TexDanm Loc: East Texas

I keep reading about people that sort of want to try a baitcasting reel but are intimidated by it or tried it and didn’t have a lot of success and have given up on them.

IF you want to learn to use a baitcasting reel you need to understand a few things. First off you won’t be an instant expert even if you spend a small fortune on a reel with all manner of things on it to reduce backlashes. Learning to cast and do it well is basically like learning to ride a bicycle. You have to do it until your hands learn what to do and just do it without thought. When you ride a bicycle, you can’t balance by thinking about it, you just have to learn how to do it.

To some extent, all the magnets and weights and such are sort of like training wheels on a bike. They help while you are learning but once you learn they are just in the way. I learned on a Langley shorty knuckle buster in the late 50s when I was little. Back then it was you used a baitcaster or a cane pole. Talk about bird nests!!!

What you are trying to do when you cast is to let the spool spin at just the right speed so it is letting line off the reel exactly at the speed that the lure is moving. At first, the lure is moving fast and the spool is pretty well synchronized with this speed. The lure slows down as it flies. A good reel will keep spinning fast so you will need to slow it down a little as it goes to prevent an overrun. Just as the lure hits the water you want to STOP the spool. Your thumb will learn how to feel the line as it loosens up and starts to slightly overrun and then touch it enough to slow the spin.

When you are learning one way to help you do this is to adjust the spool tension so it doesn’t turn as freely. You hold the rod out level with you lure reeled to near the rod tip. You tighten the spool tension and then hit the free spool to let the lure drop to the ground. It should slowly go down and when the lure hits the ground the spool should stop turning. If it doesn’t tighten it a little more and try it again until it will drop and then stop spinning when it hits the ground.

You will need to do this for every different lure or weight. The heavier lures don’t lose speed as fast as lighter lures and so are easier to cast. At first use heavier lures and then as your thumbs becomes more educated you can move to lighter lures.

When you cast turn the reel so it is sideways to the direction of your cast. A lot of beginners find that it is easier to cast sidearm but you can receive the same advantage if you turn your wrist so that the reel is to the side. The reason for this is simple. When you cast when you turn the line lose you stop the rod so that it is pointing in the direction of your cast. When you stop it if you have the reel on the back of the rod the rod will pull the reel away from your thumb. That means that you can’t feel the spool when the line starts to loosen and fluff up. When you turn it sideways your thumb instead slides across the spool never losing the “feel” of what the spool is doing.

You can’t think about this too much. Just like riding a bicycle it happens too fast to think about BUT just like riding a bike if you WISH it then your body will learn and do it without thought over time. Use heavy lures, cast a lot and learn to cast different distances. As you get your reflexes programmed you will need to learn the different “feel” for different weights and distances and eventually different speeds of cast. Also be aware that there will be a short learning curve every time you pick up a different set up. A softer rod or a reel with a lighter spool will take a slightly different touch.

What do you get for all of this effort? With practice, you can have almost total control over the bait, where it lands and how big the splash it makes. You also will have a simpler connection to the bait and have a better feel than what you will have with a spinning reel. I can feel the blades on a spinnerbait and sometimes the only way that you know a fish has taken it is when the slight vibration of the spinner stops.

I used to have a platform in my front yard that was the same height off the grass as the bow of my boat was off the water. I used this to practice pitching. Pitching is an underhand cast that keeps the lure close to the water. I could cast a jig into a cup that was behind a chair. The lure would go under the chair and then settle into the cup soft as a feather. I caught a lot of bass that were under a dock behind a post, or under an overhanging bush or limb. When you stopped the lure and it was only an inch over the water there is no splash and a fish will nail it on pure reaction.

Flipping, pitching, sidearm cast and overhead casts each have a learning curve but the rewards of learning this are pretty great if you like to fish and want to do it a lot. If you fish two or three times a year baitcasters might not be worth the trouble. Learning and maintaining the skill isn’t an instant gratification thing. If you want to learn, make a commitment and practice. The more times that you cast the faster and better you will learn.

Once you have mastered the skill you can turn back the various controls and set the spool tension, so it is smoothest. At this point, a casting reel will cast farther and better than a spinning reel because the spinning spool on a casting reel is pushing the line off straight through the eyes whereas on a spinning reel the line has to be pulled off and rubs on the ever-shrinking eyes.

You are STILL going to occasionally get a professional overrun. I carry a small pick that I made that is all rounded and the point while pointy is not sharp. I made it out of a big harness needle with a blunt tip that I put a small handle on. I have another with a tiny little hook on the end. Between the two tools and the practice that you got when learning will allow you to untangle the mess pretty fast. It has been years since I had to cut a nest off a reel.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

I do love my daily chuckle from the "baitcasters' society". You always have a ton of "go-get-'em" & "keep practicing" advice, as well as the ever-present, but totally bogus, claims of casting superiority over spinning reels. Well, y'all just keep "pluggin' " away, and thank you, TexDan, for the latest chuckle,.... "professional overrun",.... gotta remember that one ! That makes a flat tire a "professional deflation" ?!? Lol ! Spinning on now...later.

lobo Loc: central montana

Thanks for the column on bait casting reels,, you make a lot of sense and i learned some things,, anyone who bad mouths your advice is probably just jealous because they could never figure it out,, and,, you are correct, there is certain advantages to a bait caster !!
thanks,, appreciate all the good advice from the forum,,, and i do get a kick out of the whiners too!!

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

Actually I'm quite adept at "level-winds" (baitcasters is SUCH a misnomer...we all throw bait !), just don't like 'em. Wasn't dissing the advice, but still find the lengthy explanations and the constant fiddling with knobs to be a source of exasperation for the most part....and an unnecessary hoop to jump through to appreciate angling. But, hey defenders..keep on, keepin' on .... I gotta have that daily chuckle, thanks for providing.

TexDanm Loc: East Texas

Chuckle all you want. All you are doing is making yourself look silly. First off a level-wind is a TYPE of baitcaster. I have several baitcasters that are not level-winds. A lot of Penn reels have no level-wind.

I posted this for a simple reason. A lot of people want to try a baitcasting setup but don't have anyone to teach them. The general just set the spool tension and throw just doesn't prepare someone to have much success. I tried to offer a detailed sort of instruction just like I have many times when I have taught people how to fish with baitcasters. I am actually a licensed instructor for Texas Parks and Wildlife and have taught fishing at state parks.

I'm not one of the hardcore casting reel fanatics. I probably used spinning and spincasters more than I do the casting reels except for catfishing and redfish in saltwater. For those two things, the baitcasters are just better. Spinning reels are at there best when you are fishing fairly open water and want to throw as far as possible especially with lighter lures. The casting reels are better for casting to small targets and pitching.

I probably fish for bass with a Zebco as often as I use either a spinning reel or a baitcaster. I find the Zebco 33 platinum or the Omega to be a good compromise between the ability to cast smaller lighter lures and having pinpoint accuracy.

Different setups are better for different techniques. I fish about a hundred days a year. I use ALL types of gear. It adds pleasure to my fishing experience to use the gear that offers the most fun and allows the fish to fight. I even like to fish with the Cuban yoyo hand reel and do so occasionally.

WWQW1

Learned on an Ocean City bait caster as a child (I'm now 70) still have the original setup that I throw for fun now and then. I like to amaze the younger anglers that grew up with the new reals by casting just as far with the old reel as they can with the new reels with no backlashes.

John

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

You need to give me more specific info on "baitcasters that are not level-winds". NOW you have my attention. So what do these reels look like ? Pics & maker/#'s will be most helpful. I have been unaware of the reels of which you refer & am always in search of knowledge, fishing or otherwise. Please enlighten me on this, I'm most curious. Thanks.