I just purchased Daiwa Pro-caster XHL baitcasting reels for myself and my SO. We’ve fished with them once and have some questions for anyone familiar with this kind of reel:
How long does it take to get used to this kind of reel where you’re not taking apart a bird next every 1-2 casts?
I can’t seem to get much distance with this reel - I think because I’m afraid to have the spool spin out of control. I loosen the spool a bit and I get an instant tangle. Is there something I’m doing wrong and should I be able to cast pretty far with this thing?
I have an anti-backlash dial on this. What exactly is this doing and should I have it set on off or 10 or somewhere in between?
Any other baitcasting reel tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
It can take a bit of practice to get the hang of it - you’ve got lots more backlashes ahead of you. It took me a good solid month of fishing every afternoon before I got any good with my reel.
Try practicing with a heavy lure (use a HullaPopper or something big like that) and adjust the reel so that there’s some tension on the line, but not too much (too little and you get a reel that keeps on spinning long after the lure’s reached its destination). The heavy weight of the lure will go farther, take out more line, and give you more time to coordinate manually slowing the reel (I use my thumb right on the spool - I’ve never moved my anti-backlash dial that I know of. I keep it set right in the center). Cast, watch the lure, and as it is reaching the destination start applying pressure with your thumb. You’ll eventually learn to put the lure anywhere you want. Light-weight lures don’t offer you enough time from the time you cast them to the time they hit the water to get much practice or feel for the reel. It is sort of like developing the feel for a clutch in a car.
As an aside, I stopped using my bait casting reel for anything other than jigging or trolling. They don’t require that you actually cast the lure anywhere - just drop it overboard.
For more fun and excitement, take up flyfishing. That’s another technique that can try your patience at first, but it really is a whole lot of fun. Catching a 5lb largemouth on a flyrod (I used a popping bug on a farm pond at about 6:30 in the morning) is a hoot - the damn rod nearly bent over double.
It does take practice. One good tip I was given is that a sidearm cast is less likely to produce a bird’s nest than an overhand cast. Also, like plnnr said, use your thumb on the spool to regulate the speed of its spin. (Use a light touch, though.)
plnnr, thank you for the good tips. I will have to try a heavy lure to get more time and feel of it.
spoke-, I like the side arm cast because that is what I am used to. Glad to know at least that is working in my favor! I’ve noticed that with an overhead cast, when the bait hits its highest point and starts to drop, the spool could still be spinning until it hits the water. Nest city. When I sidecast, there is a lot less time for the spool to go nuts and I feel more in control of my line.
I do sometimes lightly touch my thumb to the spool when I sense that I should be stopping it soon. Not so much as to stop the lure while it is flying but enough to prevent a big nest. Any more tips are greatly appreciated!
Practice, practice, practice. Preventing backlashes is a matter of getting used to using your thumb on the spool to slow the spool and then stopping it just as your lure reaches the target. I used to get my best distance by letting the tip of the rod do the work. Of course, that was a steel rod, since my learning period predated much use of a spinning reel or glass rods. YMMV. I used a practice lure (no hooks) and an old automobile tire as a target–it got the dog cranked up and scared hell out of the chickens.
There should be a dial on the right side of the reel, or it is attached to the reel device itself. Put a heavy lure on, then depress the line switch so the lure drops. If the magnetic drag is not set it will fall quickly and rat nest. So adjuct the magnetic drag accordingly so the lure falls at a medium speed and does not nest up. This will allow you to get used to your new reel and practice with your thumb…
It is very accurate once you get it down, I mean look at Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance …They mastered it, so can you…
I have two dials on my reel - I know which one you mean, though - it controls how fast the spool spins. Too loose and my lure will drop and the spool keep spinning. Too tight and it just hangs there, unable to even pull line out.
What exactly does the anti-backlash dial do, then?
<Butthead>heh, heh, heh, he said master-bait</Butthead>
Oh come on people - it had to be done…
Seriously though I’m glad to see this thread. I just came into possesion of an older bait casting reel and was trying to research it’s worth. After finding out it wasn’t worth very much I decided to clean it up and at least play with it a bit (it is a reel for saltwater fishing and I am waaaay inland). I haven’t quite got the timing right but I am getting there. For me the heavier weights (I use washers) are much easier to control. It is also to cast / control using lighter line so if you are using very heavy line you might consider switching to something a bit lighter if that is an option.