Can’t seem to cast shad rap #5

[Sharkicane]

Rod: Daiwa Alexa 6’5 MH Xtra fast 

Reel:  Kastking Assassin

Line: 15lb Pline CXX

 

Ive got my brakes turned on to 4 inside and 7 outside. I can not for the life of me cast this thing without a backlash or far enough on the few times I don’t. I’ve watched a dozen videos on how to but just can’t seem to get it. I’m giving it more line than normal to load the rod more on start up. Still mid flight my spool overruns. 

 

What throws me is I can cast a weightless trig super fluke which I know is a little heavier but I can cast it decently with little to no backlash. 

 

Any advice or tips here? I even tried it on a spinning rod/reel but it just dead stops after 10-15 ft. (I’m thinking I spooled the reel wrong or maybe the reel itself is off it’s a Shimano spheros 4K)

[JustinJ]

spinning rod with 8lb mono

[Gundog]

^^^^This. 

[Sharkicane]

22 minutes ago, JustinJ said:

spinning rod with 8lb mono

Would these be a same set up for like a lucky craft 1.5?

[Vilas15]

45 minutes ago, JustinJ said:

spinning rod with 8lb mono

and a ML spinning rod at that. A #5 is only 3/16 oz.

[BassThumb]

That's not the right type of crankbait for baitcasting tackle. It's too light and it's wind-resistant with the big bill, that's why it casts poorly compared to the Super Fluke. The balsa Shad Rap and the balsa Rapala Floating Minnow are killer crankbaits, but I toss them on spinning tackle only.

 

The Lucky Craft 1.5 is well suited to the baitcasting rig you listed. 

[Sharkicane]

24 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

and a ML spinning rod at that. A #5 is only 3/16 oz.

Any suggestions on the rod? I assume my spheros 4K is an okay enough reel for this set up? 

[Drew03cmc]

I am comfortable casting SSR5 on my M casting rod, but I've seen it give people hell. You'd be better served using a M spinning rod with either 8lb mono or maybe light braid and a leader. 

[Vilas15]

21 minutes ago, Sharkicane said:

Any suggestions on the rod? I assume my spheros 4K is an okay enough reel for this set up? 

A 6'6" to 7' Medium/Fast action would work with that. The Medium would be more versatile than a ML and match the reel better. The 4000 size is larger than I'd like but should be fine if you already have it. I'd use 8 lb mono or a 15 lb braid to 8 lb leader. You'd want to use some backing on the reel because a 4000 will have a large capacity.

[Bluebasser86]

I fish a #5 shad rap a lot during the winter with a 6' 8" M/F spinning rod, a 25 size President and 8lb mono. 

[JustJames]

Let looks at your equipments VS your lure choice (3/16 oz). As you can see most of the ppl will recommend to use spinning since it is a lot easier to handle that weight lure. BUT baitcaster also works if you have the right equipment. 

First of all this 3/16 oz lure typically requires medium or medium lite to cast and get a good distance spinning or baitcaster.

 

your equipments 

rod MH, this is manageable if your rod got lure rate down to 1/4oz (mine does and quite often time I use this rod with LC 65SP), but again Medium would be easier to load up and yield more distance.

 

reel:

Kastking, I don't have this reel so can't comment on it much but as long as it has good free spin (flush bearing or upgrade bearing)

Shimano 4000, this is big and heavy reel and I'm for certain you loaded up with heavy weight line as well. This is no good for 3/16 oz lure.

 

line 15lb cxx, this is a no no for light lure. The CXX #15 is about the same diameter as 20lb fluorocarbon or mono and it super stiff very difficult to mange Even for heavier lure. I normally use #6 #8 copolymer line or 10-12lb fluorocarbon.

 

when casting lite lure typically I use side arm lob cast, or overhead with easy light cast no whipping of any kind. 

[J.Vincent]

Medium spinning tackle and 8lb line should work

[soflabasser]

I mostly use spinning gear with 8-12 pound test mono when fishing with medium sized Rapalas.

[Sam]

Go with medium or medium heavy 7 foot spinning rod.

Go with 6 or 8 pound fluorocarbon line.

Go with a 2000 or 2500 size spinning reel.

Go have some fun!  

[OkobojiEagle]

X-rap shad...

[Deleted account]

I blame all ya'll JDM, BFS, "I'm gonna use a bait caster come hell or high water" guys for this. Spinning with light mono or braid and a leader is the correct answer here. 

[scaleface]

I cant cast  them "well" on a baitcaster either , so I dont use them .

[burrows]

I usually throw a #7 sometimes the 5 both on a bait caster. Try a lob cast to cast those lighter lures should help.

[fishballer06]

3 hours ago, reason said:

I blame all ya'll JDM, BFS, "I'm gonna use a bait caster come hell or high water" guys for this. Spinning with light mono or braid and a leader is the correct answer here. 

I agree. Small shad raps cast better on a spinning setup. But I love using a slower gear ratio casting reel as opposed to a spinning reel which has a higher gear ratio.

 

To the OP, your setup will not cast a #5 shad rap, and probably would struggle with a #7 too. If you're dead set on throwing small Shad Raps with a baitcaster, here's what I recommend/use:

 

Line: 10lb. fluorocarbon

Rod: ML cranking rod (medium power for #7)

Reel: I use a Shimano Stile 101PG. It's a JDM Aldebaran that's souped up. Super lightweight spool, good line capacity and a 5:1 ratio. Unfortunately, these reels run around $400 from Japan, but man are they nice.

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, Burros said:

I usually throw a #7 sometimes the 5 both on a bait caster. Try a lob cast to cast those lighter lures should help.

Yeah, and I'm sure yo go fishing "with your wife, Morgan Fairchild, whom you are married to, and you have sex with, yeah, that's the ticket"...     (someone explain it to the young guys)

[JustJames]

5 hours ago, reason said:

I blame all ya'll JDM, BFS, "I'm gonna use a bait caster come hell or high water" guys for this. Spinning with light mono or braid and a leader is the correct answer here. 

I somewhat agreed. Those BFS ppl, huh? BFS become hype or cool to have setup this day.

 Anyway anyone got a shallow spool for curado 70 or 50e that wanna sell? I'm looking for one (I'm serious).

This is my usual setup for 1/4 oz lure Husky jerk 08

 

Im trying to get a setup to cast this effectively. It is Husky jerk 06 1/8oz and I have 4-5 of them from long long time ago. I don't wanna waste those lures so I'd rather spend a few hundreds more to use them LOL.

[Deleted account]

5 minutes ago, JustJames said:

I somewhat agreed. Those BFS ppl, huh? BFS become hype or cool to have setup this day.

 Anyway anyone got a shallow spool for curado 70 or 50e that wanna sell? I'm looking for one (I'm serious).

There is nothing wrong with collecting, admiring, ogling, and fondling tackle, it just has very little to do with fishing. I'm surprised some of those reel after market parts don't come with tissues and lotion...

[the reel ess]

Me either.. Get a spinning combo and you'll be glad. I bought one for weightless and light-weighted plastics and discovered it was the ticket for light treble lures. So I bought a medium combo specifically for those lures.

[JustJames]

5 hours ago, reason said:

I'm surprised some of those reel after market parts don't come with tissues and lotion...

Slow down now my friend, we are talking JDM reels not JDM.... and I have tons of those as well LOL shuuuuu don't tell my wife about my JDM....., oops I meant JDM reels.

6 hours ago, fishballer06 said:

I agree. Small shad raps cast better on a spinning setup. But I love using a slower gear ratio casting reel as opposed to a spinning reel which has a higher gear ratio.

 

To the OP, your setup will not cast a #5 shad rap, and probably would struggle with a #7 too. If you're dead set on throwing small Shad Raps with a baitcaster, here's what I recommend/use:

 

Line: 10lb. fluorocarbon

Rod: ML cranking rod (medium power for #7)

Reel: I use a Shimano Stile 101PG. It's a JDM Aldebaran that's souped up. Super lightweight spool, good line capacity and a 5:1 ratio. Unfortunately, these reels run around $400 from Japan, but man are they nice.

Last time I used spinning gears, my wife had to remind me almost every cast "honey bass is in the water not on the tree" sad but true story LOL

[Brad in Texas]

I wouldn't even consider an MH rod for this. I agree that an M would be very versatile but an ML would likely be optimal for casting distance and still having the necessary power to control a nice sized fish. Be sure and hone your spinning gear techniques, use it as intended.

 

One thing worth considering? I might suggest dropping down to 6# Sufix Nanobraid. It'd likely be stronger than the larger fluoros and mono lines recommended. it is the smallest braid I know of, the strongest for its size, too.

 

Whatever you have on your reel right now, just back off some that line and use the remainder as a backer, then add about 20 yards more Nanobraid than the distance you can cast, or more, and I bet you will fling smaller lures really far.

 

Is braid ideal here? Maybe not, but no line covers all circumstances all the time.

 

Brad