essential sKills
how to set the brakes on a baitcasting reel
FishinG 101 by TJ Maglio
to both Walmart FLW Tour pros and weekend warriors, one of the most frustrating realities of bass fishing is the backlash, which occurs when the spool spins faster than the line is coming off, causing it to overrun and tangle.
Zack Birge, 2015 Rookie of the Year, has some tips for setting up reels to minimize backlashes.
birge’ s set-up tips
1. When you spool a reel, always under-fill it by 1 / 8 inch.“ By doing so, you can still get great distance while allowing some space for the line to settle, which makes it less likely to backlash,” Birge says.
2. Set the magnetic cast control or centrifugal brakes to their highest setting first— usually 10 for magnetic brakes. For reels with centrifugal brakes, that means the brakes should be adjusted all the way out.
3. Set the spool tension( the knob by the handle) just high enough so that the lure falls at a slow, controlled pace when you hit the thumb bar.“ I want it to move toward the ground, but when it hits the ground the spool should stop without overrunning.”
4. Make a few casts.“ Check to see how much distance you’ re getting and how it feels.”
5. Back off the spool tension and brake one click at a time until you reach the sweet spot.“ I’ m looking for the best combination of castability and spool control. I don’ t want to have to whip it all day, but I also don’ t want to have to worry about a backlash if I’ m not 100 percent concentrating.”
PHOTO BY KYLE WOOD
PHOTO BY JODY WHITE
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