Are DC Reels Really Bad for Beginners?

[MontclairDave]

Getting a new baitcaster and eyeing the Shimano SLX DC. Why DC? Because I’m new to baistcasting and I want to shorten the learning curve after a bad initial (non-DC) BC experience a few years back (use error I am sure). But I’ve read the posts that say learning how to thumb a non-DC reel, in the long run, will ensure the best long-term experience with baistcasting. So here’s my question: why not get the DC, use its braking system to at least get comfortable with baistcasting on the 4 setting, and when I get a bit more comfortable with it, start lowering the setting and practicing more thumb control? Will the experience/learning I’d gain doing that help me when I switch to a non-DC reel? (Not sure I want to incur the extra expense of DC reels every time I add a BC setup for different applications.)

 

Thanks!

[Dens228]

Personally I feel nothing beats a bit of practice with a BC reel.    I taught my son to cast pretty quickly.

Spool tension up a bit more than normal, brakes almost maxed, a heavy jig.  As he got comfortable the brakes got turned down.   When he got to a lighter lure the brakes were turned back up a bit.  By the end of the day he was casting like a pro.  And, OMG!  He was using 30 lb braid!  Egad!  LOL

Embrace the fear! 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

DC braking is not magic or a replacement for basic skill. That misconception is their only danger. The learning curve isn’t that long with proper setup and understanding of bait-casters. 

[MontclairDave]

1 hour ago, Dens228 said:

Personally I feel nothing beats a bit of practice with a BC reel.    I taught my son to cast pretty quickly.

Spool tension up a bit more than normal, brakes almost maxed, a heavy jig.  As he got comfortable the brakes got turned down.   When he got to a lighter lure the brakes were turned back up a bit.  By the end of the day he was casting like a pro.  And, OMG!  He was using 30 lb braid!  Egad!  LOL

Embrace the fear! 

 

That’s great! Yeah, I’ve read to use mono at first to keep backlashes manageable. I’d be great to go straight to braid since that’s primarily the line I’ll be using, with and without a leader. 
 

What BC reel did you choose for your son?

[fishwizzard]

1 hour ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

The learning curve isn’t that long with proper setup and understanding of bait-casters. 

 

I agree, but I think the value of a more forgiving system is still there. 

 

I think that a good smooth casting stroke is far more important to learn then perfect thumb control and while you can still backlash an SV/DC reel, the backlashes seem to be less severe.  With reasonable line (ie, not thin fluoro) I can almost always pick the 'lash out and keep fishing rather then having to put that combo aside for the day or having to go home because I only bought one combo with me.  Being able to work on your casting stroke with less chance of a day-ending backlash would be a huge help imho. 

 

 

[the reel ess]

Just practice in the yard a good bit before you take it fishing. I got my first BC reel back around '83. I told my mom I was sick so I could stay home and practice casting it. There are a lot of videos on how to set the reel up for beginners.

[BigAngus752]

2 hours ago, Dens228 said:

Spool tension up a bit more than normal, brakes almost maxed, a heavy jig.  As he got comfortable the brakes got turned down.   When he got to a lighter lure the brakes were turned back up a bit. 

100% agree.  I taught myself this way.  I also taught my wife this same way and she had it down in a couple practice sessions.  

 

13 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

I think that a good smooth casting stroke is far more important to learn then perfect thumb control

Absolutely.  I really wish someone had told me this when I first started.  I always fish alone and it took me a couple years to figure out why I was getting "random" backlashes and it was 100% due to my wrist/arm.  Now that I've figured that out I am throwing light cranks twice as far with no spool tension.  It's all in the stroke.  

[garroyo130]

46 minutes ago, MontclairDave said:

That’s great! Yeah, I’ve read to use mono at first to keep backlashes manageable.

 

That seems to be what everyone says but I haven't come across a braid backlash I can't free by simply pulling on it hard enough. Mono and copoly on the other hand I've had to cut several times. 

[Terran Elam]

I was curious about DC but didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something I was unsure of, so I bought used.

 $245 for a 2013 Essence.  Older technology, still new to me.

 It arrived yesterday.

 

 My initial take, as a novice,   was that it was just a better brake system. It pitched real nice. I could see the line slowing down. No birds nest. Not the longest cast.

Adjusting the drag resulted in a longer cast but was more prone to bird nesting. A long cast still takes a trained thumb.

[fishwizzard]

7 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Absolutely.  I really wish someone had told me this when I first started.  I always fish alone and it took me a couple years to figure out why I was getting "random" backlashes and it was 100% due to my wrist/arm.  Now that I've figured that out I am throwing light cranks twice as far with no spool tension.  It's all in the stroke.  

 

A lot of my early posts on BA were looking for help trying to figure out casting reels.  What eventually got me over the hump was getting the BFS bug and picking up a finesse reel and a L/MF rod.  The lighter, slower rod was much easier to fully load "by accident" and even with a fast/less forgiving reel, I was able to make a lot of progress quickly as I was getting the rod loaded without really realizing it.  Only once I picked up my more powerful rods again did the importance of a good casting stroke really click for me.  

[Dens228]

1 hour ago, MontclairDave said:

That’s great! Yeah, I’ve read to use mono at first to keep backlashes manageable. I’d be great to go straight to braid since that’s primarily the line I’ll be using, with and without a leader. 
 

What BC reel did you choose for your son?

Daiwa Tatula SV TW

[Sam]

Hi Dave, I enjoyed reading your post on the Forum about the DC reel.

 

Go for it and then move up to other baitcasters as you improve your casting and control.

 

I want to give you, by the numbers, how to set up your rod and reel (balancing them together) to avoid backlashes. This is not a secret as I learned it from Ike at one of his seminars and on a DVD disk.

 

So here it is by the numbers:

1.   Look at the rod's parameters for 1)line test and 2) bait weight. Never, never, never exceed these rod parameters.

2.   Rig your baitcaster with the bait you will be throwing and the line you will be using. If braid, spool it TIGHT onto your reel after you put some mono on the reel's spool, first, to avoid having the braid spin on you.

3.   Set up your baitcaster by having the drag tight and the spool adjuster tight.

4.   If you wish, you can set your brakes as you wish for this presentation and technique.

3.   Go outside, or stay inside if you have a room without carpet. Carpet and treble hooks don't get along.

4.   Point rod tip to 11 AM.

5,   Reel in bait until it is about 6 inches from the rod's tip.

5.   Release the spool by releasing the thumb bar.

6.   You now control the bait's fall to the ground by releasing the spool's tension as it falls.

7.   Do it again until the bait free falls to the ground and the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

8.   You can then adjust your drag and do the release trick once again to make sure the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

9.   Adjust the spool tension after a few test casts to get more or less distance.

You do this every time you change baits on a baitcaster.

Sooner or later you will get the feel of the bait's drop and just know when to adjust the spool.

I do this if bank fishing or in my Ranger every time I change baitcaster baits.

 

And if you want, you take the line test's high and low levels, add them together and divide by 2. This is the most efficient line test for your rod. (12 to 17 line test = 29 divided by 2 = 14.5 or 15 pound line test)

 

Now, for the second trick which is easier:

1.   Get some Scotch Tape or black electrical tape.

2.   After you have set up your rod and reel to "balance them together" as listed above, cast the bait as far as you can and then pull out one or two arm lengths of line off the spool and then place a strip of tape over the remaining line on your spool.

3.   You can use one or two strips of tape as you wish.

By doing this, the line will stop at the tape should you still have a backlash problem.

 

When I balance my rod and reel correctly, I start my baitcaster retrieve as the bait approaches the end of the cast when throwing a buzzbait, Whopper Plopper, spinnerbait, Chatterbait, crankbait, or other treble hook baits or a Senko, finesse worm, or a jig. My retrieve actually starts right before the bait hits the water.

 

It works for anything you throw as long as you "balance your rod and reel" together.

 

Good luck and let us know if the above is helpful.

 

Happy New Year!

Sam

[ATA]

I start with DC Baitcaster, Honestly all the bait casters can be dumb free. I guess Glenn have video also about that, But I am sure the reel test on YouTube have that video.

[MontclairDave]

2 hours ago, Sam said:

Hi Dave, I enjoyed reading your post on the Forum about the DC reel.

 

Go for it and then move up to other baitcasters as you improve your casting and control.

 

I want to give you, by the numbers, how to set up your rod and reel (balancing them together) to avoid backlashes. This is not a secret as I learned it from Ike at one of his seminars and on a DVD disk.

 

So here it is by the numbers:

1.   Look at the rod's parameters for 1)line test and 2) bait weight. Never, never, never exceed these rod parameters.

2.   Rig your baitcaster with the bait you will be throwing and the line you will be using. If braid, spool it TIGHT onto your reel after you put some mono on the reel's spool, first, to avoid having the braid spin on you.

3.   Set up your baitcaster by having the drag tight and the spool adjuster tight.

4.   If you wish, you can set your brakes as you wish for this presentation and technique.

3.   Go outside, or stay inside if you have a room without carpet. Carpet and treble hooks don't get along.

4.   Point rod tip to 11 AM.

5,   Reel in bait until it is about 6 inches from the rod's tip.

5.   Release the spool by releasing the thumb bar.

6.   You now control the bait's fall to the ground by releasing the spool's tension as it falls.

7.   Do it again until the bait free falls to the ground and the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

8.   You can then adjust your drag and do the release trick once again to make sure the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

9.   Adjust the spool tension after a few test casts to get more or less distance.

You do this every time you change baits on a baitcaster.

Sooner or later you will get the feel of the bait's drop and just know when to adjust the spool.

I do this if bank fishing or in my Ranger every time I change baitcaster baits.

 

And if you want, you take the line test's high and low levels, add them together and divide by 2. This is the most efficient line test for your rod. (12 to 17 line test = 29 divided by 2 = 14.5 or 15 pound line test)

 

Now, for the second trick which is easier:

1.   Get some Scotch Tape or black electrical tape.

2.   After you have set up your rod and reel to "balance them together" as listed above, cast the bait as far as you can and then pull out one or two arm lengths of line off the spool and then place a strip of tape over the remaining line on your spool.

3.   You can use one or two strips of tape as you wish.

By doing this, the line will stop at the tape should you still have a backlash problem.

 

When I balance my rod and reel correctly, I start my baitcaster retrieve as the bait approaches the end of the cast when throwing a buzzbait, Whopper Plopper, spinnerbait, Chatterbait, crankbait, or other treble hook baits or a Senko, finesse worm, or a jig. My retrieve actually starts right before the bait hits the water.

 

It works for anything you throw as long as you "balance your rod and reel" together.

 

Good luck and let us know if the above is helpful.

 

Happy New Year!

Sam

Great info Sam, this will be a huge help with any reel I decide to get. Much appreciated! 

[redmeansdistortion]

4 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

I think that a good smooth casting stroke is far more important to learn then perfect thumb control

I tell those new to baitcasters to follow through, similar to how one would a golf swing.  

[Born 2 fish]

6 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

DC braking is not magic or a replacement for basic skill. That misconception is their only danger. The learning curve isn’t that long with proper setup and understanding of bait-casters. 

This right here my buddy bought a couple tatula Sv’s to learn after about a week he listed them for sale and bought a few Lews bb1 pros  Han haven’t looked back. I did help with the adjustments in the beginning but he picked it up quickly.

[fishwizzard]

31 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

I tell those new to baitcasters to follow through, similar to how one would a golf swing.  

 I don't golf, so I use a pool analogy, in that you want a smooth, controlled stroke and almost never want to use all your strength.  

 

Other then some worm-n-bobber stuff as a little kid, my wife had no fishing experience.  Giving her a SV reel with the brakes cranked up and an slightly overloaded ModFast rod, she was making short casts in like 20 min of practice and in another 20min she could turn the brake down to the point where she could make very reasonable if inaccurate casts.  She only seems to backlash at the end of a session as she is either getting bored and paying less attention or getting cocky and trying casts that she isn't skilled enough for.  I started her on a casting rod as an experiment as I thought that with no bad habits from spinning reel use, she would pick it up quickly.  

[BigTimeBassin]

This doesn’t really address your question but I’ll share my experience anyway. I’ve been all over the spectrum with different braking systems. Started with lews, then had a couple of shimanos (slx, bantam, curado k), then went to Daiwa. Finally this past year I ended back on Shimano and have built up a little arsenal of DC reels (3 curados and 1 SLX). I’ve been really happy with this decision and will continue to purchase DC reels. My experience with them has been that I can set my spool pretty loose, and cast a good range of lures (weight wise) with no adjustments needed at all. My setup does require some thumbing, but typically only as the lure hits the water. For me, I really appreciate this level of simplicity and “set it and forget it”. For a beginner, crank the spool tension up just a tad and you can operate entirely thumb free, if that’s what you’re looking for. Is it a bit of crutch? Probably. But darn do they sound cool. 

[jimanchower]

7 hours ago, Sam said:

Point rod tip to 11 AM.

 

What happens if you mistakenly point the rod at 11 PM??

[Sam]

 

9 hours ago, jimanchower said:

 

What happens if you mistakenly point the rod at 11 PM??

If you point the rod tip to 11 PM you get to stand upside down to fish for the day and then you have to watch the movie Emma for three straight days. After that, you will be committed to a mental institution. ??

[the reel ess]

18 hours ago, Sam said:

Hi Dave, I enjoyed reading your post on the Forum about the DC reel.

 

Go for it and then move up to other baitcasters as you improve your casting and control.

 

I want to give you, by the numbers, how to set up your rod and reel (balancing them together) to avoid backlashes. This is not a secret as I learned it from Ike at one of his seminars and on a DVD disk.

 

So here it is by the numbers:

1.   Look at the rod's parameters for 1)line test and 2) bait weight. Never, never, never exceed these rod parameters.

2.   Rig your baitcaster with the bait you will be throwing and the line you will be using. If braid, spool it TIGHT onto your reel after you put some mono on the reel's spool, first, to avoid having the braid spin on you.

3.   Set up your baitcaster by having the drag tight and the spool adjuster tight.

4.   If you wish, you can set your brakes as you wish for this presentation and technique.

3.   Go outside, or stay inside if you have a room without carpet. Carpet and treble hooks don't get along.

4.   Point rod tip to 11 AM.

5,   Reel in bait until it is about 6 inches from the rod's tip.

5.   Release the spool by releasing the thumb bar.

6.   You now control the bait's fall to the ground by releasing the spool's tension as it falls.

7.   Do it again until the bait free falls to the ground and the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

8.   You can then adjust your drag and do the release trick once again to make sure the spool stops when the bait hits the ground.

9.   Adjust the spool tension after a few test casts to get more or less distance.

You do this every time you change baits on a baitcaster.

Sooner or later you will get the feel of the bait's drop and just know when to adjust the spool.

I do this if bank fishing or in my Ranger every time I change baitcaster baits.

 

And if you want, you take the line test's high and low levels, add them together and divide by 2. This is the most efficient line test for your rod. (12 to 17 line test = 29 divided by 2 = 14.5 or 15 pound line test)

 

Now, for the second trick which is easier:

1.   Get some Scotch Tape or black electrical tape.

2.   After you have set up your rod and reel to "balance them together" as listed above, cast the bait as far as you can and then pull out one or two arm lengths of line off the spool and then place a strip of tape over the remaining line on your spool.

3.   You can use one or two strips of tape as you wish.

By doing this, the line will stop at the tape should you still have a backlash problem.

 

When I balance my rod and reel correctly, I start my baitcaster retrieve as the bait approaches the end of the cast when throwing a buzzbait, Whopper Plopper, spinnerbait, Chatterbait, crankbait, or other treble hook baits or a Senko, finesse worm, or a jig. My retrieve actually starts right before the bait hits the water.

 

It works for anything you throw as long as you "balance your rod and reel" together.

 

Good luck and let us know if the above is helpful.

 

Happy New Year!

Sam

Great post. I would add that using braid means you get to go well above the rod's rated range of line weight. Just keep your braid line diameter similar to the diameter of the range of mono lines.

10 hours ago, jimanchower said:

 

What happens if you mistakenly point the rod at 11 PM??

That depends on whether you're military or a civilian. ?

[Smells like fish]

I got to experience this yesterday. It was one of my nephews birthday and he received the SLX DC. He had only used a Zebco 33 before. I put 10 pound mono on and tied on a 1/2oz jig and he, his father and my father who all 3 had never casted a baitcaster before was able to do so without a single incident . So my opinion is for a beginner a dc reel is an excellent choice. 

[roadwarrior]

2 hours ago, Smells like fish said:

I got to experience this yesterday. It was one of my nephews birthday and he received the SLX DC. He had only used a Zebco 33 before. I put 10 pound mono on and tied on a 1/2oz jig and he, his father and my father who all 3 had never casted a baitcaster before was able to do so without a single incident . So my opinion is for a beginner a dc reel is an excellent choice. 

What more could you want?

 

[FishTank]

If you are new to baitcasters and if you are not planning on ever buying a baitcaster with a regular brake system then the DC would be the way to go or if you are introducing a young angler then the DC is a good place to start.  If you are experienced with a baitcaster, then the DC is a tool you use for the more difficult and unpredictable casting situation. 

[J-rod]

I don't think any reel is "bad" for a beginner. As long as it's from a reputable company, it should do the job. Every brand has its own "special" braking system. None of them are perfect.

 

I prefer all of my braking controls to be external, which threw me into the Daiwa Tatula camp. That being said, there is nothing wrong with the Shimano SLX line. I know people who only fish Shimano reels.

 

Just go with what is comfortable in your hand and has the bells and whistles that you want. And remember that your thumb is just as important as the rest of the system.