Questions With Baitcaster

[Missouribassman95]

I have an Abu Garcia Silver Max with 15 pound flourcarbon. Because I'm still new to baitcasting reels I have the magnetic braking system just about as tight as it can go untill I improve. Well I went fishing today and used it for the first time (other than practicing in the yard with heavy jigs), and I was fishing a Bandit 200 series crankbait. And when I cast I couldn't get much distance at all, and the lure always went to the left. Is it because the lure is really light, and/or because I have the braking system so tight? Or maybe I just need more practice?

Thanks a bunch,

[MaineBassFishin]

Try backing off on the brakes a bit and try taking your thumb off the spool sooner.

[jkarol24]

Most likely your braking system. Loosen that braking up and make easy casts- dont whip the bait out like on a spinning rod. The bait will go further on a light cast with low brakes than it would with high brakes and a big cast. You shouldnt neccesarily rely on the reel brakes. The best brake is a well-practiced thumb.

[NBR]

It might be the bait being light but it could be your cast control (under the star drag) is set too tight. Remember that setting the brakes too light and the cast control will increase back lashes until you get your thumb really educated. I assume you are casting side arm with your right hand/arm. As said you need to loosen you thumb off the reel spool sooner.

Best practice is still in the yard use some lighter baits. I ofen use small jigs that I just cut the hook off so the jig doen't han up in the grass.

[new2BC4bass]

I have an Abu Garcia Silver Max with 15 pound flourcarbon. Because I'm still new to baitcasting reels I have the magnetic braking system just about as tight as it can go untill I improve. Well I went fishing today and used it for the first time (other than practicing in the yard with heavy jigs), and I was fishing a Bandit 200 series crankbait. And when I cast I couldn't get much distance at all, and the lure always went to the left. Is it because the lure is really light, and/or because I have the braking system so tight? Or maybe I just need more practice?

Thanks a bunch,

First let me say that a search will turn up plenty of threads on learning to baitcast.

I don't have that reel (or even seen one), but do fish several Daiwas with magnetinc braking. Your can't set the magnetic braking system as tight as it can go. Most likely you are talking about the spool tension knob. Too tight works against you. The magnetic brake is the dial opposite the handle. Max braking will be with the dial set on the dot where it says MAX. Spool tension knob is under the handle. Back it off to where the lure s-lo-w-l-y drops when the release button is pushed. That is the best position to learn with. Too tight means you have to cast hard for any distance which is going to cause you problems as a beginner....and as an expert.

The lure going to the left is typical. Spool has to be released sooner. Practice makes purr-fect. LOL. You line weight is good, but I wouldn't learn on fluorocarbon for 2 reasons. First is its cost. You are going to backlash. A kink means cutting off line and respooling. Second, fluorocarbons have a tendency to 'spring' off the reel. Line conditioner can help, but why waste your hard earned dollars? Braid is very expensive also, easier to pick out backlashes, but if you are throwing hard when it catches, you may kiss that expensive lure on the end of your line goodby.

You didn't mention the rod you have the reel on. The rod is an important part of the equation. I don't know what a Bandit 200 weighs, but I hope it is at least 3/8 oz. Light lures require greater casting skill. Strive for smoothness with your casting stroke. Worry about distance later. Load the rod on the back swing. Don't jerk on the reversal as it can cause a backlash at the beginning or your cast when using magnetic brakes.

Getting the lure to shoot out straight in front of you is simply a matter of practicing enough to get your timing down. Practicing with the heavy jigs was a good thing. Lighten up on the spool tension and set the mag brake all the way up to start. It won't take too long before you will be backing it down to almost the midpoint. This will also help gain distance.

Remember.........be SMOOTH.

EDIT: I learned on 12 lb., and in fact haven't used any line heavier than that except for braid. A lure will cast further on light line all else being equal. However, a friend experimented with different line weights and found 15 lb. to be the best for him with the rod and reel he was using. He throws 1/4 oz. with no problem. I throw 1/4 oz. with 8 lb. line to get the same distance, but with less effort.

[K_Mac]

New2 beat me to a couple of points. A 200 Series Bandit is a light bait, 1/4 oz I think, 15 # fluorocarbon is not the easiest to learn on, and unless the rod is rated for that light a bait you have a challenging situation for a veteran, let alone a rookie; and even if the rod is rated correctly, a 10 or 12 # mono or copoly would make things a lot friendlier until you get a little more comfortable. Good luck.

[islandbass]

On 3/9/2012 at 6:56 PM, Missouribassman95 said:

I have an Abu Garcia Silver Max with 15 pound flourcarbon. Because I'm still new to baitcasting reels I have the magnetic braking system just about as tight as it can go untill I improve. Well I went fishing today and used it for the first time (other than practicing in the yard with heavy jigs), and I was fishing a Bandit 200 series crankbait. And when I cast I couldn't get much distance at all, and the lure always went to the left. Is it because the lure is really light, and/or because I have the braking system so tight? Or maybe I just need more practice?

Thanks a bunch,

Congrats on joining the baitcaster club!!!!

For beginners, the things that can make learning bc reels is not know the things that can hinder learning outside of ensuring the reels settings are matched to the lure. The things novices usually do (and we can all relate) that can slow the learning process are:

1) using any lure less than 3/8oz. I don't know about the weight of the lure you're using but if it isn't at least 3/8oz in weight, I suggest putting it away until you are accustomed to tossing a weight at least 1/2oz.

2) using line of a very thin diameter to learn on -- luckily, you didn't fall victim to this one.

3) Not realizing that while the mechanics of making a cast are the same in principal for spinning and casting rigs, the release time is ever so slightly different. From what you described, I would guess that your are casting with your right hand andlikely making more side arm casts than any other. The lure flying toward the left is the tell tale sign of the thumb coming off of the spool too late. If you did the same thing with an over hand cast, you better put your thumb on the spool asap because the lure is going to smash into the ground right in front of you! lol

The release time of your thumb off of the spool is ever so slightly earlier than the forefinger coming off of the rod to release the line on a spinning setup. Picture this for an overhand cast, a clock --- with 12 o'clock (oc from this point forward) above you and 6 oc at your feet, and 9 oc directly in front of you. The position that is ideal for your thumb to come off of the spool is ideal between 12oc and 1oc. Any earlier you get a rainbow sky high cast that goes higher than it does farther. Any later and the lures slams in front of you.

Fortunately, the mechanics are the same for a side arm cast, although it is happening on a slanted plane (vs upright). Let go too late, the lure sails to the left, too early it goes to the right, and just right, you've got a baby bear cast that "just right."

I learned from my experience that lures that are too light for the novice also makes them let go too late as you yourself have experienced. I haven't been able to explain that.

4) Choice of line to learn with - I second K_Mac's recommendation on line to learn. 10-12# test mono is ideal to learn with and economical.

One thing I recall doing when I learned was not practicing for the sake of practicing. I'll use the analogy of a golf driving range. If you've ever been to one, you will see people so called "practicing" in the hopes of improving their golf game. But most of them are not really practicing, they're just whacking balls with little to no thought toward tweaking, refining and improving? My proof? They're not even close to being on the PGA tour.

I guess what I mean to say and what I did was use what I call focused practice. When I made a mistake, I asked myself what it was that I did that caused error and then made attempts to improve and refine the process.

I can tell you that given an ideal line to work with, a heavy enough weight AND more importantly, learning how to properly load the rod with the weight of the lure, you can get this down in three thrity-minute, focused practice session such that you will be ready to experiment with lures weighing less. Good luck!

[Missouribassman95]

First let me say that a search will turn up plenty of threads on learning to baitcast.

I don't have that reel (or even seen one), but do fish several Daiwas with magnetinc braking. Your can't set the magnetic braking system as tight as it can go. Most likely you are talking about the spool tension knob. Too tight works against you. The magnetic brake is the dial opposite the handle. Max braking will be with the dial set on the dot where it says MAX. Spool tension knob is under the handle. Back it off to where the lure s-lo-w-l-y drops when the release button is pushed. That is the best position to learn with. Too tight means you have to cast hard for any distance which is going to cause you problems as a beginner....and as an expert.

The lure going to the left is typical. Spool has to be released sooner. Practice makes purr-fect. LOL. You line weight is good, but I wouldn't learn on fluorocarbon for 2 reasons. First is its cost. You are going to backlash. A kink means cutting off line and respooling. Second, fluorocarbons have a tendency to 'spring' off the reel. Line conditioner can help, but why waste your hard earned dollars? Braid is very expensive also, easier to pick out backlashes, but if you are throwing hard when it catches, you may kiss that expensive lure on the end of your line goodby.

You didn't mention the rod you have the reel on. The rod is an important part of the equation. I don't know what a Bandit 200 weighs, but I hope it is at least 3/8 oz. Light lures require greater casting skill. Strive for smoothness with your casting stroke. Worry about distance later. Load the rod on the back swing. Don't jerk on the reversal as it can cause a backlash at the beginning or your cast when using magnetic brakes.

Getting the lure to shoot out straight in front of you is simply a matter of practicing enough to get your timing down. Practicing with the heavy jigs was a good thing. Lighten up on the spool tension and set the mag brake all the way up to start. It won't take too long before you will be backing it down to almost the midpoint. This will also help gain distance.

Remember.........be SMOOTH.

EDIT: I learned on 12 lb., and in fact haven't used any line heavier than that except for braid. A lure will cast further on light line all else being equal. However, a friend experimented with different line weights and found 15 lb. to be the best for him with the rod and reel he was using. He throws 1/4 oz. with no problem. I throw 1/4 oz. with 8 lb. line to get the same distance, but with less effort.

Thank you so much! And I have a Berkley Lightning Shock Series rod. The Bandit weighs 1/4, and I don't think I'm gonna use them again till I get better.

[Missouribassman95]

On 3/10/2012 at 1:57 AM, islandbass said:

Congrats on joining the baitcaster club!!!!

For beginners, the things that can make learning bc reels is not know the things that can hinder learning outside of ensuring the reels settings are matched to the lure. The things novices usually do (and we can all relate) that can slow the learning process are:

1) using any lure less than 3/8oz. I don't know about the weight of the lure you're using but if it isn't at least 3/8oz in weight, I suggest putting it away until you are accustomed to tossing a weight at least 1/2oz.

2) using line of a very thin diameter to learn on -- luckily, you didn't fall victim to this one.

3) Not realizing that while the mechanics of making a cast are the same in principal for spinning and casting rigs, the release time is ever so slightly different. From what you described, I would guess that your are casting with your right hand andlikely making more side arm casts than any other. The lure flying toward the left is the tell tale sign of the thumb coming off of the spool too late. If you did the same thing with an over hand cast, you better put your thumb on the spool asap because the lure is going to smash into the ground right in front of you! lol

The release time of your thumb off of the spool is ever so slightly earlier than the forefinger coming off of the rod to release the line on a spinning setup. Picture this for an overhand cast, a clock --- with 12 o'clock (oc from this point forward) above you and 6 oc at your feet, and 9 oc directly in front of you. The position that is ideal for your thumb to come off of the spool is ideal between 12oc and 1oc. Any earlier you get a rainbow sky high cast that goes higher than it does farther. Any later and the lures slams in front of you.

Fortunately, the mechanics are the same for a side arm cast, although it is happening on a slanted plane (vs upright). Let go too late, the lure sails to the left, too early it goes to the right, and just right, you've got a baby bear cast that "just right."

I learned from my experience that lures that are too light for the novice also makes them let go too late as you yourself have experienced. I haven't been able to explain that.

4) Choice of line to learn with - I second K_Mac's recommendation on line to learn. 10-12# test mono is ideal to learn with and economical.

glenn's video is right on point.

One thing I recall doing when I learned was not practicing for the sake of practicing. I'll use the analogy of a golf driving range. If you've ever been to one, you will see people so called "practicing" in the hopes of improving their golf game. But most of them are not really practicing, they're just whacking balls with little to no thought toward tweaking, refining and improving? My proof? They're not even close to being on the PGA tour.

I guess what I mean to say and what I did was use what I call focused practice. When I made a mistake, I asked myself what it was that I did that caused error and then made attempts to improve and refine the process.

I can tell you that given an ideal line to work with, a heavy enough weight AND more importantly, learning how to properly load the rod with the weight of the lure, you can get this down in three thrity-minute, focused practice session such that you will be ready to experiment with lures weighing less. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice! I'm excited to get back on the water and try it again now.

[B@ssCrzy]

I agree with the above mentioned posts...that is some excellent advise on how to become proficient with a baitcaster. However, I also think the issue may also have to do with the quality of your reel. I believe that when you get into trying to cast lighter baits, that is where you will see the real quality in a more expensive reel. The bandit 200's are 1/4 oz and unless you are able to take the breaks way down you will probably always get that fade to the left like you mentioned. Not to say that you can't learn to cast it that way (like previously mentioned), but that definitely takes some practice or you will spend your whole day picking out snarls. There is nothing more frustrating than spending half your time out on the boat fixing your over runs when you could be fishing. Last year I bought my first curado after having a pflueger eschelon. Makes a huge difference. Now I have two more and the eschelon stays home. Just my .02.

[buzzfrog]

probably been said but get a big azz spool of 12 berkly big game, till ya learn how, fluro is hgh