Archive for the ‘Fishing Gear’ Category

The first thing you should learn before you can be successful at using a baitcasting reel is how to hold the reel properly. Many hold the rod so that the reel faces them, but that is not the correct way to have the reel.

You should begin your cast by pressing the free spool button, and then hold the spool in place with your thumb. Turn the rod sideways so the reel’s handle faces upward. The reel should be kept this way throughout the cast to provide the most efficient use of the reel.

You should begin releasing the pressure on your thump about halfway through your forward casting motion to begin letting the line out. With a Baitcast reel equipped with the anti-backlash system, you can release all of your thump pressure once you reach the end of you cast stroke.

On the older models and even the newer model that have not been adjusted correctly, you control the speed of the line coming off your reel with thump pressure. To prevent backlashes in the line, applying just enough pressure on the spool with your thumb so that the rotating speed of the spool never exceeds the speed of the line coming off it is key to preventing a backlash.

Learning how much thumb pressure is primarily a function of practice. You can greatly reduce backlashes if you have set the reel’s braking system properly. Many baitcasting reels have centrifugal braking systems.

The centrifugal braking system is activated by the spinning action of the reel’s spool. As the spool spins faster, the more tension the brakes apply to it. It works like an automatic thumb.

Setting the centrifugal system brake correctly is an easy process.
1. With the weight or lure, you intend on using placed on the ground press the free spool button.
2. Now turn the brake knob clockwise until you can pick up your lure without line coming off the reel. Your lure should now be suspended from the tip of your rod.
3. By turning the brake knob slowly, counter-clockwise the lure should start to fall.
4. Fine-tune the knob so the lure falls slowly, without having to jiggle the rod.
5. Remember that you must repeat the process whenever you tie on a different lure or a different weight.

Although centrifugal brakes help, the ability to prevent backlashes is limited.
Many of the newest reels have magnetic spool braking systems this system reduces backlashes even better than the centrifugal system.

The magnetic spool braking systems found on the newer reels have internal magnets that exert precisely the right amount of tension on the spool during a cast. These Magnetic brakes are a more effective way of automatically increasing or decreasing drag at different spool speeds. Control the speed and the line has fewer tendencies to get out of control and backlash.

Like the centrifugal brake, magnetic brakes are adjustable. If you are just learning to cast, it is best to set the reel for a high degree of magnetic tension. As you refine your cast skills you can select a looser setting, this will enable you to cast further. If you find yourself using heavy lures or casting into the wind, you may want to increase the magnetic control. Fishing under these conditions, you have more potential for a backlash in your line.

The magnetic braking systems are more advanced and work great for many anglers. There are anglers who still prefer centrifugal brakes under certain situations. Some baitcasting reels feature both systems. With both you can operate the reel’s magnetic or centrifugal brakes independently or in conjunction with each other. With the combination, brake systems now have the option of a tight automatic braking or you can control most of the tension yourself. They give you a setting for every condition and skill level.

It is time to get over your fears of using a baitcasting reel and get the reel that will improve your fishing success. When you have the right equipment, and but in a little practice, you too will be casting like a pro.

Check out these great deals on Baitcasting Reels

Rod Action:
Rod Action is the term used to describe how much of the rod bends when pressure is put on the tip. A fast action rod will bend in only the top third or less of the rod. A medium or moderate action will bend in the top half. A slow action will bend starting in the lower third of the rod. Sometimes slow action rods are termed ‘parabolic’, meaning the bend of the rod is similar throughout the length.

These descriptions are subjected to the type of rod you may be talking about at the time; a fast action fly rod or steelhead rod will bend much lower and more easily than a fast action bass rod or offshore rod.

Most bass rod actions are fast to very fast because this action generally provides better sensitivity and faster power for hook setting. By faster power I mean the rod ‘shuts off’ faster, or the bend ends higher on the blank, which means you don’t have to move the rod as far on the hook set to get into the stiffer part of the Rod.

Fast action rods are great for most applications where a short to medium casting distance is involved and single hooks are the rule, such as corky and bait fishing.

Medium and medium-fast rods will usually provide a little more casting distance and still provide adequate hook setting power. These actions are often used for applications that involve treble hooks, like using a hot shot. The ‘strike’ of a treble hook is not as deep as a big single hook and it is easier to tear the hook out of a strong fish, plus the slower action will not pull the lure out of the fish’s mouth before it fully engulfs it. Yet you still will have the power for a good hook set.

Slow action rods will give you a better feel when drift fishing and may help you feel the strike a little easier. Since they are more responsive, you may be able to notice that subtle difference between bouncing over a rock and having a steelhead picking it up. When using a slow action rod you need to remember that setting the hook is going to require you to use more force when jerking.

The type of lure you use will usually determine the action of the rod you should use.

Taper:
Often used as “action”, describes not only the thickness of the rod but also the thickness of the wall of the blank and where along the blank less material is used allowing more bend. For the most part taper is the same as action.

Power:
Is used to describe the strength of the rod or its lifting power. When you hear someone say this rod has a lot of backbone, it means it has a lot of power. Power ratings are usually describes as heavy, medium heavy, medium, etc.

Power is closely related to the line strength; heavier power rods will handle heavy line weights and lighter powers will be good for light lines.

One important factor to keep in mind when selecting the power of your rod is the test of the line your line. Most all rods will have the line test limits printed on the rod. It is important to follow these recommendations since a heavy power rod will snap light lines too easily and heavy lines can snap a light rod.

Power ratings vary by the type of rod described; a heavy Steelhead rod and a heavy offshore rod will definitely not feel the same. A heavy steelhead rod rated for 20lb test line will not perform like a heavy off shore rod rated for 80lb test line.

The type of water you are fishing will help determine the power of the rod you should select. Fishing in high, fast moving or murky water will require a strong rod to get the fish out before it can make a long run and throw the hook. Clear, open water will often require thin, hard seeing lines in order to get the steelhead to bite, meaning you should use a lighter power rod.

Responsiveness:
Related to modulus this is an idea that reflects the ability of the entire rod to flex under load and release the stored energy in the cast. One thing is for sure, the lighter the rod, especially the tip, the more responsive it will be. If you are serious about steelhead fishing, you want a light yet responsive rod. As Gary Loomis puts it, “weight is the deterrent to performance”. Overall, the higher the modulus the more efficiently it will store and release energy, which gives you the ability to make an accurate, cast with a lower arc.

Guides:
Most of the guides you will find on rods today feature a metal frame and a ceramic ring that the line rest on as it glides through the glides. These rings can vary greatly in price, and one single guide on a spinning rod may cost in excess of $30 or as little as a couple of bucks.

Silicon carbide, or SiC, is usually considered the best material today. It offers a super smooth surface for less friction on the line during the cast and the retrieve. Less friction means longer casts and less heat, and heat kills when it comes to fishing lines.

As for the brand name or the type of rod weather, it is casting or spinning it comes down more of a personal choice. Your main goal when selecting rod action is finding one the will match the type of fishing you plan on doing.