How to set up Baitcasting rod & reel: My daughter bought me a Rod & Reel from Walmart over 5 years ago. I'm confused how to get line out of reel and putting line through the rod. It is...

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

My daughter bought me a Rod & Reel from Walmart over 5 years ago. I'm confused how to get line out of reel and putting line through the rod. It is a bait casting outfit. Had it over 5 years and never fished with it yet. The line is already on the reel. The reel is a Abu Garcia promax - 8 bearings -Swedish engineered. The rod is Abu Garcia promax next generation 6'ft, 6in. Medium. I did use a bait-casting rod & reel a long long time ago, purchased at Sears. First one I started fishing with. To me, this looks more complicated. I think she paid around $100. for it and not sure if I've had it for 5 years or over? Need some instructions to thread it through the rod and it even gives you what size lures to use on it. (1/4 to 5/8oz lures.

Jwmorris5252

Hate to tell you this, but if it came from Walmart, it is not really an Abu Garcia. It is an after market logo they buy and use. Same holds true for their Penn reels. They are fake. But, the reel should have a button or level to push and it will release the drum so you can release the line and feed it through the eyes of the rod. Then when you are finished, barely reel the handle and it will reset.

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

How to set up a bait caster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u23k9P

Stringing a bait caster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0YSt7Kukpw

Hope the videos help

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

Jwmorris5252 wrote:

Hate to tell you this, but if it came from Walmart, it is not really an Abu Garcia. It is an after market logo they buy and use. Same holds true for their Penn reels. They are fake. But, the reel should have a button or level to push and it will release the drum so you can release the line and feed it through the eyes of the rod. Then when you are finished, barely reel the handle and it will reset.

I don't know if that's considered a good combo outfit, I was just describing it so I could get help. I myself usually buy a cheap outfit. I figured it was better than what I buy as I know she paid $100. for it. I didn't know Walmart would lie and it would be fake. Are all their products fake or just their fishing gear? Also there is an eye (kinda flat) in front of the reel. Do I put the line through that before I feed it through the rest of the eyes on the rod.

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

I clicked on the video and could not get it. Showing how to set up a baitcaster.

Jwmorris5252

Yes feed the line through the eye. I am assuming that is the level wind eye that you are describing. I didn't mean and hope I didn't insult you on your Walmart rod-n-reel; and yes If you go buy their Goodyear tires, they are fake. I found out the hard way by having a flat on a trip to the Florida Keys and I pulled into a Goodyear tire center, and they refused to work on the tire. Good friend of mine bought one of their Penn Senator 750 spinning reels and hooked a large tarpon in the Florida Keys, and it locked up on him. When he partially disassembled it, all the internals were made of plastic. When he took it back to Walmart, they would not warranty nor replace it.

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

msmllm wrote:

I don't know if that's considered a good combo outfit, I was just describing it so I could get help. I myself usually buy a cheap outfit. I figured it was better than what I buy as I know she paid $100. for it. I didn't know Walmart would lie and it would be fake. Are all their products fake or just their fishing gear? Also there is an eye (kinda flat) in front of the reel. Do I put the line through that before I feed it through the rest of the eyes on the rod.

sorry don't know what happened there, just Utube how too set up a bait caster there's plenty of them.

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

Thanks for trying to help me. I think I was wondering more about the eye close to the reel. I don't know why it is flat & it has to be used for something. My cousin fishes alot and when my daughter bought me the rod & reel, he was having me to help him put the line on it. He noticed something wasn't right about the reel so we took it back to Walmart and they gave me a new outfit. I wouldn't even have known there was a flaw in it if my cousin hadn't spotted it.

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

If it's what I'm thinking the flat small eye is used as a hook keeper. if it's bent back toward the reel that's the deal. Instead of hooking your lure to the ceramic eye you take it back to there.

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

Finally. So I don't run my line through it. Glad to find that out, had me worried. All I had was the rod & reel put together with the line and don't know what happened to the instructions that came with it. It was probably bought together as a combo. "A Hook Keeper, I won't forget that".

MadMac Loc: Marion (in Grant County) Indiana

Are you talking about the level wind line minder? The eye that moves from side to side when you turn the handle of the reel?

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

msmllm wrote:

Thanks for trying to help me. I think I was wondering more about the eye close to the reel. I don't know why it is flat & it has to be used for something. My cousin fishes alot and when my daughter bought me the rod & reel, he was having me to help him put the line on it. He noticed something wasn't right about the reel so we took it back to Walmart and they gave me a new outfit. I wouldn't even have known there was a flaw in it if my cousin hadn't spotted it.

If it looks anything like this it is a hook keeper, your line should not go through there.

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

Ivey wrote:

If it looks anything like this it is a hook keeper, your line should not go through there.

It looks similiar to the picture. I think it is a hook keeper.

Mister twister Loc: Foxworth,Ms.

Walmart sells 2nds and 3rd run products as a whole. As far as them selling fake products,not willing to go that far, but the products Walmart sells are not first rate. Will say this, Walmart today is not the vision Mr Sam Walton had yesteryear.

msmllm Loc: Huntington, WV

Mister twister wrote:

Walmart sells 2nds and 3rd run products as a whole. As far as them selling fake products,not willing to go that far, but the products Walmart sells are not first rate. Will say this, Walmart today is not the vision Mr Sam Walton had yesteryear.

It's a shame that people are doing that to us. In other words, who can you trust to sell what you think you are getting. I wonder if Target, K-Mart, etc., even regular fishing places like Cabela are doing this also. How about Amazon and E-bay. People may start demanding to check their items out before purchasing.