How is your Bait Casting reel setup?

[Mike-in-WV]

On my Abu Garcia LP reels they are set so that when I just twitch the rod tip the lure will drop 10"-12" smoothly. My centrifugal brakes on my Revo S is set with 2 on. My line is #15 Big Game Green . My rod is a Cabelas Eagle 2 , 6'-6",, M/H . With this setup I can cast about 43 yards ( 129') with a rubber practice lure that weighs less than 1/2 ounce. No thumb pressure needed except to make the cast and then it fee spools with no backlashes at all and very smooth.The only time I need my thumb is to stop it for short accurate cast.

My other two reels work on the same setup but one has #17 test and the other has #12 test and both have Browning Rods. Mike

[.RM.]

Now thats setup!!!!!!  

Tight Lines!!!!!!  

[.ghoti.]

sounds like you've got it dialed in perfectly.

[roadwarrior]

I sure like posts about "what's working" instead of "what's not."

Sounds great to me!

8-)

[Guest muddy]

All my current reels are Trions. I have one LP Narrow spool, 2 LP's 6.3:1 and one 5;1.1. I have 4 of six pins engaged and I rely heavily on my spool tension adjustment. I used Reel Mechs Baitcasting 101 to learn how to adjust the tension. My days are now relatively Back Lash free!

I just got an ABU , o going to reel mech for a good clean and service and I have to now learn how to adjust a Round Reel

 As time goes by, i also find myself getting "looser" with the tension knob, but i don't see myself being able to trust my thumb entirely, Diabetes has caused neuropthathy in all my fingers.

[flechero]

I sure like posts about "what's working" instead of "what's not."

Same here, glad you are dialed in!

Since you asked, mine are all set very loose so when your thumb lets go, the lure falls to the ground quickly and will backlash if you don't stop it.  I've always been all thumb, it is how I learned.  (the 1 exception is my swimbait rod because it burns my thumb.  ...lol)

[.ghoti.]

Mine are set pretty loose. If I drop the bait and let it hit the ground, it will over-run by quite a bit.

I set the brakes, either magnetic or centrifugal, so that the line on the spool does not "fluff" up in the middle of the cast.

I set the tension control by loosening it up far enough to allow some side to side movement of the spool, then tighten it down just until the side to side movement is gone, then go one click further.

From there, it's all about the thumb. Excpet when facing into the wind. Then I'll tighten it up a bit.

Cheers,

GK

[Brush Hog20]

Fast and loose here.... ;D  Reels have brakes????     ;D

[.RM.]

Mine are set pretty loose. If I drop the bait and let it hit the ground, it will over-run by quite a bit.

I set the brakes, either magnetic or centrifugal, so that the line on the spool does not "fluff" up in the middle of the cast.

I set the tension control by loosening it up far enough to allow some side to side movement of the spool, then tighten it down just until the side to side movement is gone, then go one click further.

From there, it's all about the thumb. Excpet when facing into the wind. Then I'll tighten it up a bit.

Cheers,

GK

That's a great way to setup for just thumbs, it's the way I set all of my reels.

NO lateral movement or at least on the edge of it.

Muddy have you tried sitting in front of a good NASCAR race on TV, with the BC and tried the exercise in setup 101.

[roadwarrior]

Fast and loose here.... ;D Reels have brakes???? ;D

Okay, I totally understand where you are coming from,

but for others, consider that today's sensitive braking systems

have been designed to make baitcasting easier. I use 2-4 brakes,

but the number is not important. What you need to do is adjust the

brake and cast control so that it works best for you!

8-)

[Raul]

How is your Bait Casting reel setup?

It depends on which one you are talking about.  

[Mike-in-WV]

I was always taught to use the thumb too but if I can cast just as far or more without using the thumb then I prefer that. An older friend of mine has his set that way and when he let me try it it sure was nice. The way I set my Revo S so that I can cast far without the reel being to loose and using my thumb was by setting the spool tension. I just let my brakes set on two, One across from the other. Then after setting the free spool so that the plug would drop almost to the ground  with a light shake I would cast a good hard cast and watch the reel spin. It would act like it was ready to bird nest on me and so I set the tension spool a little tighter and then just kept doing that just a hair at a time until the casting was smooth  and far without any string raising off the spool when I casted. Now the lure drops about 10"-12" on free spool as I mentioned above. If I shook the rod tip harder it may go as far as 2" at a time. No need to test it that way.   Mike

[TournyFish001]

I use the brakes all the time, lighter the lure(and or more wind drag like spinnerbait)more brakes vice versa- I mostly use my thumb and not so much the tension knob.  Being aggressive with the tension knob will greatly reduce casting distance-  I out cast pretty much everyone I fish with and less time with rat nests too.

[Alpster]

All brakes set to off on all my bait casters. I use the cast control knob (spool tension) to adjust for lure weight. It is probably harder on the reel, but it makes adjustments for different lures so much simpler. I have gotten used to barely touching my thumb on the spool during the cast to avoid backlash. Although I still get an overrun sometimes, I'm not afraid to throw a bait as hard as I can.

Ronnie

[.dsaavedra.]

i got my citicas set up w/ the 12 and 6 oclock brakes on, the rest off, and the spool tension set to where the lure falls somewhat fast and will get a minor over run if it hits the ground.

when i have it set up like this, i dont need to thumb the spool on the cast at all except to stop it before it hits the water, and i am easily getting 80-100 feet on a cast. i like it the way it is set up, like roadwarrior said, it works for me!

[thetr20one]

I have removed all 6 of the brakes on my bc's. tension knobs get set to where i can let my lure freefall and not overrun when they hit the deck. I depend on the ole thumb to handle the rest once the lure is in the air. I problably get 40-50 yards out of a 1/2 oz rattletrap or other semi-aerodynamic baits and maybe 30-35 w 3/8-1/2 oz spinnerbaits chatterbaits and other less aerodynamic lures. Usually casts are only 25 yards or less though.