i got a basic baitcaster i believe its an Shakespeare baitcaster light medium and my settings are off or im retarded because i watch the basspro channel all day on outdoor channel but i cant ever get a smooth cast more than about 10ft and anymore im backlashing. any advice on how to tune it so i can get a smooth cast would be greatly appreciated.

adjust the tension knob to where the bait will slowly fall on its own. I'm gonna assume that it doesnt have an external braking system, so that will be your best bet. you can also pull out a bunch of line and put some tape down over the remaining line...then the backlash wont go too deep.

hate to tell you this but its the reel. cheap ones are hard to set and they dont stay set.spend a little more if you can and upgrade.its very hard to learn on low grade reel.

he's right.

Click this link to watch some how to videos. And welcome to the TFF.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...0.0.MiVtc9S61tA

It mostly the reel. Trade the shakey to some one you dont like and skip lunches and get a good med price reel. Look in the classified adds and wait for a good one. The learn to tune one. Rod can be a part of it also.

Keep practicing.get to know you're equipment practice in backyard you look like a nerd but who cares you will be ready

I went through this 2 years ago when I switched over from Crappie and spincasters.

1) Take 100 feet of line out or so and then tape it before reeling it in.
2) start with tension really tight and just slowly backing off as you get comfortable.
3) if braking system I heard to alternate them in and out around.
4) use heavier baits.
5) cast smoothly, no whipping.
6) learn the feel of having your thumb gently on the spool knowing when to slow it down.
7) always stop spool with thumb or reel before bait hits water.
8) avoid casting into wind until you get more comfortable.

I have been through each of the above multiple times. Haven't had a good backlash in last 10 days of fishing though, it gets much better. still trying to master the skip and flip though.

Bs. Just needs some one to show him how to do it, today's cheap reels are better than the old reels when it comes to backlash resistance, and people fished with those.

+1 practice is the number one key, if you learn to cast a cheap one you'll be able to cast anything.

Line makes a huge difference I found suffix siege to be the easiest to cast. adjust the tension knob until you get a slow steady fall and when the bait hits the ground it won't try to overrun the spool

I AGREE

Rob Lay did a nice job explaining. A couple things I'd add is make sure your "lure" is hanging down from your rod tip about 3 or 4 feet or so and cast to the sky, not to the water (or ground) about 10 oclock or so. Think of your lure as the bottom of a pendulum and your line as the length of the pendulum. You want your lure to make a long ark. And like Rob said, increase thumb pressure a little on the spool just before it hits the water. During most of the cast, your thumb should barely "tickle" the spool.

Tighten your spool tension knob and turn on all your breaks. Also when you free spool the lure should come out slowly not all of a sudden. And the spool should spin just a little after it hits the ground.

The less line you have On the spool the easier it is to cast. If its filled to the max, you're gonna have fits throwing it.