I have an Abu Ambassadeur 5500 3C and can NOT cast it without a bird's nest. I adjust the tension so the weight just very slowly sinks to the ground. Line is 12 lb. Trilene XL "Smooth Casting," or so it says on the spool label. Hard casts, easy casts, high casts, low casts, light weight, heavy weight, no matter what, it makes a mess I end up having to cut out. I sometimes try to thumb it a little just before it lands, but it doesn't make any difference. I'm 72, been fishing for about 70 of those years, but all spinning. Kinda embarrassed to be asking this! A different line, maybe? Should I keep my thumb on it during the entire cast?

I had a couple doing same thing. What I found that worked was take off cast control knob inside there are square shims I added 2 to one reel 1 to the other they work fine now.
You can get shims at southwest parts in Dallas.
Try that they are pennies

First off forget all about that embarrassing issues. There ain't a single one here not have backlash issues. Sure some more than others, don't let that get in your head though. What I would do with your setup, which it would help to know what rod your using but this will help you by just crank down on the tension adjustment more.

Text box has you start out just like you mention. Let's just give it some more. Then get you a practice plug and would be good if you can get 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 oz... I like to have all three of these for working on my stuff, I also dedicate a swivel to each of these plugs, help keep your line from twisting up while your throwing the plug in the yard, park or at the lake.

Next thing I like to do before I start chunking, I wrap the plug, which is tied on now; around something to hold it in place, fence, door handle gate, that sort of thing. Then click the spool to free and step across the area your going to be throwing. Step off more than what you would be casting, then click the spool closed and grab the line at the end of the rod, then I like to really stretch the line out and do this 3 or 4 times.

With old line and some new ones I have bought, it has all this coiled up memory in it. This stretching exercise will remove that. Test the line by letting it lay across the grass all relaxed, if it's still got coiling curls in it, then pull it some more, keep doing that till the line lays flat when at rest.

Now with the tension adjustment cranked down more try cast. Heck not knowing what stick you have, but start out with the 1/2oz and get you a few casts working. Then easy up the tension adjustment a little, and get a few more casts.

Once you get that more reliable, change to the 3/8oz plug and repeat till you get things more likeable. The Ambassadors are not the more easy to throw, so don't give up to soon. Certainly don't over fill the spool with to much line either as that will irritate this more also.

Well
It will help you fish slow
I know

Butch,

That's a good point, it also has helped me figure out the trix on picking the backlash out of my reel too. There are a few things to look for in the backlash and how to grab those places in the mess and you can pull them out freeing up the mess.

Getting the memory out of the line is a huge benefit for me, but you get a 1/4oz bait tied on and try tossing it into a stiff wind, your just going to need to run the tension adjustment down much more, thumb it some and expect to pick a few backlash out, or as you mentioned slow way down on fishing while you pick these out.

You must " educate " your thumb. When using the same reel you are using , I thumb every cast. from the beginning of the cast .

Start with a heavy weight , cast that until you can control it . then practice with progressively lighter weights.

good luck

MO

PS good advice above about stretching your line.

PM sent

Thanks for all the replies! I need to replace the line (I think I'll go with 17lb XL) and get some more practice in, especially using my thumb more. As far as weights, these days, since I don't boat any more, most of my fishing is just casting punch bait out from a bank somewhere, so I do tend to use heavier end tackle, maybe up to a whole ounce. I won't be casting any 1/4 oz baits with this rig; I'll go to my spinning gear for something like that. I'm also thinking about respooling it with 50 lb braid (sufix 832) instead of mono. I use braid on all my spinning reels, so I'm used to handling it.

The braid will cast well, mainly since it has no memory. I use braid on most of my reels. I do tie on a fluorocarbon leader on the business end, for whatever I doing. I use a blood-knot to attach the braid and fluorocarbon together.


That rig will run great with 1oz sinker, just tend to the tension adjustment and let her sing.

Thanks for all the replies; it looks like I figured it out. After decades of spinning, it's nice to have a baitcaster again! I took it all apart and cleaned it up, lubed everything (Sprinco Machine Gun Lube), and spooled it with 50 lb. Sufix 832. Adjusted the tension and tried a few casts in the back yard, paying extra attention to what I was doing with my thumb. Worked perfectly. Now I'm ready for some catfishin' !

attaboy. Little TLC goes a long way. Love my old school ambassadors, excellent workhorse for hauling in cats.