On The Water page 38

e positioned our boat for another drift through the area between

two massive football-shaped islands we referred to as “The Slot.”

The wind was ripping and our noses were running, but the pike

were still eating our spinnerbaits so we stuck it out for at least

another drift, or three. Out of the stormy sky, my partner asked, “You don’t use

a baitcaster, do you?”

“No,” I answered. I explained to him that I had always considered getting one.

I do a lot of fl ipping of weightless soft-plastic baits into structure and heavy

cover, a technique that typically calls for a baitcasting-style fl ipping setup, but I

do so with spinning gear. I rarely use fl ipping jigs, but that’s only because they

are generally too heavy for my spinning gear. My skill set as a bass fi sherman

would match well with and probably benefi t from picking up a baitcasting outfi t.

However, back in 1988 I was involved in a serious construction accident in

which my left wrist was seriously injured. I survived and recovered from the

accident enough to play the guitar, fi sh, and perform the basic functions of ev-

eryday life, but the injury left me unable to oppose the thumb of my left hand.

In addition I have lost much of the feeling and intrinsic dexterity in that hand.

As I result, I have been discouraged from using baitcasting reels because they

are operated with the left hand and cranked with the right hand. I acknowledged

to my fi shing partner that due to the lack of dexterity of my gimpy left wing, a

baitcaster just would not work for me.

“Use a lefty baitcaster,” my friend suggested. For some reason, I hadn’t con-

sidered that option, but by the time the winter sportsman shows arrived, I was

looking for a fl ipping rod to pair with a Shimano Curado 201E7 left-handed

baitcaster that just happened to be presented to me as a 47th birthday present.

Even though the “lefty” reel solved my dexterity issue, I still had numerous

bumps and bruises—or should I say backlashes and birds’ nests—to overcome in

101

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November/December 2012 page 39

LOW-PROFILE BAITCASTING REELSThere are hundreds of low profi le baitcasting reels on theThere are hundreds of low-profile baitcasting reels on the

market, each with their own features and benefi ts. When

looking into buying a baitcaster, you’ll want to consider the

casting controls, weight and gear ratio.

my fi rst season learning the intricacies

of the low-profi le baitcaster.

Benefi ts of the BaitcasterThe baitcaster is, in my opinion, an

important tool for the bass fi sherman to

have in his arsenal. They afford better

line control than spinning reels, allow-

ing for more accurate casts. They allow

you to slow down the lure so it softly

falls into the water without spooking

nearby fi sh, important when fl ipping

baits into cover. Baitcasters also allow

you to maintain contact with the lure,

even when the reel is in freespool, so

you can detect strikes as you are letting

out line. And when it comes to crank-

ing power, whether needed for fi shing

heavy spinnerbaits and crankbaits or for

knob, the spool, and most importantly,

the braking system.

Most baitcasting reels use some sort

of braking system to assist the angler in

combating backlash or spool overrun

during the cast. The braking system can

be the most intimidating aspect of your

new reel, but familiarizing yourself with

it will be helpful as you practice, learn

and progress.

Most baitcasters have either a mag-

netized system or a centrifugal system.

On most reels, the braking system can be

adjusted externally by way of a simple

dial that controls its infl uence over the

forward momentum of the spool. Some

centrifugal braking systems do require

that the palm side of the reel be opened to

expose an adjustable system of weights

that can be switched on and off to help

control the forward momentum of the

spool. These can appear quite compli-

cated, but I can tell you from experience

that they are easy to use. The centrifugal

braking system on my Shimano Curado

201E7 is nothing more than a star-shaped

series of spokes that spins alongside the

spool. On each of the six spokes is a

plastic weight that can be turned on or

off with your fi ngernail to increase or

decrease the braking applied to the spool.

Passive and ActiveBrakingWhen casting a baitcaster, there are

two forms of braking being applied

Okuma

Helios

Daiwa Z-Series

Z200H

Abu Garcia

Revo

Premier

Shimano

Curado G 200

Quantum EXO

EX200SPT

hauling heavy fi sh out of cover, bait-

casters beat spinning reels hands down.

Finally, baitcasters are better equipped

to cast heavier line than spinning reels

of the same size.

Getting to Know Your Baitcaster

g

Low-profile baitcasters are a totally

different animal than a spinning reel or

even a saltwater conventional reel, as the

latter two reels can be used right out of

the box. Low-profi le baitcasters require

a little tweaking to get them ready to cast

Before fi shing a new reel, I spend time

reading the manual to learn where all the

features lie. I investigate everything—

the clutch, the drag, the spool tension

BaiBaiB tcattcastestersrs alallowlow yoyou tu to mo mainaaaintaitain cn ccontontontactactac

with the lurl e, eveen wn whenhen ththe re reeleel isis inin

freespool, so you cann ded tect striikesk as yoou u

arereararere leletting out line. - photo by Tim Allard

Baitcasters are powerful reels ideal for

fi shing heavy cover. - photo by Tim Allard

On The Water page 40

to the spool. The casting control set-

tings create the passive braking, which

happens automatically during the cast.

Active braking is the pressure an angler

applies to the spinning spool with his

thumb during the cast. Feathering the

spool at just the right times will prevent

the dreaded bird’s nest from forming in

the spool.

It doesn’t matter how sophisticated

your reel’s braking system is, some ac-

tive braking will be necessary when you

cast. In order to have the best results,

active and passive braking will need to

work together. Think of your casting

control knob as a “helping hand” to

your active braking, not as your sole

protection against backlash and spool

overrun.

Backyard CastingPractice

yy

Once you have taken the reel out of the

box, the best thing to do is to practice in

your backyard or in an open fi eld—not

on the water. The fastest way to get

comfortable with your baitcaster is

to focus on the reel and how it works

without any distractions—like fi sh. For

backyard casting, I prefer to use old,

beat-up lures, similar to what I’ll be

using on the water.

The cast can be broken down into

three parts. The fi rst part of the cast is

the launch of the bait from the rod tip.

This is when the angler removes his

thumb from the spool, allowing the bait

to take line and start the spool spinning.

As the bait travels through the air, wind

resistance and gravity begin to slow it

down. This is the middle part of the cast.

The last part of the cast is when the bait

begins to descend and eventually touch

down on the water.

To understand the angler’s role in

each part of the cast, you must fi rst

understand how the cast works. Un-

like a spinning reel where the bait is

pulling line off the spool throughout

the cast, a baitcaster, once the spool

is set in motion, feeds line to the bait

as it travels through the air. As wind

resistance, gravity or the water slows

down the bait, the spool will continue

to feed line at roughly the same pace as

it did at the beginning of the cast. If the

angler doesn’t slow the spool as the lure

is slowing, the result is the overrun of

line known as a backlash.

The key to successful casting is the

ability to manage these momentum

changes using the adjustable compo-

nents built into the baitcasting reel, as

well as your own instincts and timing.

The fi rst part of the cast is when the

spool control knob is most important.

If your spool control is too loose, you

will backlash early in the cast. Before

you do anything else, tighten down your

spool control knob all the way by turn-

ing it toward you. Do not worry about

your braking system at this point. Now,

hold your lure at just about eye level.

BAITCASTER ANATOMYLow-profi le reels have a palm side and a handle side. Op-

posite of spinning reels, right-handed baitcasters have the

handle on the right side, and left-handed baitcasters have

the handle on the left side.

The palm side of the reel is designed to fi t the contour of

the hand. This comfort in hand is the primary advan-

tage of a low-profi le baitcaster over a round baitcaster.

If your reel has a braking system, it will be located on

the palm side of the reel.

The handle side of the reel contains the handle and

casting control knob. Beside the handle, you will fi nd

the star drag.

In the center of the reel is the spool, and just behind

the spool is the clutch bar, which can be depressed by

the thumb to disengage the spool and let out line so you

can cast. In front of the spool is the levelwind that

guides line onto the spool evenly as you retrieve.

casting

control

knob

star

drag

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Depress the clutch bar, and if your spool

control is tightened to the maximum,

your bait should dangle for a moment

before beginning a slow descent to the

ground. No matter how slowly the bait

falls, the spool will backlash when the

downward momentum of the bait has

stopped, so try to thumb the spool just

before the lure reaches the ground. This

is active braking. Try to thumb the spool

at the exact moment the downward

momentum of the lure stops.

Your next step is to back off the ten-

sion on the spool control knob until

the bait falls freely to the ground, but

at a rate such that you can control the

backlash with minimal active braking.

If you have set the casting control knob

too loose, it will be diffi cult to keep the

reel from backlashing. If your spool is

set too tight, you will not be able to

cast for any distance, so it is important

to fi nd a middle ground.

After setting the casting control knob,

you can adjust the braking system. Start

by putting it on the maximum setting

because this will help you develop an

understanding of how the braking sys-

tem affects the cast.

The braking system helps control

the spool’s rotation when your lure is

traveling through the air at top speed.

Braking should allow your bait to travel

through the air naturally while not al-

lowing the speed of the spool to pay out

more line than the lure is taking.

Set up a target in your yard, such

as a bucket, about 10 to 15 feet away.

Your fi rst casts should be gentle fl ips,

using a pendulum motion and a simple

drop of the line. Remember that your

braking system is set to the maximum.

If you are having diffi culty reaching

your target, it is because your braking

system is set too high and impeding

the rotation of the spool, slowing the

forward momentum of the lure during

the second part of your cast. If you are

unable to reach your target, you might

be tempted to add more force to the cast,

which can create tremendous forward

momentum in the “early part” of your

cast that your braking system fi ghts

against in the second part of your cast,

causing a backlash.

Now, back down the braking, one

increment at a time, to the point at

which the lure travels naturally forward

through the air without being impeded

too much by the braking system. The

objective is to fi nd a point in which you

can comfortably cast your lure decent

distances with little effort. Ideally, the

braking should be subtle; it should feel

like the braking system is not involved,

even though it is doing its job. If the

braking is set correctly, backlash will

not occur during the part of the cast

when your lure is traveling forward or

upward.

If you are having trouble with back-

lash after your lure lands, it is because

DIAGNOSE YOUR

BACKLASH

How and when the backlash occurs will tell you exactly what you are doing

wrong. If it is happening early in the cast, the lure is moving too fast, and

you need more tension on your spool control knob. If it is happening in the

middle of the cast while the bait is traveling forward and upward, you might

have to adjust the magnetic or centrifugal braking. If backlash is occurring

late or just before the bait touches down, you are probably neglecting to

thumb the spool in time.

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OpportunityOpportunity

On The Water page 42

you are thumbing the spool too late

during the third part of your cast. Con-

centrate on the trajectory of the lure.

There is a moment when the lure seems

to fl oat or stall at the highest point of its

journey. At this point, feather the spool

with your thumb to slow the spool as it

falls toward the water.

When your lure hits the water, it is

being stopped short. This interruption

in momentum must also be accounted

for with active braking—the spool

should be eased to a stop as the bait

hits the water. If you brake too fast, you

will lose distance, but if you brake too

late you will backlash. Remember, the

forward momentum of the lure and the

forward momentum of the spool must be

synchronized in order to avoid backlash.

With baitcasters, the sweet spot is a

moving target that will require adjust-

ment in accordance with the weight of

the bait you are using and the conditions

you are facing. Each time you change

the weight of your bait, start with de-

termining a comfortable fall rate with

your spool control knob and then add

or remove braking to fi nd the sweet spot

when you cast. Strong winds will also

affect your casting and may require you

to adjust your baitcaster’s settings.

Keep in mind that if you are used to

casting with a spinning reel, as I was, the

mechanics of casting with a baitcaster

are quite different. With baitcasting, you

are swinging the rod with a gentle turn of

the wrist, as opposed to the sharp fl icks

of the wrist you are used to with spinning

gear, which will cause problems with a

baitcasting setup.

Battling the Bird’s NestThe easiest way to prevent tangles is to

keep an eye on the spool. Look for any

looping or irregularities in the line on

the spool and correct them immediately.

Make sure the line is always wound

neatly and tightly. The line should be

lying fl at and not collecting loosely on

the outside edges or middle of the spool,

and there should not be any humps or

bumps.

When a backlash does occur, do not

panic, and do not allow frustration to

get the better of you. Immobilize the

spool with your thumb and pull the line

forward. In most cases, the backlash will

be untangled as you pull out the line.

If a tangle has occurred, the spool will be

locked in place and your reel will actually

resemble a bird’s nest. One of the biggest

misconceptions is that the line is knotted,

and once it is knotted it needs to be cut off

the reel. Take solace in the fact that it is

highly unlikely that a true knot has formed

in your backlash.

Keep your thumb on the spool and

slowly release line, bringing it forward un-

til it stops and you have reached the tangle.

Look at the spool and fi nd the source of the

tangle, but resist the urge to start picking at

it with your fi ngernails or teeth.

Apply heavy pressure with your thumb

on the source of the tangle. Reel in a half

to full turn against the pressure of your

thumb. By doing this, you are moving

the spool while keeping the tangle in

one place, loosening it up. After doing

this once, try releasing line. You may be

able to clear the tangle completely, but

you may only get a foot or two before

the tangle reoccurs. Repeat the process

until you reach the next tangle, and keep

repeating until you free the tangles and

all remaining backlash. This may work

after one try, or you may have to do this

numerous times before you eliminate

the bird’s nest.

to a likely area.

Once you determine your budget and

style of fi shing, go to your favorite bait

and tackle store and ask to see some

reels. In this day and age we can order

any reel we want online. However, I

feel that it is important to hold the reel

in your hands in order to feel how it

fi ts in your palm. In addition, you will

want to see if you are comfortable with

the orientation of the reel components,

such as the clutch, spool, and drag, and

you will want to see the braking system

in person and get an idea of how to

operate it.

I fi nd it helpful to attend the winter

sportsman’s shows as most of the reel

manufacturers attend these shows and

display all of their newest reels, allow-

ing you to handle them as long as you

desire. The reps are more than happy to

talk shop with you and will often make

recommendations and share their experi-

ences. Some shows even have baitcasting

stations where you can practice pitching

baits into buckets with rigged up rods and

reels. Whether you choose your favorite

bait and tackle shop or you choose to wait

until the next fi shing expo, ask a lot of

questions and have fun with the process

of fi nding a reel that is right for you.

If you are interested in adding a

baitcaster to your arsenal, get out there

and give it a try. It might sound like

rocket science, but it’s not. It’s actually

physics. Don’t get caught up in the sci-

ence though, and don’t be intimidated.

Practice will eventually make perfect.

After a few sessions, you will fi nd your

groove and baitcasting will become sec-

ond nature to you. You might even fi nd

yourself growing addicted to the rhythm

of baitcasting and begin to prefer it over

your spinning reels.

With braided line, I have found that a

gentle pinch at the tangle will sometimes

help free things up, but I resist dragging

giant loops of line out of the spool. Many

times, tangles and looping will straighten

up when the spool is immobilized and

the line is pulled forward. Be gentle

and deliberate in what you are doing,

and fi nesse your way through the bird’s

nest—drastic yanking and pulling will

only make things worse.

Part of your baitcasting backyard

casting practice sessions will inevitably

require you to practice freeing a bird’s

nest. This is as important a fi shing skill

as tying a knot or making a cast and

should be practiced and mastered so that

you are confi dent at all times when you

are out there on the water.

Choosing a BaitcasterThe fi rst thing to consider when choos-

ing a baitcaster is your budget. Qual-

ity baitcasters range from $75 to $500.

However, the most critical factor to con-

sider when obtaining a baitcaster is the

style of fi shing you plan to do with the

reel. Will you be fan-casting crankbaits

and spinnerbaits over long distances, or

will you be pitching and fl ipping jigs

into heavy cover? This factor will help

you determine the gear ratio of the reel.

Higher gear ratios mean faster retrieve

rates. One guideline for deciding on

gear ratio is determining whether the

reel or the rod is most important to the

presentation. With lures that are cast

and retrieved at a steady pace, such as

spinnerbaits and crankbaits, reels with

a lower gear ratio are often preferred.

With lures that rely on the rod to impart

action, like jigs or worms, a high-speed

reel is best because it picks up line faster

to retrieve the lure and make another cast

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