casting a baitcasting reel...

[wickyman]

What are your personal, ways of casting a bait casting reel?  I just recently bought an Abu Garcia 5600cl Rocket, and I have been looking for other people's opinions on casting methods.  Is there a right, or wrong way to cast these reels?  I thought it was going to be a lot easier than it looked, but I am now finding out, that I was really wrong!  lol  Thanks for any help you can give me, to lighten the path to casting this reel!

[Alpster]

Read through this thread, I think it will help you. Practice, Practice, Practice... 8-)

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1151590913

Ronnie

[Red]

i have an abu 5600C3 and a low profile casting reel...i find it much easier to cast sidearm rather than overhead....i am much more accurate this way and i get much more distance....especially with lighter lures....i cast 1/4 oz baits with no problems or distance loss

Cliff

[wickyman]

Thanks.  Good info.  I also cast all my poles side arm because of a shoulder injury when I was younger.  I have a 1/4oz jig on the pole now, and I have been doing the, "sit on the couch and watch t.v. while trying to stop the jig before it hits the floor!" method.  I have become very accurate with that!  I catch it nearly the same place with my thumb.  It's going to take a lot of practice, but I am more than up for the challenge!  

[Red]

if your having backlash problems, like i was with my baitcasters....maybe try braided line...Redlinerobert recommended this to me...he said to try 30lb suffix....i couldnt find it, so i went with 30lb power pro...what a difference...i rarely get any backlash now

Cliff

[ThaKing]

i did the same thing, i went to 20 and 30 lb sufix braid, but i usually do sidearm casting because its just quicker for me, and im real acurate this way. every now and then i overhead cast. I fish sword of light, i like using the shimano curado 100 D or DSV, my pflueger trion is bigger so i have 50 lb braid on that but i cant cast as far with it.

[HUNTER19]

i have an abu 5600C3 and a low profile casting reel...i find it much easier to cast sidearm rather than overhead....i am much more accurate this way and i get much more distance....especially with lighter lures....i cast 1/4 oz baits with no problems or distance loss

Cliff

a greed overhand for me is extremly tuff with a bait caster!!! And keep the thumb on the spool!!!

[moloch16]

A great way to avoid backlash is to adjust the spool control like so...

1.  Attach your lure

2.  Hold your rod at 10 or 11 o'clock position

3.  Hit the button and let your lure fall to the ground

4.  Adjust the spool control (tighten or loosen) until the spool stops spinning about the same time the lure hits the ground

Do this everytime you tie on a new lure that is significantly different in weight.

This will eliminate a lot of frustration with backlash.  You can tighten down a little extra while you're learning and as you get good loosen the spool control for additional casting distance.  You'll soon learn to adjust the spool control for your casting abilities.

Until I learned this technique I had a helluva time with bait casting.  It really works!

[wickyman]

I spent about an hour in the backyard last night, adjusting and trying out different techniques.  I am running 17lb monofiliment, and I am doing really great with the casting.  I throw it out, and it slowly hits the groud, about the same time I catch the reel.  I don't seem to be getting much backlash at all.  It seems such a hassle to have to adjust it every single time I change lures...  I might as well get a bunch of 1/4oz lures!  lol  Jk.  I bought this so that I could throw out some swimbaits, and other larger baits.  Thanks for the info guys!  

[ThaKing]

yea that knob is going to be ur best friend for a while... or at least it was mine for a good amount of time. Once you get the hang of it, you wont even bother adjusting the knob because most of the time it'll be loose.

Have lots of fun thats the most important part.

[Redneck Yacht]

i have an older abu garcia ambassador. (it was my uncles that i inherited) i had the same trouble trying to get used to it. i can cast probably 40 feet side armed but only 5-10 feet over hand lol!

[MyKeyBe]

Over hand is tough to master. Side arm is the way to go. I can cast 20-30 yards side arm no problem with a 3/8 lure. Overhead might make it 15 feet and it makes a HUGE splash when it hits. I can pitch a good 20 feet though and almost no splash. I guess practice will make perfect, someday. :-?

[ThaKing]

Overhead might make it 15 feet and it makes a HUGE splash when it hits. . :-?

I remember casting a swimbait overhead to see how far i can cast it and it was making some huge splashes, then i just went with the sidearm cast and it reduced the splash to 50%

[Guest DavidGreen]

I sometimes wonder: most anglers that cannot master the overhead cast, how they are casting? Are they using one hand or two?

Many that I read about are using a sidearm technique with one hand with success, are they using one hand on the overhead also?

I find on shorter rods with short grips that a one handed cast sidearm is easily done but but not the overhead, I have always used the overhead cast on longer rods with longer grips and used two hands.

With the proper balance of line, and lure, with the right rod for the job, I can get great distance and accuracy and even soft entries from the overhead cast.

Just some thoughts

Tight Lines All!!!

[Cravin]

I have alway set the lure weight a little heavier for beginners and will do this on a baitcaster I've never thrown.

If your starting off give the rod a slight bump to start the lure to fall, Then set it to come to a slow stop before reaching the ground.

This will give you good practice without the backlash.

When you get more comfortable with the cast then you can lighten up on the spool and gain a few more feet.

This is a good way to practice over head casts. I throw side arm but will tighten the spool a tad and throw a one handed overhead cast  to split cover. Give it a try and you'll eventually get the feel and be cranking down the spool adjustment.

another thing you must remember after you've set your weight and have been fishing it, If you fish a spot on a new angle and feel the wind hit your face crank it up a bit!