A baitcaster is a reel with a revolving spool that sits on top of a fishing rod with a trigger handle. They allow various types of baits, whether live or fake, to be cast with ultimate precision. Modern baitcasters will typically come with brakes set in place to help reduce the risk of backlash; however, older reels may not have any brakes – also, more skilled fishermen will sometimes opt out of using the brakes in order to cast a little further or when going extra light on the bait, but how?
How do you cast a baitcaster with no brakes? To cast a baitcaster without brakes, you would use what is called an “educated thumb.” It is when you leave your thumb to hover over the spool while casting, and feathering the spool to either stop it or slow it down at the right time, thus preventing backlash.
This method is not recommended for beginners. If you came here as a novice, thinking that you might do better without the braking system, then let me help you to understand why the braking system would be necessary for you in the first place. And only after, can you decide if you would want to start with or without a braking system set into place.
Parts of a Baitcaster
Before going any further, I will explain the three main parts of a baitcaster that you will need to know when you decide to use one for the first time:
The Drag
You will find the drag on the side close to the handle of the reel. It is used to set and regulate the tension put on the line while wrestling with your catch. The tighter you make the drag, the more difficult it then becomes for the fish to take more line with it.
The Braking System
Think of how the brakes on your bike operate. The harder you squeeze your handle breaks; the more resistance is put on the tires, and your pace gradually slows, with you controlling its speed, until you eventually come to a complete stop. The very same can be said about how a baitcaster works.
The braking system on a baitcasting reel is so you can control the rotation of the spool as you are casting. The amount of “brake” you contribute to the reel will determine how much resistance is given to the spool. And while that will alleviate the chances of you getting a rat’s nest with your line, it will also impact the distance of your cast.
It is advisable for those just starting to use baitcasters to implement the braking system until they become more comfortable with the reel. Even if you’ve had luck with other reels, it is better to go amateur than overestimate your skill. No one is perfect; accidents can still happen.
The Spool Tension Knob
Another way to control the speed of your spool is by adjusting the spool tension knob. The braking system is used for larger line limitations, but this knob is used with specificity. Depending on the lure you might want to use for that day, you can set the knob to accommodate the weight of that lure and allow you better accuracy when casting your line.
What is Backlash, and How Do I Avoid It?
Backlash occurs when the lure slows after casting out, but the spool proceeds to spin at a higher speed, which results in a rat’s nest. The benefit of using a baitcaster is that you are given more precise guidance over your cast. But because of the occasional backlash, this is the main cause of people deciding against using a baitcaster. Here are some ways that you can avoid backlash:
- Choose the right line, rod, and lure. Shorter rods will help provide you with better control, especially when you are just starting out. You also want a line that is not as difficult to untangle—Mono line would be sufficient in this case. The kind of lure that you will want is one with some weight on it; the lighter lures would not be able to keep up with the reel and will not cast out fast enough.
- Do test casts and continue to adjust as needed. When you first start, the brake system should be at the highest possible setting to give you better control and less movement when you practice. The more comfortable you become, the sooner you can decrease the amount of tension to then allow longer baits.
- Overall, there is not a wrong or right setting; you have to find one that suits you best. Just make sure the braking system and spool tension is adjusted to whatever setting you find prevents the most backlash. You do not want your lure falling too fast or too slow, but somewhere in between.
- Do not cast out too far in the beginning. Again, do not overestimate yourself when trying a baitcaster for the first time. Get used to the set adjustments you made for yourself and cast out on shorter distances.
- Do not cast against the wind. Test out how the wind will push your bait and line. If you try to cast against the wind, you will end up slowing down the lure as the reel keeps going.
- Practice, practice, practice. You could always practice somewhere of open space that is not around water using a practice casting plug. Making sure that the possibility of backlash minimizes with each time you cast.
Line Conditioner
There is another way to prevent backlash, and it is called a line conditioner. It not only reduces the number of backlashes you have, but it is also supposed to increase your casting distance by acting as a lubricant to the line and helps it come off the reel with less friction. It will soften the line, making it more ductile, plus stealing away the amount of memory it has from being rotated around the spool.
Even if you do get a rat’s nest, with the line being oiled up, it will be easier to manage. Braid line especially, since it sometimes has a habit of looping over itself even when you didn’t backlash – like when you flip and pitch or just cast short. And you will not need to douse your line in this stuff; a little bit can go a long way.
There are a few different ways that you can apply the line conditioner. One option is to first cast your line out as far as you possibly can and then spray the spool as you begin to reel only a bit of the line in at a time. Another option is once again making a long cast, then dipping or soaking a cloth with the liquid and running your line through the cloth as you reel it back in.
I would recommend you do this before you try to cast it out any more so that it will have enough time to dry. The night before would probably be your best. Once it is all lubed up and dried, you are ready to go.
Despite not needing to use a bunch, some do opt to use the stuff throughout the day, as well. If you are afraid that will lose its performance while constantly being exposed to the water. You can do a short reapplication. Another thing that line conditioner is good for are the occasions that you decide to fish out in the cold. Line conditioner will prevent your casted line and line in the spool from freezing.
If you want, you could even make your own line conditioner. First, wash your line off with water and dish soap, then soak the entirety of the line in a hair conditioner that contains silicone for about 15-20 minutes. After that, rinse off the reel and set it somewhere to dry. Lastly, coat the line with a non-solvent, silicone lubrication spray. Make sure you spray it outside, though.
The 4 Types of Casting Brake Systems
Having knowledge about the types of braking systems and how they work is also beneficial to know before you choose to use them or get rid of them:
Centrifugal
This system exploits the friction of the brake blocks pressed inside of the brake ring. There are tabs that come out when the spool spins as fast as possible, and those tabs then rub against the brake ring to aid the spool in spinning too fast. By letting the spool spin too fast, you create backlash as soon as you cast out.
As the spool begins to slow down, the tabs do not have as much force pressing them against the brake drum. This permits the spool to continue spinning at a regulated speed while the bait and line are moving. This system can produce better results at the beginning of a cast to decreases the chances of backlash.
Magnetic
These reels use an arrangement of magnets and steel rings or disks to lessen the speed of the spool as it is spinning. These work better close to the end of the cast because a slower spinning spool rides smoother along the magnetic pull.
Sometimes a magnetic brake will situate itself while casting with the help of a centrifugal clutch to switch the magnetic force. But this type of magnetic system will work better at the beginning of the cast rather than at the end like the typical magnetic brakes do. Though it seems to be more effective on the magnetic ones.
Dual
Of course, this is a mixture of the two. This is to help with both the beginning and end of a cast. It can also give you a more relaxed time when dealing with the wind.
The dual brake is ideal for beginners just learning how to use a baitcaster. However, it would not give you the chance to learn how to control the cast on your own. If you wish to be proficient with any reel, then do not rely solely on a dual brake system. Once you get comfortable with it, move on to the next type until you are familiar with each of them.
Your “Educated” Thumb
When all else fails, or you have opted to do away with the brakes completely. The point of the brakes is so that you would not have to continue using your thumb, but aside from the experts that purposefully do not implement the mechanical braking systems, there are occasions when you may have to.
Sometimes your cast might escape you because of wind or currents that have your lure finding its way back towards you. During these times, when your reel is not ready to stop the spool before your lure hits the water, you would need to use your thumb to keep from getting any backlash.
If you would like to see how this might work, here are two videos showing you exactly how to cast using the “educated thumb” method:
DC Caster
I’m throwing in this last one as a bonus. It has been patented by Shimano, but many may not yet know about it. The digital control, or DC caster is a waterproof, self-energizing caster that is controlled by a computer chip placed inside the reel. Every time you cast, the reel recharges itself. You do not need batteries or any other power source.
During the initial cast, energy is generated by the rotating spool and is then collected by the DC circuit boards and charges the Digital Braking System for casts made afterward. The Digital Braking System analyzes conditions and gives the right amount of braking force necessary for the cast.
This new technology entering the fishing world makes it possible to cast long distances smoothly and accurately while keeping the possibility of a rat’s nest to a minimum. The DC caster makes fishing in windy conditions a breeze and less of a struggle when casting with lighter baits.
The Curado DC takes away the need to know about the settings or physics behind baitcasting reels. The chip will gladly take care of your spool speed so that you only have to worry about making casts. Thanks to its I-DC4 braking system has 4-settings and an externally adjustable brake dial. This braking system will keep you from having to constantly adjust the reel manually.
The Metanium DC’s braking is done with the I-DC5, which calculates 1000x a second the precise braking force needed for the spool while casting. You would only have to choose the type of lure and line you want to use; the reel will do the rest. This one, in particular, is great for black bass, pike and zander/perch fishing.
The I-DC5 braking system is the more recent one. It has 2 different dial adjustments. The inside dial, you can adjust which line you would prefer to use. The outside dial you would move depending on the lure you are using. This particular braking system utilizes more magnets than the other system. With the added magnetism, the brake force can be evened out more.
Adjusting the Baitcaster
The most important thing you need to know about the three systems that were just previously spoken in detail is that all three work in concurrence with the cast control cap, or spool tension cap. You need to adjust the spool tension for the weight of the bait you are using. It should not be set tighter than the slow fall rate of the bait.
Often times, people will set that as their initial setting and then proceed to tighten the cap as they go along, but what happens is you put more pressure on the spool shafts and tensions than what they are made to handle. You will come to find that the parts will wear down a lot quicker, and you will have to continue to set it all at the same tension. If you have an issue with backlash, at max tension of slow drops, then you’ll have to use the brakes rather than the tension cap.
For a magnetic brake, you should turn the magnets before setting the spool tension, so the fall rate is not affected by the magnets, thus setting the tension correctly. Once you set the tension, you are free to revert the magnet dial to how you had it. The same rules apply for a dual system.
For a centrifugal brake, loosen the spool tension cap before opening the side over to get to the tabs. Without loosening the cap first, when you go to close it again, you may end up damaging the inside. So, remember: loosen, open, set pins, and close. Once all that is complete, you can reset your tension.
The more skilled you become at casting with the brakes, you will become more comfortable with lessening the tension. However, when using less braking, you may end up trying to make up for that with more tension. If you find yourself doing that, then I best advise you use more brakes.
There is nothing wrong with using brakes. But if you feel as if you are just as skilled without the brakes and also do not need much tension, then by all means cast away!