Using Baitcaster

[dreaflym]

Gday raiders,

I was rock fishing with my friend once and saw a guy used baitcaster. He was doing it smoothly and casted very far away. So I was thinking maybe I should get one to practice.

Thats why i bought my very first baitcaster last week. I also did bit research on how to use them. It seems the thumb is very important for avoiding birdnesting. Went to some opening spot to practice. It wasn't as easy as it looked from internet. At first, I got birdnesting 3 out of 5 casts, even used my thumb to slow it down. It was quite frustrating to untangle the birdnest, which also made me so determined to get the casting right.

after practicing it for 3 days, I seems to get some clue. I found the thumb pressure you put onto the spool should vary in the casting process. Assuming the sinker casts out at 45 degree angle, I found the thumb should gradually putting more pressures on the spool when the sinker flies up. When the sinker reach the top of its projectile motion, the thumb should release its pressure or putting a very light pressure on the spool. Then just before the sinker hits the water, assert full pressure on the spool to stop it from overspin. Reason for various pressure is that when the sinker is going up, its velocity slows at the rate faster than the spools slowing down rate. Therefore, the thumb should be putting more pressure on the spool to avoid the spool spins faster than the line going out. when the sinker start to drop, it speeds up again. The gravitational acceleration of the sinker always overuns the spool's spinning speed. Therefore, no much pressure needed on the spool.

By doing this. I can almost make successful cast 8 out of 10 times. But I'm not sure if this is the optimal way of casting a baitcaster. I still think my casting range is bit short and the spool is not spining as smooth as it can.

Any baitcasting technique from other raiders? I guess any suggestion here can help everyone handling their baitcaster reels better.

Edited March 3, 2008 by Dreaflym

[Mik]

Hey mate, sounds like you got the basics down. From my point of view its all about practice, practice, practice.

There are loads of posts on here about technique & tips for baitcaster reels. Here's a few to get you started.

Using A Baitcaster Reel

Casting A Baitcaster

I found the plastic practice casting plugs (Small plastic lumps look like snapper sinkers) are a great help to use in the backyard for honing your skills.

Good luck.

[dreaflym]

Hey mate, sounds like you got the basics down. From my point of view its all about practice, practice, practice.

There are loads of posts on here about technique & tips for baitcaster reels. Here's a few to get you started.

Using A Baitcaster Reel

Casting A Baitcaster

I found the plastic practice casting plugs (Small plastic lumps look like snapper sinkers) are a great help to use in the backyard for honing your skills.

Good luck.

Thanks mate! there really are a lot of helps out there! thanks for the hint. I've just came back from practicing it at my backyard. hehe.. not many problem to handle this distance. . Maybe because I used pretty thick line? its seems to be quite easy to do 10m distance. but for long casting. I still get plenty of birdnesting. and the distance wasn't that great (I thought baitcaster can cast really far)....still trying to solve many questions on my baitcaster.

[stylo]

Baitcasters aren't designed to cast far - they were designed for accuracy. One hand casting accuracy.

The accuracy of the BC is much better than a spinning reel (up to a distance) because the line peels off directly to the target and you can use your thumb to decelerate the flying lure. Spinning reels cast the line perpendicular hence it is always that little less accurate - having said that, someone proficient with a spinning reel would probably be able to hit the mark more accurately than I could with a B/C.

HOWEVER, a lot more technique is required to get it right with a B/C. And there is more to a B/C reel than a spinning reel.

START SLOW, CAST NEAR. Once you think you have the hang of it, start from the beginning again until you make no mistakes.

Have the brake settings (magnetic or centrifugal) on FULL when you start and adjust the casting friction control knob so that the lure only drops a 1/2 to one turn when it hits the ground.

Use a relatively heavy plug, or in my case, I used a 6gram jighead with a soft plastic lure and cast .. Then practise. It helps if it is not windy.

First cast 5 metres, then 6, ... then 10 metres or whatever your backyard or park can afford you.

Just make sure your thumb is always on the spool, decelerating the line and eventually bringing the spool to a complete stop an inch from hitting the water / your target.

As you get more accurate, you will obviously want more distance which is the stage that you seem to be stuck at.

Now is when you fiddle with the magnetic/centrifugal braking system and friction control knob.

Distance - it is not about how hard you can fling your rod. I can see you doing that. How do I know ? Because I was doing it myself when I first picked up a B/C !! Get the brake settings right i.e. less brakes, once you get confident using the B/C. This will allow the spool to spin faster and let you get more distance. Your thumb also needs to react quicker now as any mistakes you make = BIRDS NESTS !!! haha

That's what I have been doing myself this last week. I've finally been hitting the mark 1 out of every 5 casts and within 2 feet the other 4 times distances of around 7-10 metres.

Have a read of this --> http://setthehook.com/reels/reeldifferences.htm There are heaps of resources on the internet so just go out and try everything you read!!

No one is going to be able to explain to you perfectly or hold your hand through the process. If you get a birds nest, fix it and then continue casting until you get RSI in your wrist

All the other posts have been damm useful, but this is coming from someone that only picked up a B/C last week. These are the points that I found most important.

---

What is the combo you are using ATM, just for the sake of knowing ? Rod length/strength, reel capacity, line test, braid/mono, lure sizes used for casting ..

Edited March 7, 2008 by stylo

[winfield]

yeah mate

im not a pro at b/casting but i find that the lighter you go the better ,and ive found with braided line it tends to stay on the reel ,instead of sitting up when you birds nest .making it a hell of a lot easer finding the that all important loop to an tangle...anyways heaps of fun but

[arpie]

Bugger! I should have read this thread last week!!! Just when I thought I knew what I was doing, I went for distance instead of accuracy & HUGE BIRDSNEST!!

My buddy was firing short sharp (and occasionally long) casts like bullets yesterday on the river! Even with my spinning reel, mine were high loopy things! I must learn to control a baitcaster!!!

Will study all the above with serious intent! Don't hesitate to pm me with more info on baitcasting! I can be pretty singleminded about learning something once I have my mind set on it!

Hi Boof - I was using those plastic plugs for practise when I got the tangle .... I went from heavy to light without adjusting the 'fall rate' - already had the magnet thing up tight!

Cheerio

Roberta

[barker]

have always wanted to have a go with a b/c and after following this and other posts for some tips decided it was time. didn't go mad with high priced gear but got what sounded like might help make things a bit easier, with good quality none the less.

as you can probably tell, things went well and the buzz i have from todays practice session is very encouraging to say the least.

sure the nests played their part but with 12lb mono and a hookless 15gm raider, unpicking was no problem and made me all the more determined. a few thoughts back to the tips and an adjustment here and there really had me excited with my new found fishing learning curve.

you start to think of the situations these skills could be used for and to be honest, i always knew casting an overhead would be of great benefit to my preferred fishing methods if i put in the time to learn.

i do know, as with all fishing techniques, there is much and always something to learn - but the afternoon practicing and the evening actually getting followers on the slug really have me encouraged.

thanks to everyone putting up tips and just for starting/continuing the threads on b/c's - i appreciate and now understand your enthusiasm. i feel like a fishing newby all over again and it is great.

barker.

[arpie]

Hi guys

Keen to get out onto the water & test my baitcasting skills 'in situ' but will wait till i get back to the fresh. I think I will only use my Shimano Bantam in fresh, not salt! Keep it simple! It shoots beautifully - it's a long time since it caught a 20lb Spanish Mackerel ..... Aug 2000 actually!

Been practising a lot over the last week - not getting many/any birdsnests now .... still just using a plug & have got it to a lighter weight now ..... still no backlash! I find a sideways cast is more accurate than an overhead one, & somehow, easier to control! Definitley more power on the sideways cast - more 'lobby' on the overhead.

I have almost found that a committed, hard toss rather than a half-hearted soft toss is easier to control! Just have to stop myself wanting to do long casts & work on accuracy just a tad closer! Adrian was sometimes only casting 10ft from the yak in to tight little spots & under trees.

Just remember that a birdsnest is just a series of loops, until you tighten it ..... only then it is a knot!!!

As we all know - that will surely come, sooner or later, hopefully later!!

Cheerio for now

Roberta

For Easter - back to bream popping, blackies & flatties & mullet!