I accidentally had a learning day on the water.

[Justbass11]

So I went fishing today, nobody was on the water I was just farting round Messing with my reel when not knowing I accidentally put the spool on free spin. And instead of doing my customary overhand cast, I just did a side cast. And to my amazement, my lure went further than my customary overhead cast would normally go. Needless to say, I was amazed I didn’t have a major back lash and how far the lure went.

I did have some minor back lash,  I’m not a pro at the free spinning spool yet  but I will continue to keep the spool in Freeform. I will say I need to work on my aim and to stay out of the trees. Have a bless day 

[dodgeguy]

Thumb !!!!!

[FrnkNsteen]

Define "Free Spin"

 

Are you saying very little spool tension, or very little brake?

[Ski]

9 hours ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Define "Free Spin"

 

Are you saying very little spool tension, or very little brake?

???????

[FrnkNsteen]

3 hours ago, Ski said:

???????

I'm just curious what you meant that you "accidentally put the spool on free spin".

 

Does that mean you loosened the control knob on the spool tension so it is super free, or did you turn the brakes way low or off?

[TOXIC]

When teaching my guide clients how to cast, I always said that a fishing rod is no different than a tennis racket, baseball bat or golf club in the fact that it has an”sweet spot” where you’ll get a maximum cast with minimal effort.  Couple that with an educated thumb, freespooled reel and knowing how to load the rod and casting becomes much more effortless.  Many want to overpower a rod and throw it as hard as they can. The technique differs from baitcasters to spinning rods as well.  

[bulldog1935]

odds are, you're aiming your sidearm more up, while your overhead release is timed more horizontal. 

So your sidearm gives you a longer ballistic cast.  

Overhead works best as a 2-hand cast, consciously aiming up.  

[WRB]

I will go out on a limb and say most of today’s bass anglers casting motion is incorrect based on how I see Pro tournament anglers casting.

Fresh water casting rods were pistol grip design from the knuckle buster free spool and handle spinning era when all we had was our thumb to control the spool.

Salt water anglers had straight handle rods for double handed casting and thumb controlled reel spools. 

You couldn’t cast reels without breaks in free spool without letting the rod do the casting and using proper casting motion. 

There are several casting techniques from straight over head to under hand with the rod held anywhere in between. 

If you use a lot of arm swing like a baseball bat swinging for the fences your technique is incorrect.

If your reel handle is sideways and spool parallel to the water your casting technique is incorrect and eventually will end up having carpal tunnel tendon problems and tennis elbow.

My most comfortable casting motion is the rod swing about 60 degrees above the water surface in lieu of straight overhead or side arm. Second most comfortable is The roll cast that is all wrist and rod motion.

To me proper casting technique is the reel handle sideways, thumb pointed at the ear the forearm and wrist casting motion elbow to your side casting motion ending knuckles up and thumb sideways not upright.

Free spool being zero braking or if windy minimal braking.

Tom

[Justbass11]

OK upon further review, the reels break system is what I have taken off Max or 8 or 9 and put on 1-3. What a difference it has made. 

[Columbia Craw]

My truck went much faster when I released the parking brake.?

[JMac603]

I cast "wrong." I came up trash fishing with my uncle - anything that bit on powerbait balls, worms, or minnows - on too heavy spinning gear with too heavy mono so I whip the hell out of my casts. That said, I had a really hard time when I tried a casting reel. I'd nest it right at the beginning of the cast. Figured out that I need ZERO spool tension, ZERO magnet, and a lot of centrifugal. I've gotten better, but I still throw very light hair jigs on spinning gear and that "THWACK" has a special place in my heart. 

 

You can adapt the brakes to your casting to better suit you (if your reel has both centrifugal and magnets).