Casting baitcaster/weightless worms

[jasondaily]

Hello everyone I need some help.. I have been using baitcaster awhile now but I still can not thumb it. I usually set it up so I don't have to thumb it. Heavier weights seem to be easier.. I bought a medium rod and can still only cast a weightless worm like 20-30 feet (idk of that's far).. everyone I loosen the tension knob to practice thumbing it, as soon as i cast I get a birds nest, I don't even have a chance to thumb it... any advice would be great.. thanks 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

What type of reel and what type of line

[jasondaily]

23 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

What type of reel and what type of line

Diawa type r with 12 pound floro carbon 

[Drew03cmc]

What worm? What hook? Also, I am in the minority here, but I don't like the Magforce braking system. I've been using my Spartacus and Spartacus Plus to fish weightless Trick Sticks on a 3/0 EWG. I can toss a Trick Worm on the same hook as well. If I'm using the latter, I have to be extra cautious with the thumb, but the Trick Stick, I can toss it to the moon. 

[jasondaily]

6 minutes ago, Drew03cmc said:

What worm? What hook? Also, I am in the minority here, but I don't like the Magforce braking system. I've been using my Spartacus and Spartacus Plus to fish weightless Trick Sticks on a 3/0 EWG. I can toss a Trick Worm on the same hook as well. If I'm using the latter, I have to be extra cautious with the thumb, but the Trick Stick, I can toss it to the moon. 

Senko with size 3 hook

[Drew03cmc]

Honestly, any baitcaster and M rod should be able to cast that bait. A 5" Senko is 3/8 oz by itself.

[jasondaily]

1 hour ago, Drew03cmc said:

What worm? What hook? Also, I am in the minority here, but I don't like the Magforce braking system. I've been using my Spartacus and Spartacus Plus to fish weightless Trick Sticks on a 3/0 EWG. I can toss a Trick Worm on the same hook as well. If I'm using the latter, I have to be extra cautious with the thumb, but the Trick Stick, I can toss it to the moon. 

Senko with size 3 hook

1 hour ago, Drew03cmc said:

Honestly, any baitcaster and M rod should be able to cast that bait. A 5" Senko is 3/8 oz by itself.

I can cast it but only about 30 feet 

[NHBull]

Some thumbs take longer to train than others......I found myself using to much pressure when I went to lighter weight, out of fear of a nest.    Just have to work through it

[lonnie g]

tighten the brake a little , really concentrate on your thumb just tickling the line.

[reb67]

Do you over head cast? If so try changing your casting angle, I fish senkos, zoom fluke sticks and yum drinker weightless all the time I use a 2 o'clock down to a 4 o'clock casting angles. The biggest thing is practice.

[jasondaily]

Thanks for the tips, I usually cast side arm. 

[reb67]

Another thing you may want to try is when setting the tension knob as the bait starts to drop, slowly tighten it until it stops the bait. I do this when fishing in the wind and it works great.

[Lead Head]

Sounds like the problem is your just not experienced enough yet. If you are still setting up your reel tight enough you don't need to thumb it you are going to struggle with lighter baits. When you get better at controlling the spool with your thumb and can back off the breaks the lighter stuff (and everything else) will start getting more distance. If there is some magic reel or brake setting out there that will let you get good distance with light lures and no thumb... well, that would be interesting. 

[jasondaily]

Thanks, I guess I'll get a reel and cheap line to practice with 

[WRB]

When folks suggest loosening the spool tension knob it means maybe a 1/2 turn so the Senko can pull line off the reel on it's own so it falls a little faster.

You can't whip the rod like a spinning reel, the casting motion needs to be slowed down with about 18" of line out between the rod tip and the lure with lighter weights.

Don't listen to to people who make false claims.

Tom

[jasondaily]

Thanks I'll experiment with all suggestions 

[BigAngus752]

2 hours ago, NHBull said:

Some thumbs take longer to train than others......I found myself using to much pressure when I went to lighter weight, out of fear of a nest.    Just have to work through it

 

2 hours ago, reb67 said:

Do you over head cast? If so try changing your casting angle, I fish senkos, zoom fluke sticks and yum drinker weightless all the time I use a 2 o'clock down to a 4 o'clock casting angles. The biggest thing is practice.

 

1 hour ago, Lead Head said:

Sounds like the problem is your just not experienced enough yet. If you are still setting up your reel tight enough you don't need to thumb it you are going to struggle with lighter baits. When you get better at controlling the spool with your thumb and can back off the breaks the lighter stuff (and everything else) will start getting more distance. If there is some magic reel or brake setting out there that will let you get good distance with light lures and no thumb... well, that would be interesting. 

These guys are all over it.  I just started using baitcasters 14 months ago.  My suggestions are practice, use a heavier weight for practice (3/4 to 1 ounce) until you are good at it, practice, get rid of the fluoro for now, practice, and if you want to "cheat" buy a Tatula SV.  And then practice some more.  You will get good at it.  I guarantee it.  

[haggard]

5 hours ago, jasondaily said:

as soon as i cast I get a birds nest, I don't even have a chance to thumb it...

If you're casting overhead, try a side cast instead; they seem to be gentler, less prone to tangles.

 

Concentrate on a slow and gentle acceleration cast. This will tangle much less than a power throw.

 

Cast downwind, not into it.

 

Before doing anything, set the spool tension (plenty threads on this) and brakes (start with max or near max, and work your way down as you get comfortable).

 

[Catt]

Every time I try casting with my reel I have problems ?

 

My rod does a way better job!

[RSmall]

If you wander over to the Bass Resource page on Youtube, Glenn May did a video on casting light lures with a baitcaster some time ago.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

10 hours ago, haggard said:

Cast downwind, not into it.

Sometimes you got to cast into the wind. When you do keep your bait low as possible, sidearm works best.

[Troy85]

7 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Sometimes you got to cast into the wind. When you do keep your bait low as possible, sidearm works best.

Sometimes?  Do fish ever bite downwind?  Sometimes I swear they are like deer, and can smell my boat if they are downwind. ?

[scaleface]

I'm not an advocate of using bigger than necessary hooks but in the case of casting weightless worms with a bait-caster , I use  big heavy flipping hooks .

[DRT]

Practice, practice, practice, then practice some more. I agree with WRB, letting some extra line out (12-14") before casting helps me throw lighter lures easier. Also, if I were you, id get rid of the fluro until you get some more experience in.

[fishwizzard]

41 minutes ago, DRT said:

Practice, practice, practice, then practice some more. I agree with WRB, letting some extra line out (12-14") before casting helps me throw lighter lures easier. Also, if I were you, id get rid of the fluro until you get some more experience in.

I find that, in general, if I have more then about 6” of line out past the tip, my accuracy tanks.  Do you guys notice a decrease in accuracy when you have 12” plus of line out past the tip?