Young Man, you are a natural teacher/instructor. I am a retired Agriculture Science Teacher, I know a God given gift when I see it. Keep doing what you love and you will never consider what you do for a living "work"
Fan-BASS-Tic advice! I'm a 67-year-old BassHole who just weeks ago started using a baitcaster. Your tips are much appreciated. Once the weather clears, I'll put your tips to work! Thanks! Roger, The Smiling BassHole
Your video was like a tornado siren suddenly going off in my head. I, while a somewhat proficient angler, have been casting in all the wrong ways. Kudos to you. You are ALWAYS my first go to when studying how to be the best angler possible.
It's kinda wild seeing a spot I like to fish on these educational videos. It's cool to know o share the waters with high level people like yourself. Hope to see you out there sometime.
That arm tuck helped me so much. Helped to make sure my thumb was in perfect position and there was no flailing. Not a single birds nest in an hour after watching this. Thank you
Great advice, I wish this video was around whenever I first started. You just taught in 15 minutes what has taken me 10 years to learn through trial and error. While my casting is pretty good and consistent by now I am always looking to improve and knowing what to look for now will surely help me improve my casting I really enjoyed the tip about lifting your rod tip to make a more subtle presentation as that has been my main struggle is getting it to land quietly. I’ve already got good thumb control and I think that lifting the rod tip is the missing ingredient. I really enjoy your videos keep up the good work. I wish you tight lines and have a great day.
Best casting video EVER. I mean EV-ER!!! Thank you so much. You are an outstanding teacher, hope you will teach us more "hability" skills in the near future.
Thx Jonny for your video on casting. This is the best detailed, breakdown on how to learn to cast a baitcaster reel. Do u think u can teach us the overhead cast and flipping cast?
Reading the comments below and I see I am not alone, this is the best casting tutorial, hands down, that I've seen anywhere. I Watched this video for the first time 3 years ago when I was first learning how to cast a baitcaster and it really helped me then. Coming back to it now as I am trying to improve and refine my casting skills and it was massively helpful. Greatly appreciate your gift as a teacher, thank you!
So I just got my first baitcaster a few days ago, after always using spincasters, and watched all kinds of videos about how to use it. None of them actually explained the side arm cast in detail like you did. I think this video will have a drastic effect on my casting with it now. No one ever explained about the "looping" of the bait to cast. I was doing exactly what you said, stopping and then casting. It all clicked with this video. I can't wait to get back out fishing with it now.
This video is great. There is nothing better than seeing beginner anglers get better and you can literally see the smile on his face grow as he gets better at casting, and hes not even catching a fish! great stuff keep it up!
I tried this yesterday and it works great! I'm not a beginner by no means and this was a great pro tip. I pretended the worm bag was under my arm just like you said, made a few adjustments and practiced it and was amazed how well it worked. I also ended up skip casting using this like the guy in the video accidentally did...good stuff! Thanks Johnny!!!
Ok. I’m 45 years old and have been bass fishing since I could hold a fishing rod and I didn’t know these things. You have seriously just taught me something! Liked and subscribed!
By far most informative baitcaster, casting video i have ever watched and ive been using baitcasters for over a year now and learnt 4 new tips 😂 today tip 5 just came to me in the beginning…
Hey Johnny your awesome bro that was a nice thing to do with a young man teach him how to cast properly. GOD bless you and your family your pal fisherman Mike. Ps you taught me how to cast I will start practicing these techniques you showed him and us thanks again Johnny your an awesome person bro.
Wow. That’s making me try immediately to go out again and cast. Very very helpful and clever exercises! Maybe the best video I have seen so far for baitcasting!!! Well done man and very helpful! I have to check out the rest of your videos now! You have a new fan from Germany 😂✌🏼 greetings and fish on!
You casting videos are very helpful and your way of presenting this training is great. The way you broke down every part is what I needed. I'm heading to the yard to practice.
Wow , I always wondered how they made the lure enter the water so quietly and never found anyone teaching this . I just went out to the pool even though it’s raining cats & dogs to try it . Works perfectly , now I feel like a pro lol . Thanks a bunch . Keeping posting teaching videos for us novice anglers . 👍
this help me sooo much! i just baught and learned how to use the baitcaster in a day but im working on my accuracy cause when i cast it always goes to my left (because im right handed). This video kinda fixed my error and now i can cast farther and more accurrately! you dont know how happy i am right now!
Thanks for the video I'm still trying to figure out my baitcaster lol I'm awesome at getting out a nest, but I saw when the student was trying to drop that bait with no splash he wasn't keeping his elbow in and I have the same problem along with many others using that reek but I'll be trying these tips out... I'll also have my spinning rig ready
Good video Jonny! It was nice to watch Ray receive your instruction. I also learned what I’m doing wrong in my casts. Somewhere along the way I developed some bad habits like the chicken wing. Time to practice and fix a few things!!!
Oh my goodness I have 25 years of bad habits. I for sure cast harder for more distance. Every cast has been different. Your how to videos are top notch. I know after the flipping/pitching video got me hitting a baseball cap in just a few minutes. Thanks for all you do.
Nice job Jonny! I like how you took the lesson one step at a time in bite sized pieces. I've been casting horribly! Nice job on your students part too. He was really applying what you told him. I'm watch MLF this morning and seeing all their casts are like you said. Sad I never noticed after months of watching. Thanks for opening our eyes!
Wow, no kidding 10 minutes, seriously gained about 20 ft consistently , actually feel like I had decent control.. great video, this is one ill save and always have a reference to count on.
My guy, I haven't seen anybody that can teach and train as good as you! And I have watched a ton of teaching videos! I'm from Hawai'i where fishing is life, my girl and I are planning to head up to Minnesota sometime this year, if you're ever around that state when we touch down, I'd sure love to link up and get some lesson from you, or even online bro! Anyways, subscribed and like bottom smashed bro! Keep on, keep it on!
3 main points: 1. Move the tip of the rod in a circular/figure8 motion as your casting 2. Keep your elbow INTO YOUR RIBS to reduce unnecessary movement (i.e. chicken winging) 3. Raise the tip of the rod after your cast to slow the bait down and reduce splash' Bonus: 4. Use thumb pressure (NOT the arm swing/pace), eg. use the same arm power for consistent casts
I fish from a kayak, so I am always sitting. I roll cast all the time. It is a little harder to keep the elbow close to the torso, but it can be done. Practice in a chair in your yard. Practice seated lower than you would be on the water and you will find it to be a lot easier when you are seated a little higher.
Yeah I agree with some others here. This is the best teaching I've seen on these reels and I'll be sure to share it with others. Planning on trying out what I've learned here tomorrow morning. Thanks!
I’m hucking woolly buggers within an inch of that basses life #frequentflyer. But seriously love your videos. Haven’t used a conventional rod in years but am totally digging your fish finder and map vids. Why do certain channel blow up on RUclips and all you get in thumbnails is their videos when they have been alive for years and you only watch the content they do? So weird. Anyway, I’m giving thumbs up to all your videos to keep your good vibes going. Here’s to a good spawn bite at everyone’s favorite creek channel in 4 months. Man I can’t wait.
Great video! How about some tips on thumb control and what to practice on when you just start out using a bait caster? There are beginners that need some help.
If you aren't comfortable with a bait caster, turn the centrifugal brakes up to 3/4 to full and tighten the cast control/spool tension knob so your bait barely falls under its own weight. Having the brakes this tight will eliminate the need to babysit the spool with your thumb until you really get the hang of it. It's more important to understand the fundamentals of good casting before adding the complexity of controlling the spool. If this is foreign to you, spend a few thousand casts (I'm not joking - maybe a full year) just mastering proper casting technique with a spinning reel. Having your brakes this tight will require you to cast basically the same as a spinning reel - just lift your thumb to release. Casting distance will be acceptable but frustratingly short and you won't be able to use very light baits. It's important to understand how the bait caster brakes work as well - nobody really explains this correctly all the time. Most people have it mostly right but screw up explaining some part of it. The centrifugal brakes (not all reels have this) come on above a certain RPM, you can increase or decrease the effect they have by turning on more centrifugal brakes, but no matter how many you have on, the engagement RPM threshold doesn't change. Magnetic brakes (not all reels have this either) are adjustable from minimum to maximum - they work from the spinning spool passing magnets to create an electrical resistance - the faster your spool spins, the higher the resistance. 99% of the time bait caster reels will have either centrifugal or magnetic brakes or both, but hardly ever neither. Centrifugal brakes only affect the beginning of your cast when the spool speed exceeds the threshold of the brakes - which isn't on every single cast (nobody explains this - you can cast in such a way that you're not actually ever using the centrifugal brakes). Magnetic brakes affect the entire distance of the cast and impart drag linearly according to spool speed. Lastly, spool tension affects the cast the whole time too - it creates drag by applying preload to the spool bearings - but it's most noticeable at the end of the cast when none of your other brakes are doing anything and your spool has a tendency to overrun when the bait stops and the spool doesn't. If you feel you have the hang of it, start loosening some brakes up a little at a time. I still use centrifugal brakes because it's pretty easy to cross the line of the spool spinning faster than the bait can accelerate through the air - there's just a maximum speed a bait can fly due to terminal velocity - but I remove all magnetic brakes and use the minimum spool tension. I will have on the minimum centrifugal braking to bring the spool back to reality if I happen to snap the rod tip and cause the spool to spin up that quickly past the RPM threshold; my spool tension knob is set so the spool doesn't wobble - that's it - I take out the play but I don't add any preload. My bait casters are very loose and very fast - I even use ceramic bearings in all of them. This requires that you drag your thumb on the spool at the release of the cast. As I reach my release point, instead of opening up my thumb (as you would a spinning reel to release line with your finger) I allow the spool to "feed" like you would when releasing the clutch on a car - I determine how long to drag my thumb by how the line feels coming off the spool - you'll feel it "fluffing" under your thumb. There's never really a point when you should fully thumb-off the spool, maybe briefly with some baits and a perfect cast, but I'm feeling the line under my thumb the whole cast, and as the bait slows down towards the end, you'll need to drag your thumb again to match the speed of the bait. I'm a visual/practical learner. The mental image in your head is that the bait reaches maximum speed at the moment of release and loses velocity in a constant rate until it stops, your job is to match this arc with the spool. However, complicating matters is physics: the spool robs energy from the bait's inertia to use as rotational energy, (if you were to simply lift your thumb up a backlash would occur because the bait goes from 100% velocity to 50% but the spool jolts to its maximum 100% speed - backlash is caused by line feeding off the spool faster than the bait can pull it out). By dragging your thumb you prevent the spool from beginning rotation so quickly and you equalize the speeds of the bait that is slowing down and the spool that is speeding up, attempting to match their speeds at the moment of release. A perfectly matched cast would allow you to fully lift your thumb for a brief moment after the cast. One would think that a spinning rod should then have a better casting distance since none of the bait's speed energy is transferred to anything else. The bait caster can maintain the same (if not better) casting distance by taking advantage of energy transfer over time. By dragging your thumb you spend more time (we're talking fractions of a second) applying energy to the spool to get it up to speed during the cast, but you're still casting/accelerating the bait at the same time, and thus you can still keep 100% bait speed and 100% spool speed. And since you're able to spool line out at roughly the same rate as the flying bait, you'll have less friction, no twist, and no guide/rod slap which equals much farther casts from a bait caster compared to a spinning setup.
Watch any video by Adam Royter for actual correct casting technique. Few people get it right or explain it well. The trick is that all the movement comes from the forearms and wrist, the rest of your body can remain stationary and relaxed - you're not pushing with your feet or hips, it's not a bat or golf club; proper technique has more in common with jumping on a trampoline than anything else. Load the rod and send the energy from your hands to the rod tip to the bait.
@@RyanMcIntyre this is a very well written explanation. I have been using a baitcaster for two years now and still not fully competent, this is the best explanation I have come across anywhere. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I look forward to becoming more proficient with a baitcaster as I prefer the "mechanics" and the accuracy, just have to educate my thumb more to work on the control aspect.
Young Man, you are a natural teacher/instructor. I am a retired Agriculture Science Teacher, I know a God given gift when I see it. Keep doing what you love and you will never consider what you do for a living "work"
Fan-BASS-Tic advice!
I'm a 67-year-old BassHole who just weeks ago started using a baitcaster. Your tips are much appreciated. Once the weather clears, I'll put your tips to work!
Thanks!
Roger, The Smiling BassHole
3 year old video that just made an instant difference on my baitcasting. Thanks so much!
I have used a baitcaster for over 30 years, and you have made me 100 percent better. Great instruction.
Hands down...the best baitcaster instructor on RUclips
Johnny, this is the best casting instruction I've seen yet. You've broken this down and explain things very well. Just excellent.
Can you do this on a spinning rod too ??
Ok that’s too much Johnny praising
@@SuperChriz92 your distance control is all about the velocity with spinning gear cause you can’t use the thumb to aid distance control
@@davidball6357 :)) No, I meant that. I’ve spend quite a bit of time describing fly-casting and it is not so easy to get across.
@@davidball6357 You can use a finger or hand to feather or snub the cast.
This has been the best tutorial on casting a bait caster that I have ever seen
5 minutes in and I have already learned more than 8-10 videos I've watched.
Did you just start paying attention after the 10 videos?
so good to see his stoke on such quick improvements!!
Your video was like a tornado siren suddenly going off in my head. I, while a somewhat proficient angler, have been casting in all the wrong ways.
Kudos to you. You are ALWAYS my first go to when studying how to be the best angler possible.
This is the equivalent to 100 other videos. Great work!
It's kinda wild seeing a spot I like to fish on these educational videos. It's cool to know o share the waters with high level people like yourself. Hope to see you out there sometime.
I am realy thanksfull , my first time with a baitcaster , greetings from Bangkok...
That arm tuck helped me so much. Helped to make sure my thumb was in perfect position and there was no flailing. Not a single birds nest in an hour after watching this. Thank you
Very well explained. You have done anyone struggling with a bait caster a huge favor.
Thank you for this video. I bought two bait casters and was about to give up. This gives me hope.
Great advice, I wish this video was around whenever I first started. You just taught in 15 minutes what has taken me 10 years to learn through trial and error. While my casting is pretty good and consistent by now I am always looking to improve and knowing what to look for now will surely help me improve my casting I really enjoyed the tip about lifting your rod tip to make a more subtle presentation as that has been my main struggle is getting it to land quietly. I’ve already got good thumb control and I think that lifting the rod tip is the missing ingredient. I really enjoy your videos keep up the good work. I wish you tight lines and have a great day.
Johnny your one heck of a teacher, appreciate everything you do😀
Best casting video EVER. I mean EV-ER!!! Thank you so much. You are an outstanding teacher, hope you will teach us more "hability" skills in the near future.
So glad I found this video. Without question the best instructional I’ve ever seen.
Thx Jonny for your video on casting. This is the best detailed, breakdown on how to learn to cast a baitcaster reel. Do u think u can teach us the overhead cast and flipping cast?
Reading the comments below and I see I am not alone, this is the best casting tutorial, hands down, that I've seen anywhere. I Watched this video for the first time 3 years ago when I was first learning how to cast a baitcaster and it really helped me then. Coming back to it now as I am trying to improve and refine my casting skills and it was massively helpful. Greatly appreciate your gift as a teacher, thank you!
So I just got my first baitcaster a few days ago, after always using spincasters, and watched all kinds of videos about how to use it. None of them actually explained the side arm cast in detail like you did. I think this video will have a drastic effect on my casting with it now. No one ever explained about the "looping" of the bait to cast. I was doing exactly what you said, stopping and then casting. It all clicked with this video. I can't wait to get back out fishing with it now.
This video is great. There is nothing better than seeing beginner anglers get better and you can literally see the smile on his face grow as he gets better at casting, and hes not even catching a fish! great stuff keep it up!
Just got my first baitcaster and tried these tips today. Thanks for making this video! It has been so helpful
Well done, your friend was a great trainee. Progress is so much fun.
Highly accomplished, humble and kind. Those are qualities that will help anyone catch a lot more than bass. Truly outstanding instruction. Thank you.
I tried this yesterday and it works great! I'm not a beginner by no means and this was a great pro tip. I pretended the worm bag was under my arm just like you said, made a few adjustments and practiced it and was amazed how well it worked. I also ended up skip casting using this like the guy in the video accidentally did...good stuff! Thanks Johnny!!!
I was staring at pro fisherman to learn how to cast like this, but this actually explained it! Thank you! 😁
Great video, more people will watch videos like that because they have never been taught the fundumentals, keep up the teaching videos. Thanks.
Ok. I’m 45 years old and have been bass fishing since I could hold a fishing rod and I didn’t know these things. You have seriously just taught me something! Liked and subscribed!
Excellent tutorial! I just got a bait caster and this s probably going to help me by leaps and bounds! Thank you for the videos!
Man, thank you! This is the best instruction I've seen on casting yet.
Outstanding.
By far most informative baitcaster, casting video i have ever watched and ive been using baitcasters for over a year now and learnt 4 new tips 😂 today tip 5 just came to me in the beginning…
man this is the best instruction i have found, thank you! i cant wait to get out and try these techniques
Thank so much for your great instructions 👍👍👍
Best video by far on RUclips regarding Baistcasting Casting Techniques
Just fantastic. Clear and simple advices, thank you so much.
Best I’ve seen. Detailed and thorough. You just caught me more fish. 🐠
Ok this one helped me! I’m old but new to bass fishing and I’ve struggled with consistency in my casts, thank you!
This is the best instructional video i have ever seen.
Hey Johnny your awesome bro that was a nice thing to do with a young man teach him how to cast properly. GOD bless you and your family your pal fisherman Mike. Ps you taught me how to cast I will start practicing these techniques you showed him and us thanks again Johnny your an awesome person bro.
keeping the armpit closed and your arm against your body and only using your wrist that is the best information I have got yet thank you
This was really good instructions 😁
Outstanding video, thank you so much!
You are a super hero. Great how to video.
Excellent video..tips make a lot of sense.
Great tutorial for us new baitcaster anglers -- Thank you!
Can't wait to practice these tips.
Ray is an intelligent young man. This is very help ful
Man perfect presentation for me to help teach my wife to get better with her casting. She is new to bait casting and this will really help.
This is the best how to video on this subject! Great job.
Wow. That’s making me try immediately to go out again and cast. Very very helpful and clever exercises! Maybe the best video I have seen so far for baitcasting!!! Well done man and very helpful! I have to check out the rest of your videos now! You have a new fan from Germany 😂✌🏼 greetings and fish on!
what a great teaching video. YOU really help the beginner
Jonny, thanks so much for this video! I have been struggling with skipping until I followed your tips and now I feel like an expert!
Thanks dude!!! Out of all the videos I saw this actually helped ...👍👍
Thank you for this
Really good instruction Jonny. Can’t wait to get out and try some of these techniques, especially raising the rod tip to soften the landing.
You casting videos are very helpful and your way of presenting this training is great. The way you broke down every part is what I needed. I'm heading to the yard to practice.
I might try bait casters again after watching this. Great video
Wow , I always wondered how they made the lure enter the water so quietly and never found anyone teaching this . I just went out to the pool even though it’s raining cats & dogs to try it . Works perfectly , now I feel like a pro lol . Thanks a bunch . Keeping posting teaching videos for us novice anglers . 👍
this help me sooo much! i just baught and learned how to use the baitcaster in a day but im working on my accuracy cause when i cast it always goes to my left (because im right handed). This video kinda fixed my error and now i can cast farther and more accurrately! you dont know how happy i am right now!
So many excellent tips. Thanks!! Videos that actually teach, explain and improve casts within minutes. Truly great teaching!
Thanks for the video I'm still trying to figure out my baitcaster lol I'm awesome at getting out a nest, but I saw when the student was trying to drop that bait with no splash he wasn't keeping his elbow in and I have the same problem along with many others using that reek but I'll be trying these tips out... I'll also have my spinning rig ready
Good video Jonny! It was nice to watch Ray receive your instruction. I also learned what I’m doing wrong in my casts. Somewhere along the way I developed some bad habits like the chicken wing. Time to practice and fix a few things!!!
I know this is an old video, but thank you for making it. You helped me learn baitcasting in a very easy to follow manner
Oh my goodness I have 25 years of bad habits. I for sure cast harder for more distance. Every cast has been different. Your how to videos are top notch. I know after the flipping/pitching video got me hitting a baseball cap in just a few minutes. Thanks for all you do.
Nice job Jonny! I like how you took the lesson one step at a time in bite sized pieces. I've been casting horribly! Nice job on your students part too. He was really applying what you told him.
I'm watch MLF this morning and seeing all their casts are like you said. Sad I never noticed after months of watching. Thanks for opening our eyes!
I've only been using baitcasters for a year and this is so helpful
great lesson, I can improve
my casting during these quarantine weeks.
Awesome vid, i always had problems getting the bait to land softly. Thanks for the help
It is Very useful lesson, thank you.
Wow, no kidding 10 minutes, seriously gained about 20 ft consistently , actually feel like I had decent control.. great video, this is one ill save and always have a reference to count on.
My guy, I haven't seen anybody that can teach and train as good as you! And I have watched a ton of teaching videos! I'm from Hawai'i where fishing is life, my girl and I are planning to head up to Minnesota sometime this year, if you're ever around that state when we touch down, I'd sure love to link up and get some lesson from you, or even online bro! Anyways, subscribed and like bottom smashed bro! Keep on, keep it on!
That is awesome you help people.. I used to use a 5 gallon bucket..to cast in flip in roll in helped me alot back in the day
Excellent video...and I’ve used baitcasters for 20 years
3 main points:
1. Move the tip of the rod in a circular/figure8 motion as your casting
2. Keep your elbow INTO YOUR RIBS to reduce unnecessary movement (i.e. chicken winging)
3. Raise the tip of the rod after your cast to slow the bait down and reduce splash'
Bonus:
4. Use thumb pressure (NOT the arm swing/pace), eg. use the same arm power for consistent casts
best casting vid on youtube by far
I fish from a kayak, so I am always sitting. I roll cast all the time. It is a little harder to keep the elbow close to the torso, but it can be done. Practice in a chair in your yard. Practice seated lower than you would be on the water and you will find it to be a lot easier when you are seated a little higher.
great tip, just started learning at baitcasting last year I float tube and was wondering if this would work with one.
Great tips nice instruction thank you Jonny
Great tips!
Fantastic information and presentation...I've got some practicing to do!
Almost forgot, could you do a video on long bomb casting , I find you will always teach me something new !!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Wow!!!!! Awesome job , really appreciate the content you put out !!!! Always the teacher first , you are awesome !!!!!
very good tips!
Your the man. Definitely applying these the next time on the water
Johnny you rock thanks for the tips.
Yeah I agree with some others here. This is the best teaching I've seen on these reels and I'll be sure to share it with others. Planning on trying out what I've learned here tomorrow morning. Thanks!
Great video! Very easy to follow. Got a video about casting from a kayak better?
The hardest part is having your son listen as good as this kid did 😂
Thanks for that casting lesson. I get so tired of casting over my head all day
I’m hucking woolly buggers within an inch of that basses life #frequentflyer. But seriously love your videos. Haven’t used a conventional rod in years but am totally digging your fish finder and map vids. Why do certain channel blow up on RUclips and all you get in thumbnails is their videos when they have been alive for years and you only watch the content they do? So weird. Anyway, I’m giving thumbs up to all your videos to keep your good vibes going. Here’s to a good spawn bite at everyone’s favorite creek channel in 4 months. Man I can’t wait.
That’s a lot of good tips. Thanks.
This helped my casting so much thank you
Great video , I’m heading to the pool to try these techniques right now .
Super cool stuff
Great video! How about some tips on thumb control and what to practice on when you just start out using a bait caster? There are beginners that need some help.
If you aren't comfortable with a bait caster, turn the centrifugal brakes up to 3/4 to full and tighten the cast control/spool tension knob so your bait barely falls under its own weight. Having the brakes this tight will eliminate the need to babysit the spool with your thumb until you really get the hang of it. It's more important to understand the fundamentals of good casting before adding the complexity of controlling the spool. If this is foreign to you, spend a few thousand casts (I'm not joking - maybe a full year) just mastering proper casting technique with a spinning reel. Having your brakes this tight will require you to cast basically the same as a spinning reel - just lift your thumb to release. Casting distance will be acceptable but frustratingly short and you won't be able to use very light baits.
It's important to understand how the bait caster brakes work as well - nobody really explains this correctly all the time. Most people have it mostly right but screw up explaining some part of it. The centrifugal brakes (not all reels have this) come on above a certain RPM, you can increase or decrease the effect they have by turning on more centrifugal brakes, but no matter how many you have on, the engagement RPM threshold doesn't change. Magnetic brakes (not all reels have this either) are adjustable from minimum to maximum - they work from the spinning spool passing magnets to create an electrical resistance - the faster your spool spins, the higher the resistance. 99% of the time bait caster reels will have either centrifugal or magnetic brakes or both, but hardly ever neither. Centrifugal brakes only affect the beginning of your cast when the spool speed exceeds the threshold of the brakes - which isn't on every single cast (nobody explains this - you can cast in such a way that you're not actually ever using the centrifugal brakes). Magnetic brakes affect the entire distance of the cast and impart drag linearly according to spool speed. Lastly, spool tension affects the cast the whole time too - it creates drag by applying preload to the spool bearings - but it's most noticeable at the end of the cast when none of your other brakes are doing anything and your spool has a tendency to overrun when the bait stops and the spool doesn't.
If you feel you have the hang of it, start loosening some brakes up a little at a time. I still use centrifugal brakes because it's pretty easy to cross the line of the spool spinning faster than the bait can accelerate through the air - there's just a maximum speed a bait can fly due to terminal velocity - but I remove all magnetic brakes and use the minimum spool tension. I will have on the minimum centrifugal braking to bring the spool back to reality if I happen to snap the rod tip and cause the spool to spin up that quickly past the RPM threshold; my spool tension knob is set so the spool doesn't wobble - that's it - I take out the play but I don't add any preload. My bait casters are very loose and very fast - I even use ceramic bearings in all of them.
This requires that you drag your thumb on the spool at the release of the cast. As I reach my release point, instead of opening up my thumb (as you would a spinning reel to release line with your finger) I allow the spool to "feed" like you would when releasing the clutch on a car - I determine how long to drag my thumb by how the line feels coming off the spool - you'll feel it "fluffing" under your thumb. There's never really a point when you should fully thumb-off the spool, maybe briefly with some baits and a perfect cast, but I'm feeling the line under my thumb the whole cast, and as the bait slows down towards the end, you'll need to drag your thumb again to match the speed of the bait.
I'm a visual/practical learner. The mental image in your head is that the bait reaches maximum speed at the moment of release and loses velocity in a constant rate until it stops, your job is to match this arc with the spool. However, complicating matters is physics: the spool robs energy from the bait's inertia to use as rotational energy, (if you were to simply lift your thumb up a backlash would occur because the bait goes from 100% velocity to 50% but the spool jolts to its maximum 100% speed - backlash is caused by line feeding off the spool faster than the bait can pull it out). By dragging your thumb you prevent the spool from beginning rotation so quickly and you equalize the speeds of the bait that is slowing down and the spool that is speeding up, attempting to match their speeds at the moment of release. A perfectly matched cast would allow you to fully lift your thumb for a brief moment after the cast.
One would think that a spinning rod should then have a better casting distance since none of the bait's speed energy is transferred to anything else. The bait caster can maintain the same (if not better) casting distance by taking advantage of energy transfer over time. By dragging your thumb you spend more time (we're talking fractions of a second) applying energy to the spool to get it up to speed during the cast, but you're still casting/accelerating the bait at the same time, and thus you can still keep 100% bait speed and 100% spool speed. And since you're able to spool line out at roughly the same rate as the flying bait, you'll have less friction, no twist, and no guide/rod slap which equals much farther casts from a bait caster compared to a spinning setup.
Watch any video by Adam Royter for actual correct casting technique. Few people get it right or explain it well. The trick is that all the movement comes from the forearms and wrist, the rest of your body can remain stationary and relaxed - you're not pushing with your feet or hips, it's not a bat or golf club; proper technique has more in common with jumping on a trampoline than anything else. Load the rod and send the energy from your hands to the rod tip to the bait.
@@RyanMcIntyre this is a very well written explanation. I have been using a baitcaster for two years now and still not fully competent, this is the best explanation I have come across anywhere. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I look forward to becoming more proficient with a baitcaster as I prefer the "mechanics" and the accuracy, just have to educate my thumb more to work on the control aspect.
@@lcg79 It really requires feel and you only get that through repetition. Just keep casting!! I'd like to hear how you feel your progress is going
What a great teaching video. I subbed
Wow, thank you.