How to use baitcaster effectively

[Geebo]

I've only used spinning rods and fluorocarbon line (finesse fishing mostly), but I recently bought a baitcasting rod and reel and am hoping to change that.  I've been working on my cast (in a parking lot) and can cast a maximum of 25 yards with 3/8 oz rubber practice casting weight.  I have Dobyns DC 705CB and Daiwa Tatula SV TW 6.3 with Sunline Shooter Defier line.  I've been keeping the brakes at 6 and the spool tension is reasonably tight, but if I let my thumb off, the line drops on it's own. 

 

Does any have any advice on how to cast farther?  I seem to be stuck at 25 yards and it's a little frustrating.  Also, since I've never used a baitcasting rod/reel what angle should I be holding the rod at when working top water or crank baits?  Last question, since I plan to use the rod mostly for top water and crank baits is it preferable to use mono or copoly? 

 

Thank you!

Geebo

 

 

 

[Russ E]

The spool tension on a tatula sv is generally set different than most other baitcasters. If you tighten it down, casting distance suffers.

What diawa reccomends is: engage the thumb bar. Then adjust the spool tension so there is a small amount of play in the spool. You do not want it tightened down like on other reels.

Generally I run the magnet in the middle or on 10.

[dodgeguy]

11 hours ago, Russ E said:

The spool tension on a tatula sv is generally set different than most other baitcasters. If you tighten it down, casting distance suffers.

What diawa reccomends is: engage the thumb bar. Then adjust the spool tension so there is a small amount of play in the spool. You do not want it tightened down like on other reels.

Generally I run the magnet in the middle or on 10.

what he said 

[Teal]

Just keep playing with it.  I dont have a tatula sv, but like those guys said loosen the tension a hair, start with higher end brakes, then come down on the brakes gradually.  Once you get dialed in you should be looking at 45 yard plus or minus easily on 3/8 to 1/2 ounce.  My numbers could be off... but once I get my reels dialed in I can get 45plus... I can be pretty darn accurate at 25 to 35 yards. 

[JustJames]

Search for that “the reel test” guy on you tube. A lot don’t like him here but I believe he is a good caster and may be better than a lot of ppl post here. 

[Bass Rutten]

Follow his setup instructions in this video and you’ll be good to go, start your main brakes at 12 instead of 10 just in case because your newish to baitcasters.

[Fishes in trees]

25 yards with a 3/8oz practice plug isn't shabby.  Believe it or don't but your first half dozen years of owning a bait caster you can't practice enough.  Take the time to learn all the casts you're going to maybe need.  Besides the standard overhead cast, you might want to learn a side arm cast, back handed cast, and definitely a Jimmy Houston style roll cast.  You're going to need to learn how to pitch, which is a same principle, different action kind of cast.   I don't run into guys who are just learning a bait caster very often, but when I do I tell them to learn how to pitch first. because you'll learn more about thumb control and feathering the spool quicker than you will learning casting per se.

At least that is my opinion.  I think that getting good as casting actually makes pitching harder to learn, and I find that, at least as far as throwing soft plastics go, I pitch MUCH more often than I cast.  I wish I would have earned how to pitch first, but in the early 80's, nobody was even talking much about pitching baits.