I have, over the past year, been trying to develop my skills with baitcasters with little if any success other than one broken rod as a result of a back lash. Maybe one out of every 5 casts will I not get a backlash. I spend more time picking out tangles than fishing. I've used mid-range Daiwa's and Shimano's with similar results for both. I've almost come to the point of leaving the baitcasters at home and using what I have used, spinning reels, for the past 40 years. Maybe it's an age thing that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I follow all the instructions about setting the spool tension and practice practice practice but, wind up with the same results.
Does anybody have a magic "fix" for me or should I take my baitcasters back and forget it?
Thanks

IMO i'm @ the other end of the boat....i've used baitcasters all my life mostly ambassadors 5000,5500 XL mag,& mag plus and now a new diawa,i'm old school and tried to learn the spincast method....and just gave up.....with that being said & what i know about baitcasters make sure your line is compatable with the reel your usuing....some only take up to 12lb & if your usuing 17-20 lb on a light capacity reel it will backlash alot!
me i like the 15lb moss braided green spider line,it had the dia.of like 6lb line,i can cast into the wind and not backlash.try to spool up w/the correct line then attach your lure,bounce your lure downward & set your tension to where it stops after about a 12-24"drop.....hope this helps

Thanks bubba. I don't use spincast although my wife and grandaughter do, both are Zebco 33 'hardcores'. I use open face spinning reels.
I have tried reels that were loaned to me by a person that has used baitcasters for a number of years, both are Shimano Cruxis reels one loaded with 50 lb. Power Pro and the other with 30 lb fluro with the same resutls. My daiwa HSTA has 30 lb power pro which was recommended.

By the way I do use line conditioner each time. When i do get a cast with the baitcasters without a backlash they are only half the distance I can get with my spinning gear and I am using power pro braid on the spinning rigs as well except for fluro on my finese rig.

I had a old Diawa that was like that..I took pliers and tried to crank the dial down just to see and it didn't make a difference..The short distance on your cast, is because you do have it down too much..about all I know to do is learn to use this...

First, toss your fear of back lashing & remember your thumb is your break. If you back lash as much as you say, I'm sure you can tell when a cast is going wrong & clamp that thumb down hard.

Put on a 3/8th's to 1/2oz lure (less wind resistance the better).

Next, pull all your wind breaks out (or on max). Then hold you lure up and let it fall while tightening your tension knob down until your bait stops.

Then, make sure you have at least 4-5 inches of line between bait & lure.

When you are ready to cast, VERY IMPORTANT, make sure when you are in the swing to release you lure that will start out with an upward trajectory. This is usually 5 degrees past 90 degrees. Wind & other conditions will affect this, but this will get you buy until you get the hang of it. This will not cast far at all but you'll have the training wheels on and build you confidence up.

Now, when you get this down with out backlashing, take on wind brake off. Repeat & rinse.

You may have to do this each time you get out to fish to get back intouch with the equipment.

I know your frustration but hang in there, it's a superior way to fish in many cases.

Thanks guys I really do appreciate it. I guess my problem is that I had rather be fishin' than pickin' tangles. It's really confusing to me but, I can cast a big penn reel surf fishing and 99% of the time not get a back lash but, put the small reel in my hands and I'll birds nest it 99% of the time.

your thumb is your friend here.first off braid on a baitcaster for a rookie is alittle tricky.put some good old mono with plenty of strech on there.make sure your bait stays taunt to the line as you cast.use a rod with some tip to it and let the rod help you.don't try and make world record casts or little baby casts both will give you problems...hang in there.us old dogs can learn and teach plenty....rick

Come to think about it my big penn reels have mono on them. Thanks Rick I do appreciate what you have said as well as the other folks that have responded. Mike

let your rod cast the lure,not your arm,I am sure you are doing this, but your hand stays in front of you not back behind your head when you cast tighten the dial down and loosen it a little till you have it correct............

Thanks JWC I appreciate it. I thought I heard somewhere that it is important to keep the reel 45 degrees from verticle during the cast?

if you can get one, its easier to start with magnetic brake & you can adjust it as you get better

One factor that helped me more than any other is to turn your wrist so that your palm is facing downward. This works well on an overhand cast. When casting sidearm, your basically doing the same thing. It allows the line to come off the side of the spool, which acts as somewhat of a brake.

Thanks bab the daiwa has mag brakes.
Thanks gambler that's what I meant by the 45 degree angle but, I realized it wasn't clear the way I wrote it. Mike

With the spinning outfit the cast is all in the wrist and not necessarily arm and shoulder movement. Please correct me if I am wrong but, the proper baitcast technique requires full arm and at least partial shoulder movement.

does any one know of a bait caster that you can use to throw lite lures and jigs with or is ther some way to rig a regular baitcaster like a shimano citica are maybe on ofthose h20 people are talking about

find a rod with limber tip it make it easier to throw when just learnig ???? rod is also your friend along with your thumb try this one trip or carry that big smoke pole the power pro will not break //once that fish is hooked close to open water take your time

Thanks to everyone that has responded! You are what makes this forum as good as what it is.

I think if you throw the same lure consistently at first it will help you too. Use a 3/4 oz or 1oz. I would not go lighter. Use short casts first. Use 20pd test if possible or larger cause it is easier to see to get a backlash out. (green line or anything but clear) One trick I heard about but haven't tried is...pull out as much line as you feel comfortably throwing...put a piece of tape under that. That way when you throw as far as comfortable at first....you will only backlash TO THE TAPE, and not all up under. If need be you can cut off the line to the tape. That is much less trouble than respooling. I am new to them too...just got my first one in Dec for my birthday. Also use a line conditioner everytime until you feel more comfortable. Try a side armed cast at first too. Then graduate to an overhead only when you are comfortable and successful with that. This is all a newbie's impressions, and this has helped me.

kelkay - Thanks. I may be a little too inpatient.

No problem, I certainly understand. I can throw side armed fine, overhead...now that is another story. But I do all types of fishing, and I don't just use baitcasters...plus I am just getting into fly fishing too. I am trying to be a well rounded angler...hehehe.

I'll keep trying but, my spinning outfits will not be too far away.

One day it will click for you, like it did for me. Just relax. It will happen. Kinda like a little light coming on for you....
My son got a baitcasting combo from a friend today. I cannot believe it but that boy can already cast it. Some people just have a natural talent for these things, some don't. I was in the don't dept myself. Just don't give up and you will master the thing. :-)

One other thing. Don't try to cast hard. That is to say use a smooth fluid motion when casting as opposed to flinging it around with everything you have. Trying to cast hard to get distance will contribute to backlashes. Someone mentioned letting the rod do the work. That is right on. Bring the rod back and use the wrist to snap the rod tip. The rod tip will load up and send the cast. Thumb the reel always. You will learn the "feel" of how much it will take as you do it more.

Go with someone who casts a bait caster and have them give you tips. It's something that you eventually "break through" on. One day you will wonder how it was ever that hard.

I never use a spinning rod. When I cast it generally went straight up in the air. I went on a trip in Florida where they hardly use anything else. After the guide watched my bait caster casting method he gave we some tips on what not to do. It was like, "Yup I can see you never have casted anything but a bait caster. By the end of the day I was 1000% better. I still wanted a bait caster because I knew I could out distance the guides spinning rod. We were throwing Mirrodines. He was giving me static about Texans and their bait casters. I figure I could have out cast him by 5 or 10 yards as long as the bait had some weight to it.