Ok , I have been fishing a baitcaster for about 7 yrs now and I have a problem. My thumb is not ignorent, it knows what it is suppossed to do when I cast. My thumb is stupid be cause I know I should have my thumb on the spool I very seldom ever do. The only good thing about this is I have gotten very good at getting out a backlash. Is there any thing I can do to make my thumb smarter? Any help would be appreciated.

Set your brake better. I can cast all mine without holding my thumb on there. Thats why I use 7 rods when I go out. All setup different and set to the weight of the lure.

Funny you should put it that way. A friend I introduced to fishing, and baitcasting on his second trip out, says his thumb is 'stupid' too. He kept saying that exact thing. I told him no, he's in charge, he's stupid, NOT his thumb, but I know what he meant.

He knows he's supposed to feather it, but his thumb goes up 90 degrees while casting. WTH? I know he's trying too hard. I'd put his brake on for awhile, but for distance I lessened it and whammo, over run. I told him to go home and practice, tossing at something close and only concentrating on the thumb, then working back.

Funny this is, his second ever 'bass', last trip out, was caught on a buzzbait. It never left the surface during the fight, guess what it turned out to really be?

most of the time if your reel is set right to the bait you do not need to thumb it. try casting smoother, without a sudden stop but a follow through.
I started with a garcia 5000 in about 1967 and still catch myself backlashing when I try to overcast the lure. trying too hard to get distance or accuracy will cause most of your backlashes.

Everyone does everyonce in a while. I do it every time I go fishing, just cause I try to hard and over cast, here recently I got a new rod and reel, was used to a old crappy pole with a crappy reel, bearings were shot in it. I got a new rod and real, I couldn't cast for nothing, now I can't cast my crappy rod. Needs trashed but I still have it for some odd reason. Set your brake a hair each time you back lash, until you hit the spot. I like mine to wear I can cast super hard and not have my thumb on at all. Less distance, but more time fishing and not fixing a birds nest.

First thing that comes to mind is "crappy reels". If you are buying the cheap reels the issues your are having are to be expected. These reels have cheap bearings, breaks, etc. which makes it almost impossible for even the best to be consistant. My suggestion would be to buy a quality reel and this should help A LOT!! Good luck.

See http://www.bassfishing.org/BassFishingTips-HowToThrowABaitcastingReel.htm

practice practice practice.... (hint: this is an excuse to fish more lol)

+1 - excellent how to.