baitcasters

[Wilson]

After debating whether to chime in on this thread or keep quiet...well.

I bought a lefty Shimano bait caster a long time ago.
After trying to master it for like 1 year I gave up.
I can do anything with a spinning rod and reel that anybody else can do with a bait caster.
The problem I was trying to eliminate with the bait caster was line twist.
Twisted line on a spinning reel is certain death.
What I sort of concluded was this.
Do not reel against your drag when snagged or fighting a fish.
Buy a good spinning reel with a quality line roller. Use Spro # 12 or 14 barrel swivels, especially if fishing live shiners or herring as they spin like a top on the retreive.
Change line sooner rather then later.
My baitcaster is free to a good home if anybody wants it

[FASTEDDIE29]

Originally Posted by Wilson

After debating whether to chime in on this thread or keep quiet...well.

I bought a lefty Shimano bait caster a long time ago.
After trying to master it for like 1 year I gave up.
I can do anything with a spinning rod and reel that anybody else can do with a bait caster.
The problem I was trying to eliminate with the bait caster was line twist.
Twisted line on a spinning reel is certain death.
What I sort of concluded was this.
Do not reel against your drag when snagged or fighting a fish.
Buy a good spinning reel with a quality line roller. Use Spro # 12 or 14 barrel swivels, especially if fishing live shiners or herring as they spin like a top on the retreive.
Change line sooner rather then later.
My baitcaster is free to a good home if anybody wants it

How much for the bait caster??? Ill take it.

[Lard Almighty]

Baitcasters are a totally different animal from spinning gear. If you have used spinning reels your whole life you will find baitcasters to be a challenge. Having used baitcasters for many years, here are a few things I have learned:

1. DON'T GO CHEAP: You can get away with a $50 spinning reel. A $50 baitcast reel will break faster than you can get it out of the package (I learned this the hard way). I do not buy baitcast reels that have a retail price of less than $100 (sales notwithstanding). With baitcasters you get what you pay for. That being said, most people do not need a $300+ model unless they use it almost every day.

2. ADJUST BRAKES AND TENSION: The magnetic brakes and the spool tension knob require constant attention. When switching to different lures, changing casting motions, or even if the wind shifts, you MUST adjust the brakes and tension accordingly. Always start with the settings higher than you might need, then gradually back off until you find the right balance between casting distance and not getting backlashes. A good rule for the tension knob is to hold the rod perpendicular to you with a few inches of line out, put the reel in free-spool, then back off on the tension until the lure just starts to fall with its own weight.

3. BACKLASHES WILL HAPPEN: Even with the tension and brakes properly calibrated, you will still get a backlash here and there. If it happens, don't get frustrated; it's all a part of the game. When you first are learning how to cast (this is when backlashes will likely be most frequent for you), also take the time to learn how to pick out a backlash. You'll find that, with a little practice, you'll be able to untangle all but the nastiest of backlashes with not much effort.

4. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE: You will NOT learn how to throw a baitcaster overnight! It takes practice and patience to learn how to use one, and even more practice and patience to learn how to use one well. This is something you might consider learning over the winter, practicing in the backyard for a few weeks before hitting the water.

5. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE PROS: Yes, Kevin Van Dam can throw a spinnerbait 200 yards with a baitcaster just by wiggling his pinkie. Do not expect to be able to do the same. The reason pros can do crazy things with baitcasters is because they use them every single day. Focus on learning how to use your baitcaster for situations you may encounter, and don't try to become the next casting champion. As long as you get the lure where you want it to go, you are using the baitcaster right.

[AndrewT]

Heavy lures is the key. I only use mine for spinnerbaits and cranksbaits. Just takes practice. I could never understand how pros are able to throw plastic worms with a baitcaster. Guess that's why they're the pros

[ScowardNJ]

I'm a righty, but I go with the left hand retrieve on my baitcasters. When i got my first baitcaster, i found my self casting with my right arm, then having to switch the rod to my left arm for the right hand retrieve. I brought the reel (Curado) back to Davis the next day and the let me exchange it for a lefty retrieve. It felt way more natural for me.

Weird thing is, all my salt water chunking/trolling/fluking stuff are right hand hand retrieves. I guess for casting lefty is better for me, but for dropping, it probably doesn't make a difference.

[njbassman]

you will be happy about not having any twist in your line... cuts down on the respooling for sure...

[Moz]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

1. DON'T GO CHEAP: You can get away with a $50 spinning reel. A $50 baitcast reel will break faster than you can get it out of the package (I learned this the hard way). I do not buy baitcast reels that have a retail price of less than $100 (sales notwithstanding). With baitcasters you get what you pay for. That being said, most people do not need a $300+ model unless they use it almost every day.

Great advice in all your post Lard but this one I can't agree with enough.

I got my feet wet with baitcasters on an inexpensive Daiwa and it served me well but the reel itself caused so many problems with the wormgear constantly skipping and worse jamming. I felt like I spent more time cleaning the wormgear and oiling it than I did fishing with it and I had zero confidence in using that rod/reel when out on the water.

Last spring I upgraded to a more serious baitcaster reel and rod and it's been pure joy. After the Sands gave me some money (for once!) this past July I replaced the Daiwa on the rod with a Curado as well. I use both those rod set-ups and cast weightless finesse worms with ease.

There's a learning curve with them for sure but an inexpensive reel will make it significantly higher.

[beezer]

I bought a baitcaster after years of being scared of them. I bought a left-handed Curado and put 30 pound braid on it.

I love it and wouldn't use anything else. You get tangles but 98% of them can be pulled out if you are patient. The Curado has an adjustable backlash preventer. You can adjust it up high when you are starting out and then eliminate it once you get some time on it.

I can cast farther and much more accurately with the BC. You control the reel by thumb pressure on the spool. When you see your lure about to hit the water you just apply pressure to the spool and no backlash.

Sometimes when casting off a kayak into a river bank if you see your lure is going into the trees you can just hit the brakes.

[Ol Pedro]

I Inherited my first conventional reel some 50 years ago . It was a Pfleuger knucklebuster on a Kingfisher Octagon Bamboo rod . It had dacron and could cast heavier plugs and bait rigs . I graduated to Penn conventionals for most of my Saltwater applications . As a Teenager I started Worm/jig fishing for Bass and got a Shimano Bantum 1000 used at a Fishing Flea Market and used it for years . When it comes to feel there is nothing like palming a baitcaster with your trigger finger feeling the line under the levelwind . I also line and tip watch but feeling that tap tap is addictive . When accuracy is required the baitcaster wins hands down . The control you have on a hooked fish is also better than spinning .

[tycomps]

I hit the practice pond today to test tackle and the new frog bait caster setup worked great. I set the reel tension via the drop test, cranked up the mag drive so the reel speed never exceeded that of the lure in flight, and always thumbed the spool right before the lure touched down. I can cast my frog 50' further on a frozen rope now with pinpoint accuracy and land it soft which is exactly what I was hoping for. The left hand crank is great for staggering the rate of retrieve along with twitching the rod to create a more natural presentation as well. This was only valid for unrestricted casts and flipping though any situation where my casting arc was limited required the spinning reel.