Baitcast casting help!

[Schaefer]

So I recently bought a Daiwa Procaster 100HL and a St Croix AC68MXF, and its my first baitcast setup Ive been fishing spinning pretty much all my life. So ive took it out to the water a few times, and for the life of me I cant cast where I want. It always goes to the side when I cast backhand/forehand >, I have a hell of a time casting it strait out infront of me :-? Is there any tips or tricks that I may be missing here?? maybe things that u would do different from casting a spinning rig? Any advice is very much appreciated

[Raul]

Extend your arm and point at your target

Rotate your wrist until the reel handle faces down

Bend your elbow and move your forearm back to where you can see the reel with the corner of your eye

Extend your elbow swiftly and the second you see your hand crossing your line of sight release the thumb

The bait will fly stright to your target.

Of course you, you need to practice to get the hang of it.

[Schaefer]

Now is that for a backhand cast or a forehand cast?? or both?... so basicaly its an arm and wrist motion, not shoulder/whole body motion like with spinning?

[Catt]

It's ole school but it works; roll up a magazine, place it under you arm, and cast with out dropping the magazine. You aint good enough yet to even attempt a back hand cast, cast over handed until you can control the direction and don't try for distance. Let the rod do the casting not you arm because your rod is better suited for casting than your arm.

Oh and by the way be sure your reel is set up properly  

[Jig Man]

Keep your eye on a specific target.  Don't look generally, but specifically, like a baseball pitcher looking at the catchers glove instead of the strike zone.

[.RM.]

Schaefer,

Real good suggestions here.

But Catt said it best, you need to have the reel setup right....

If you don't have a good balance between the setup of the reel, and the rod, line, lure ratings your using, nothing you do will help your casting.

The proper setup must come first.

Basic Baitcast Reel Setup 101

Plus lots of practice, practice, practice! Oh did I mention you need to practice...

Just my .02¢

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

[cdabelow]

Cast with your wrist and only your wrist its a flipping motion and if you have your break set right you dont have to cast hard at all.  I have a bucket in my back yard and I will stand on the deck while I am waiting on the for something on the grill.  

[Raul]

Now is that for a backhand cast or a forehand cast?? or both?... so basicaly its an arm and wrist motion, not shoulder/whole body motion like with spinning?

Foreheand or overhead cast, it 's not even an arm motion it 's a forearm motion, imagine a catapult, no wrist motion either you don 't whip with the rod like you can do with spinning gear or the reel overruns. Catt 's advice on the magazine tip and the distance is right on, so is Jig Man 's, your rod tip is what you use to aim at the target.

[Schaefer]

All seems like excellent advice, thx guys, ill keep all this in mind next time I go practice in the backyard:P.

What Ive noticed is that Dabesfishn says use ur wrists, Raul, you said just forearm and the page i read that reelmech posted said whole arm motion I believe? It seems like those 3 are a personal preference?.

I was thinking of watching some fishing videos where baitcasters are used. I guess Ill just have to practice, practice, practice, Im a pretty quick learner and also a very determined person:P:P

Thx again guys

[Catt]

Putting the magazine under your arm pit will make you cast with your arm from the elbow forward. You want your rod to do the casting not your arm, have you ever seen someone casting a Fly Rod? Notice the rod while they are casting, it's the same with a bait casting rod except you don't need the whole arm movement because you aint moving that much line like a fly rod. A heavy stiff rod is the hardest to cast with because there is less flex in the rod unless you're using a heavy weight.

[ra24515]

timing is different than a spinning combo.  I just got the hang of it after a day.  Don't give up!

[Raul]

Have to admit that Catt is much better with examples than me.  

[islandbass]

I'll just fill you in on some other things to help you save you the trouble of discovering it later for yourself, as one who also came from a spinning background.

In addition to the adage, "It's all in the thumb,"  just remember this:

Before the lure (or whatever you have at the end of the line) hits anything, be it the water's surface, the ground, a tree, a shrub, or another boat, your thumb MUST stop the spool from spinning. You may feather it to a stop or stop it dead cold. It doesn't matter.  The spool must be stopped.

Assuming the reel is properly adjusted to throw the lure and it isn't too windy, knowing this will help to prevent many potential backlashes. As proof, it was the only thing I told my daughter when she was 6 and she got it down really fast.  Her first comment after her first cast with a baitcaster: "Papi, this is so much easier to use that the other (spinning) reel." I practically welled up with tears of joy.  I also taught this to my buddy who never held a baitcaster in his life, or let alone know what one was.  He didn't backlash once.

Good luck!