Weightless baitcaster settings

[Thefishingnoobie1987]

To fish a weightless Texas rigged soft plastic, what are good mechanics for a baitcaster to get minimal backlash? 

[VolFan]

What model baitcaster?

[bulldog1935]

more mag brake - the backlash you're trying to prevent is mid-cast.  

Dial it down to find incipient backlash, then add 2 notches, and you'll get the balance between distance and reliable casts.  

 

Tension knob needs to be relaxed to incipient side play.  

[Jrob78]

A rod with a light enough tip to load properly with the weight you're trying to cast. The best BFS reel in the world won't work very well with a rod that's too powerful.

[Bird]

Fact ^^

Tensioner knob will only do so much.

[Thefishingnoobie1987]

4 hours ago, VolFan said:

What model baitcaster?

DSOCT10701MHG It’s my first baitcaster. 

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings,

Tossing lighter weight baits using my bait cast reel has been interesting learning. I have found a combination of reel configuration and user adaptation was necessary to achieve success. As other have mentioned the setup for the reel is different. I find things work better for me with a minimal friction brake setting. I set my friction brake to just where I can feel a slight amount of side to side spool movement. This is a minimal friction setting. Then I start at either maximum magnetic brake setting or close to for the initial test cast. As you get comfortable you gradually dial down the magnetic brake until you begin to get line slack.

 

The other additional aspect is the user. Tossing lighter baits requires and earlier release point. You have to get comfortable releasing much earlier than you may be accustomed to. The lighter weight bait has to overcome the spool's reluctance to start spinning, inertia, so you have to start the process sooner to achieve a cast. Keep your cast sweep smooth and avoid whipping motions, it is more of a swing to stretch out the line.

 

Good luck! Start with gradual short casts and work your way up. Basically it is a relearning of a different timing for casting lighter lures. Be well and cheers!

[VolFan]

Wooo boy, i tried Googling that model number and came up blank - what brand and model is it? For example, Abu Garcia Revo or Shimano Curado

[MediumMouthBass]

Weightless texas rigs weigh more than most people think, i mainly fish the weightless stuff on my Tatula CT with 10lb YZH on a MH/Fast rod, which is a bit too much rod and line for that type of bait.

But i have fished weightless flukes and senkos, then went to fish a 1/2oz lure on it without changing a thing. I keep spool tension and brakes set the same for most of my Tatula reels and it really doesnt matter if im fishing a weightless t rig or a 1/2oz lure, same settings and it casts far with no backlashes.

But some of my other reels can be more difficult and need to be tuned to the exact bait being thrown right then, so for those reels a medium rod or one that is moderate fast would have enough give to slowly let the bait load the rod up, and those rods also would probably match the baits weight better than a medium heavy. Also 8lb-10lb line depending on the reels tolerances (some reels can get smaller lines stuck in the sides), or 30lb braid.

For the reels that i have to set to the exact bait, i keep the spool tension just so the bait slowly falls and tend to go a bit higher in braking than usual.

[Cbump]

19 hours ago, VolFan said:

Wooo boy, i tried Googling that model number and came up blank - what brand and model is it? For example, Abu Garcia Revo or Shimano Curado

Google popped up quantum for me. 

[Darth-Baiter]

if I had to guess, a 5" Yama Senko is about 3/8th oz..and with the hook, I choose a heavier wire hook to beef up the mass.  3/8th+ isn't anything unusual for a good bait cast reel on the right rod.  

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

if I had to guess, a 5" Yama Senko is about 3/8th oz

Yep - .364oz for a 5" (3/8 is .375)

 

Few years back there was a thread on plastics weights...and I saved off the data to my fishing spreadsheet.

[Darth-Baiter]

wow!!  awesome info MNFisher!!  I am so gonna impress my fishing friends..or annoy the heck out of them.