Your Baitcaster Settings

[Michael H]

Lately i have been spending alot of time practicing my casting accuracy, because bass season doesn't open till the end of june. I have been trying different settings on my baitcasters to see how it effects my casting. So i was wondering how some of you like to have your baitcasters set for different casts pitching, overhand, underhand ect. or how if you have them all set the same.

[Nine Miler]

Pitching/Flipping-

No brakes, enough spool tension so the screw cap won't fall off.

Underhand target casting-

2 brakes, spool tension allows the lure to fall about 1 ft./sec. from the rod tip.

Casting for distance-

Usually one brake, or none depending on lure weight. Spool tension about the same as the underhand cast.

[Red]

Flippin/pitchin I use no brakes and adjust spoool depending on bait weight.  Everything else is one brake except when I am casting into heavy wind then I use two.

[BobP]

If you're learning to use a baitcaster, use enough braking and cast control so that you're comfortable.  I set 3 brakes on, 3 off and never change. Practice with heavy line/heavy lures and develop a consistent smooth casting motion that loads the rod tip gradually.  If you are a 'spinning rod guy' and used to whipping that rod tip so fast it whistles, forget that or it will be Backlash City.  Sidearm casting is often easiest to learn because it is naturally smoother but if you fish from the back of the boat, better get used to overhand.

[Hammer 4]

I think that the make and model of the reel may play a part in how a reel is set up. For example, My Chronarch has No brakes, and very little spool friction, I use it for most all apps. OTH, my BPS extrem has to have the mag. brake set to 9, or I get overruns, unless I keep my thumb on the spool. On the johnny Morris..brakes are on 7, very little spool tension..

[kikstand454]

yeah i think it has alot to do with different reels.... not to mention the skill level of the person throwing it.

i can cast my daiwa procaster with the spool almost free and the mag brake set at 2 and it fine... but i have to have my quantum TE set with the spool @ "shake the lure to fall" and the mag set at 6 or 7.

this is mostly beacuse the quantum is a much better caster than i am and i have to artificially keep it under control. whereas the daiwa is more my speed.

im sure at some point ill be good enough that ill have the daiwa at full free spool and think that it wont cast far enough.... but till then i love it! lol.

[BassThumb]

The pitching setups have the brakes off.

All others are set in the 10-30% range, unless I'm throwing bulky lures like spinnerbaits and buzzbaits into the wind, then I'll turn em way up.

[islandbass]

My reels have centrifugal brakes and its almost always 2 on and 4 off for just about everything.

One occassion I might go to 3 off and 3 on is if the wind is strong severe enough to affect longer casts or if its well below freezing when my fingers (this is rare as shimano brakes truly baby and spool the user). because they might be numb, will have a slower reaction time.