Bought new baitcaster....wondering about backlashes!!

[mintaka]

I purchased a new baitcaster last Friday , took it down to Wylie hoping to break it in. When practicing in my bedroom , I kept getting backlashed.
Even at Wylie , the 'lashing' continued. My problem is , according to the instructions , you have to keep your thumb on the spool near the end of the cast. Is this something that comes with time , or is there something I'm doing wrong. I usually use spinning and the occasional spincast when fishing for crappie or bait. I was prompted to purchase this following a trip with Mac when I saw them in action. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. It is imperative I learn to use this reel!! I am determined to 'ascend the pantheon of trophy catfishermen' and personally , this reel should help me in my quest.:confused2:!!

[Mr. Foster]

The only thing inside you can practice is how to set the spool resistance or the magnets that help you from backlashing. Set the resistance to where you drop your weight to the floor, the spool will stop spinning when the weight hits the floor. Then go outside and practice. Your thumb pressure on the spool will come with time, we have all been there before. Before you know it you will be casting like a pro. Once you dig out a few bird nests, you will want to learn quickly how not to get a birds nest. Keep praticeing and best of luck, you will love that reel when you get it down.

[bigkane]

Once you get the hang of it you'll love it. I bought my first baitcasters this year 2-Abu Garcia 6600cb amb. and 1 Abu Garcia Revo S. It didn't take too long to learn and now that's pretty much all I use. I keep my thumb on the spool the entire time. Lightly feather the spool with your thumb during the cast and stop it before it hits the water. Also you need to adjust the spool brake with each setup. Like Brent said you want your spool to stop spinning on it's own when your weight hits the floor/ground. You can practice sitting in a chair feathering the spool while letting your weight drop. Before long it'll be second nature.:wink:

[CatHunterSteve]

Practice, practice, practice! And then once you think you got it practice some more and by that time you will be real good at getting that backlash out. Now you talking about sometihing I know how to do! LOL Seriously, just practice, it will come to you. Thumb the line ever so slightly and don't hit nothing prematurely with the weighted line (sinler/lure/bait, you will really have a mess!) Did I mention practice? We will be praying for you brother! Practice!

[flathunter]

Once you get the hang of it you wont have to use your thumb untill the bait hits the water.

Also in time you will be able to losen the spool tension knob all the way to give your farther cast.

It took me a full fishing season to get comfrtable using a baitcaster.

Ten years latter I still get the ocasional backlash.

It will also help your practise using a heavy sinker and line, it did me.

[way west]

You'll like baitcasters once you get the hang of them. When I was a kid the old baitcasters didn't have drags so you thumbed the spool when the fish made a run. That old nylon braided line would burn the hell out of your thumb when that happened. Often we would dunk our hand & reel in the water to cool things down. When I bought my first Ambassadeur (used) I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I've been using Ambassadeurs ever since.

Even after 40-some odd year I still get an occasional backlash. It keeps me humble.

[Mickey]

Mason you have recieved some good advise on casting baitcasters. Listen to all of them and Practice. Don't give up and in no time you will be posting instructions for another BOC brother. You can do it.

[Jedicazador]

Mr. Foster pretty much summed it up, learn how to control the magnets one you'll find reduces more than the other use the smaller one to fine tune the resistance, u'll still have to use your thumb but it will make it easier. Bill Dance had a show on how to care for the back lash, by tightening your drag so much that the line spins against the knot and pulling it back out, however most times you have more than one knot, just repeat the process. I hope that helps a little, keep practicing and you'll love your reel.
Mike

[mintaka]

Oh yes , I have been practicing , and I love it already!! Convinced my mother to get me a new Ugly Stik Catfish rod to compliment the reel for upcoming birthday and broke it in Sat. night with a 5 pound blue. Need to get fresh line and I'll be good to go , save for the decreasing amount of backlashes!! Thanks!!

[Salthart]

A lot of the time the birds nest is started on release, long before the bait/weight ever hits the water. I find that getting in a smooth launch means as much as "feathering" the spool at the end of a cast.
So my advice would be to "Lob" your casts and feather the spool on release. From there it is a matter of timing. Don't let Your bait hit the water without your thumb on the spool. Or more to the point, Stop the spool as the bait hits the water or just before.
Back lash is simply where the spool outruns the outgoing line. And you can practice in your room. Put your weight on the line and reel it to the eye. Now lay the rod tip and the weight on the floor and work at lifting the rod off the weight. Leave the weight on the floor. Watch your spool as you do and stop the spool before you run out of lift room. As you play with it, you will see how the spool reacts to a quick jerk compaired to a smooth start.
Loading the spool so that it matches the speed of the weight is the key on the start of your cast and stopping or slowing the spool as the bait hits the water is the other half. It hits the water and slows down big time but your spool needs you to make it do the same.
My first baitcast reel was a "Quick" Many years ago and it was well used when I got it. Gave me a fit for a while but I wish I still had it. Once you get the hang of it, You'd never go back.
Good luck.

[BubbaCat]

un spool what would be your best cast,:big_smile: then a little more .:big_smile:put athletic tape across the spool, reel in, that will keep the nest confined to the line you are using. :big_smile:
if the fish take's more line, the tape will peel off.:big_smile: Happy fishing!

[AwShucks]

I'd also recommend, with all the other information you have been presented, that you make a trip to Walmart, Targets' John Hancock Fabrics or similar stores and buy an assortment of knitting needles. Keep them in your tackle box or boat. They really help getting into the meat of the problem. LOL Your buddies laugh at you, just bury the needle. ROTFLMAO They'll quit.

[arizhunter]

You'll like baitcasters once you get the hang of them. When I was a kid the old baitcasters didn't have drags so you thumbed the spool when the fish made a run. That old nylon braided line would burn the hell out of your thumb when that happened. Often we would dunk our hand & reel in the water to cool things down. When I bought my first Ambassadeur (used) I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I've been using Ambassadeurs ever since.

Even after 40-some odd year I still get an occasional backlash. It keeps me humble.
When I was kid that what everyone I knew used. I don't even remember not knowing how to use a baitcaster I think it's kind of like learning to riding a bicycle once you know you don't think about it but if your not careful you still can crash. I still backlash once in awhile :smile2:

[Snagged2]

I think I learned ,, here on this site,, it's Not a backlash,,,, It's referred to as a "Professional Overrun!!!":crazy:

I've always called them a Phyllis Diller,, but, some won't know what I'm talkin about...:wink: