Casting Reels. Balance Between Breaks And Tension?

[clegg]

Last year I purchased a Chronarch CI4+.  I absolutely love the reel.  It's my first baitcaster so I don't have experience with other types of baitcasters.  I'm having a little bit of a hard time understanding the ideal balance between using the breaks and the tension knob.  

 

Is there a specific rule of thumb on what to use?   Right now I have no breaks on and rely only on the tension knob to avoid backlashes.  .The fine tuning knob is also set at zero.  Is that a disadvantage to turning on two of the four breaks and lessening the tension on the spool tension knob, in terms of casting length?  

 

I'm using a powerpro 30# braid.  

[masterbass]

Try putting on 2 or 3 brakes and loosening the tension. You should get more distance and better control. Use the outside brake dial yo fine tune.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Set the spool tension to where the bait will fall slowly and the spool stops when the bait hits the ground. Activate 1/2 of the cent brakes and fine tune for wind etc. As you gain comfort and experience you may come to prefer setting the tension just tight enough to remove lateral play in the spool. None of these features is a replacement for an educated thumb though. That just comes with time. 

[BASSPATROL247]

Try putting on 2 or 3 brakes and loosening the tension. You should get more distance and better control. Use the outside brake dial yo fine tune.

Tjats just how i learned, pretty much no tension and 1/3 of the brakes on.. so if it was a six pin id put 2 on. That whole set tension so bait drops and spool dont overrun when it hits the ground deal did not work for me, tried and tried and almost gave up before going super loose and fast and using my thumb more as a tension knob than the actuall knob.. after that i was casting lime a vet shortly there after.. i gotta say though i got a new lews tourney lite and i can dial it in so i only have to thumb the spool when my lure hits the water but no thumbing dont feel natural to me so i keep it loose and fast and thumb it...