How To Cast A Baitcaster

[.dsaavedra.]

ok. i can do a side arm cast very well w/ heavier stuff, and kinda ok w/ medium stuff....forget about light stuff (should be using them on a baitcaster anyway). no matter what i try casting overhand w/ i get a birdsnest. it really sucks. so how do i make an overhand cast w/ a baitcaster? i've read that the reel shouldnt be upright, it should be sideways? can you give me any info, tips, links regarding how to overhand cast?

THANKS ALOT!

[vicdotcom]

First tip is to release the spool sooner than you would a spinning gear. If you loose it the same time as a spinner gear, your lure will head down and an angle, kinda like spiking a football into the water. So let loose a little sooner.

Second is set the tension control knob properly. To do this hold the rod out straight and let go of the line. The line and lure should fall down to the ground. now watch the spool holding the line as it hits the ground. When the lure hits the ground, that spool should halt where it is and not spin out to much. If it spins to much then you have to tighten the knob. (To see what happens when its set wrong, just turn the tension know really loose and then drop the lure. Watch the spool and you will probably get an automatic nest). So adjust it accordingly everytime you change the lure and lines.

Last thing is to train your thumb. This is the most important. Eventually, you wont need to use the tension control knob as much.

Well hope that helps. These are the things that helped me when learning to baitcast. Reelmech had a really great article on it but I dont have the link on hand.

Let us know how it works out!

Vic

[.dsaavedra.]

thanks for the tips. i will practice tomorrow in daylight. so release the spool about 12o'clock??? i read that in the sticky topic on baitcasters. i have the link to reelmech's article. i found it to be good on how to set up, but very brief on casting. there is a pretty good baitcasting "tutorial" here: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bobby_Ivie just scroll down and click on the "baitcasting reels-definitley worth learning" parts 1, 2, and 3.

[vicdotcom]

Hey good luck practicing, thats all it really takes and I really enjoy baitcasting a lot more than spinning reels now.

A few more tips I can offer is this:

To help you with thumb control on an overhand cast, watch the lure.  When it hits the apex (highest point) of the arc, start applying pressure with your thumb to slow the spool down.  In the begining this helped me because I saw that most of my backlashes were comming because the spool was traveling faster than the lure was flying.  Since the lure reaches the top speed at its apex, this is where I would get most backlashes.  So start your thumbing there and lower the spool speed to match the lure.

Other thing I picked up from a book is to let out a bunch of line (a few yards farther than you can cast) then put a piece of electrical tape on the spool.  This will prevent the line from traveling out any further as well as stop birds nests at this point.  That way your backlashes are always localized and wont go past that tape.

Hope this helps

Vic  

[.dsaavedra.]

yeah thanks for those tips. i will try that arc/thumbing thing. ive read the thing about the tape before and i planned to do that today. i think that will help w/ "controlling" backlashes :

[.RM.]

ive read the thing about the tape before and i planned to do that today. i think that will help w/ "controlling" backlashes

Mostly it helps control the depth of the backlash. The key to backlash free baitcasting is lots of practice and thumb education...

The key is the rod. The rod cast the lure, the reel only pay out the line, the reels drags help fight the fish in conjunction with the rod, and retrieves the line and stores the line.

The articles key component is understanding the line, and lure rating of the rod, and ability to load the rod properly, then the line rating of the reel and setup of the free spooling rate of the reel.

Practice, Practice, Practice...And educate the

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

[Bankbeater]

Make sure that there isn't anything behind you that the hooks can catch on when you bring the rod back. I've never had a backlash as bad as when I hooked a bush in back of me when I was casting out.

[.dsaavedra.]

Make sure that there isn't anything behind you that the hooks can catch on when you bring the rod back. I've never had a backlash as bad as when I hooked a bush in back of me when I was casting out.

i know what youre saying! ive had my #1 worst backlash due to that. but yea im tryin to find the weight of my most fished lure (senko) so i can check to see if my rods too heavy. i might get a new rod. im not sure.

but i been practicin alot today and i finally got the hang of an overhand cast. the trick (for me at least) is to hold the reel at a 60° or so angle (handles pointing up) and load the rod back and release at about inbetween 1 and 2'oclock. then follow thru and bring the reel back to level by the end of the cast. that seems to be most comfortable and efficient for me. i can do a sidearm cast very well...those are easy. now i just gotta get used to that and controlling the line so i can loosen my brakes and get some better distance.

[Guest avid]

I have seen this post a number of times over the years.

Dave (reelmech) replies with excellent advice and encouragement EVERY TIME.

I think he has taught more people to fish a baitcaster than all the TV guys combined

BassResource.com rocks  

[.dsaavedra.]

BassResource.com rocks

HELL YEAH IT DOES!!!

[fish-fighting-illini]

I could cast a baitcaster sidearm with no problem but overhand was exactly as you described. I received some great advice like you but still had trouble. Braided line helped quite a bit in general whether sidearm or overhand but not perfect. I happend to add a new bc shortly after I started my overhand post. It was a pretty good upgrade ( to a Shimano Citica ). This virtualy eliminated my backlashes almost immediately.

[.dsaavedra.]

yea i found that practicin and just getting comfortable really helps the most. plus a nice quality reel is good!

[fish-fighting-illini]

 Hey Daas -  I'm no expert on the light stuff but I have found like you that heavier baits are easier. I've read on these forums several times that a cople of reels seem to do better than others for light stuff.

 I think the Chronarch 50mg and a Diawa (Pixy?) have been mentioned several times. Don't quote me on the models you'd have to research it.