rod on the cast which gets the spool really moving.

I did the same thing with a MHXF Crucial. It just would not cast under 1/2oz.

I really wanna say this is the issue. I mean the rod hardly bends. I'll try to have a friend lend me a less stiff casting rod and I'll try it out then. Thanks!

[Bostonstronggggg]

You have a lot of good advice here. The only thing I would recommend is to start out learning the sidearm cast for one simple reason. and that is to avoid the one issue youre having. The bait splashing down in front of you. with a sidearm cast your left and right accuracy will suffer by either being early or late with the release but you wont get the birds nests that youre getting

Ok, will do! But the real issue isn't so much the birds nest. It's really casting distance. It just feels like my line is 'not' coming out smoothly. I spooled it in the same way as the line memory so I mean it should be good right?

[Bostonstronggggg]

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.

I too think mastering different types of tackle is fun and important, which is why I'm trying out a baitcaster, but ugh it's frustrating at first...

Also, I thought baitcaster were supposed to cast farther than spinning gear. Not light lures, of course, but heavier lures, right?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

All else being equal spinning gear casts further as there is no mechanical drag. 99% of the time accuracy is what will get you bites. Some guys use casting tackle as a winch to land fish but I don't recommend that from a reel longevity, effectiveness or sporting perspective, but it is an option. Stick with it and eventually everything will just start to click. 

[Felix77]

Boy do I remember these days ... My first setup was an Abu Garcia SilverMax combo I got in DSG.  No matter how much research I did on line, lures, weight, balance etc. I totally sucked at using the baitcaster.  It was downright infuriating how much line I went through (backlashes) until I was able to train myself how to use it properly.  It took time and a lot of practice and now I have zero regrets with the time I spent.

 

Hang in there and good luck.

 

By the way ... I still have that SilverMax.  It is still a part of my arsenal and I love it!!!  It has some higher quality brothers and sisters BUT it's still my #1.  

[Senko lover]

Do Not Try To Cast The Bait Far!!! Focus on a short, smooth cast. Don't load the rod. Just work on accuracy. Distance will come later. 

[paleus]

Make sure you are following through with the rod. When I was teaching my wife to use a baitcaster, she had a tendency to stop the rod at or shortly after the point of release. This would do what you described and send the bait right into the ground on an overhand cast. Just like shooting a shotgun, don't stop to pull the trigger, swing through. Concentrate on being smooth and following through. Point your rod where you want the bait to land after the release.

[Bostonstronggggg]

Make sure you are following through with the rod. When I was teaching my wife to use a baitcaster, she had a tendency to stop the rod at or shortly after the point of release. This would do what you described and send the bait right into the ground on an overhand cast. Just like shooting a shotgun, don't stop to pull the trigger, swing through. Concentrate on being smooth and following through. Point your rod where you want the bait to land after the release.

Hmm... I'm going out tomorrow morning to practice, so I will keep this in mind! Thanks!

[retiredbosn]

My learning curve was much the same as yours. The video and dvt have given great advice. One tip the really helped me in the beginning, tighten the spool tension knob to the point the bait DOES NOT fall, but readily releases with the tiniest shake, it will probably stop on its own before hitting the floor. Nothing wrong with the rod, a whippier rod is going to exacerbate your problem, bedside its going to really load up and shoot the weight out. You're already having birdsnest, do u really want to speed up that spool at this point? Get some casting weights, you want about 3/4 of ounce max, you don't want the rod really loading yet. Now set the brakes on max and practice once u get the hang of the basics you'll be amazed how fast you'll progress. FWIW the rod I learned on was a 7 foot MH rod lure rating 1/4 to 1 1/2 ounce, trust me the rod isn't the problem.

[blackmax135]

The greatest thing I ever did was to cast my line as far as possible then walk out 20ft. Took a piece of electrical tape and put it on the spool.  It helped me. 

 

This throwing at the ground thing is going to happen until you get your thumb calibrated.  You can tweak those breaks and knobs all you want but if your thumb Is off then its not going to do right.  I can cast my reels with half break and the spool tension knob all the way off. Oh and make sure your drag is set right.  I have had mine set way to tight and it threw off my cast.

 

It takes time but when you get it you'll be a happy camper

[tennsopher]

Lots of good advise on here.Pay special attention to the video and notice that Glenn has the reel handles pointing vertically at the beginning of his cast.Try to think of it as turning a door knob as you cast.Start the cast with reel handles up and end with reel handles facing horizontal.I got my first baitcaster when I was 13yro (red 5000 ambassadeur) and had no one to teach me so I feel your frustration.I am 60 now and have never regretted learning to cast one and I believe neither will you.Good luck and sooner or later you will understand what is meant by "educated thumb".

[shanksmare]

I learned to use a baitcaster when I was 5 or 6 years old. Those baitcasters had no free spool or anti-reverse. It was a bit of a chore but eventually I learned. Shortly thereafter, spinning tackle invaded the scene. Very few of my compatriots stuck with baitcasting tackle and soon switched over to that new-fangled spinning tackle from overseas (which certainly had many issues of its own at the time)..

 

Years later I again embraced baitcasting tackle (much improve over my original baitcasting tackle). It was like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget.

 

You have received a lot of excellent advice which serve you well in the learning process.

 

I'll give you a couple of pointers from my perspective.

I believe the rod you are using is probably handicapping your progress. As you learn to cast and become more proficient it will be less of an issue. In my experience very stiff, very fast rods have a narrow comfort zone in terms of lure weights to use effectively. A certain weight will be the sweet spot for that rod. If you go much above or below this weight, it feels like throwing a potato with a pitch fork. So I believe a rod with a more parabolic action would be advantageous to you during the learning process. 

 

Secondly try to keep your rod tip moving in a straight line during the casting process (as opposed to a circular path). This simplifies getting your release point correct and produces more power with less effort.

 

Practice, practice, practice  and you will soon be casting like a pro. Don't wait to go out to the lake to practice. Utilize your back yard, swimming pool if you have one, basement. Just be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors and the invariable comment, "Did you catch any yet?". As me why I know!

 

Good luck.

[new2BC4bass]

I can't add anything to what has already been posted.  I do agree with shanksmare that a moderate action rod may help.  Especially since you say backlashing isn't really a problem.....only distance.  Not only will the rod load easier, but the softer action should help lessen the few backlashes you are getting with less than perfect casts.  The few (very few) Abu rods I own are all under-rated.  A 7'6" MHF rated for 3/8 to 1-1/4 oz. barely casts a 1/2 oz. lure what I consider a decent fishing distance......which is definitely less than 30 yards.

 

Have you been able to try another rod?  Action designation isn't everything.  My Powell Endurance 7'2" MH XF hurls a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait extremely well.  So does my 7'2" MH regular action Tatula.

[BrownBear]

DVT nailed it, uneducated thumb

I would say my(thumb) is retarded...lol

[BrownBear]

So had some time to practice today. Tried the reel handle up starting out then noticed I was just casting straight on(handle on the side). Was doing OK as long as it was within 50ft. Tried a pitch and flip a little, well I might want to come back to that another year...lol. I will give it a go next time I go fishing, if it don't work out I will post the coordinates for a free baitcaster after it goes in the lake. Lmao

[hoosierbass07]

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.

 

 

  Welcome to the world of real life baitcasters!  No, you probably are not the problem.  The problem is baitcasters in general.  They all are pretty much lame compared to the effective spinning reel.  Spinning reels work for the fisherman, they work and work very good.  Baticasters on the other hand make a slave out of the fisherman.  You have to pick the right line, the right rod, the right lure weight, the right lure aerodynamic (how it flies though the air), the right cast, you can't cast too hard or to light, etc...   Remember, all the tournament fishermen on TV have twelve or more rods rigged up ready to go.  They have the right rod with the right line for the lure.  Plus TV usually does not show them dealing with a backlash (sometimes they do).  Plus they have a nice big area to cast from.  

 

 But, if you do want to learn how to use one then go for it.  Take your time.  I would focus on one type of lure (like jigs or crank baits) and buy a rod specially for that style of lure and buy line specifically for that baitcaster, rod and lure.   I bought a rod specifically for crank baits for my one baitcaster.  Yeah, it works, sometimes.  But it's still lame and does not work as good as my spinning reels.  After two or three outings this spring in my kayak with my baitcaster I've retired it again for the rest of the year, just like I did last year.  I've come to realize it's not me and hardly ever me, it's the design of the baitcaster, it's a stupid awkward design surpassed by the spinning reel. 

[new2BC4bass]

  Welcome to the world of real life baitcasters!  No, you probably are not the problem.  The problem is baitcasters in general.  They all are pretty much lame compared to the effective spinning reel.  Spinning reels work for the fisherman, they work and work very good.  Baticasters on the other hand make a slave out of the fisherman.  You have to pick the right line, the right rod, the right lure weight, the right lure aerodynamic (how it flies though the air), the right cast, you can't cast too hard or to light, etc...   Remember, all the tournament fishermen on TV have twelve or more rods rigged up ready to go.  They have the right rod with the right line for the lure.  Plus TV usually does not show them dealing with a backlash (sometimes they do).  Plus they have a nice big area to cast from.  

 

 But, if you do want to learn how to use one then go for it.  Take your time.  I would focus on one type of lure (like jigs or crank baits) and buy a rod specially for that style of lure and buy line specifically for that baitcaster, rod and lure.   I bought a rod specifically for crank baits for my one baitcaster.  Yeah, it works, sometimes.  But it's still lame and does not work as good as my spinning reels.  After two or three outings this spring in my kayak with my baitcaster I've retired it again for the rest of the year, just like I did last year.  I've come to realize it's not me and hardly ever me, it's the design of the baitcaster, it's a stupid awkward design surpassed by the spinning reel. 

 

LOL