New to forum.

[Duke]

Hi folks, I'm new to the forum and just want to say Hello. Larry, I love your show, keep up the good work! My fishing buddy brought over your Panfish and Bass with flyrod DVD. I am a beginner with the flyrod and the instructions are going to help me tremendously. I am also just getting into using a baitcaster after many years of spinning. I would love to have simple, clear cut instructions for the baitcaster like the ones for the flyrod. Do you have any DVD, book or article that can help? Thanks.

[roncarr]

I just joined as well love the show

[Chris M]

Baitcasting difficulty is overrated. Just use the spool tension knob (name?) and the brake dial (again, name?). Tighten them down and start there. Loosen them after you get control of the line when it's coming off the real. Now I don't use either, all thumb control. I make sure I dial them in if I am letting someone use it, which I do very reluctantly.
I know Larry can give you much better instructions, but it is sometimes a few days before he gets back to the board.
Hope I eased your anxiety about casters a little.

[dahlberg]

HI Duke,
Thanks for the post, and kind words!
The baitcasters of today are much, much, easier to operate than the non-free spool versions I grew up with, but do take a little more skill than spinning.
One of the real keys is to make sure the rod is not too stiff and the lure is heaviy enough to easily load it.
Another is to begin every cast with the rod tip pointed at the target. Make sure you load the rod on the back cast and make a smoothly accellerating stroke, just like a good fly casting stroke. Backlashes are caused when the reel spool is spinning faster than the lure is pulling out line. I.E, as the lure slows when the lure speed begins to decay or if you launch the lure with too much gusto and the spool rpms spike.
Teaching your thumb how to mitigate these differences in speed is the secret to avoiding backlashes.
All the Shimano baitcasters have little "breaking blocks" that operate on centrifigal force. YOu can choose to engage any, all or none of the blocks (the directions that come with the reel will show you how).
If the rod and lure weight are correct for each other the centrifigal break should prevent backlashes without needing to over tighten the "end play adjustment which puts constant friction on the spool, and kills any chance of a long cast.
As your skill increases you can engage fewer and fewer blocks.
My best advice is to practice.
regards,
L

[Duke]

OK, thanks for the advice. Guess I need to get out in the yard and work at it.

[steelneal]

Duke,
i also started out late on casting gear but taught my wife and got my kid casting at a young age, An GREAT bass fisherman from Manning S.Carolina named Jimmy McCord taught me a good rule of thumb. When first starting... with each lure regardless of weight, adjust the brakes so that after you click the free spool you got to shake the rod for the lure to drop. after a few casts at that level you can back off to achieve greater casting distance
Hope it help you
If anyone hears from Jimmy tell him his Yankee nephew sez "Hey!"