beginner with baitcasting

[adyy]

Hi people,

Last year I have bought my first baitcast reel, a Daiwa Alphas 103 L.
I've choosen this model, since I've read here that it is a best buy. The reel was bought used from an ebay japanese seller and the intented purpose was fishing ~1/4 Oz bottom jigs for walleye (european Zander more exactly).

I have fished it for a few times and baitcasting convinced me. But I have some questions:
1. I've opened the reel for greasing, I've seen the inductor from the MagForce is made from aluminium. Is this normal since aluminium is not a magnetic material?

2. In order to get the most performance (in distance) from this reel, how should I setup the spool-tension and the MagForce?
I've set the tension to let the lure falls very slowly to the ground (keeping the rod at 45 degrees) and once there the line to remain straight and the MagForce set around 3-4. I've seen that this minimizes the number of bird nests at the beginning of the casting stroke. During casting, while the spool is spinning, I've seen that it helps to brush the spool a bit.

3. Also when the lure touches the water I've seen that I should stop the spool with my finger. Is this normal?
I tought the purpose of the spool-tension and MagForce is to to this stop.

4. I've compared the casting distance that I get using a baitcasting setup compared to a (let's say) similar spinning setup. The spinning rod clearly overtakes it. I can cast around 25-30% much further with a spinning rod. Can this be caused by my lack of experience with baitcasting? (I can describe with more details how I've tested.)

5. A centrifugal brake would perform better in distance and managing the spool at the end of the cast?
I have in mind that I should have some alternative with me to see how it behaves and I'm thinking about a Shimano Scorpion MG or XT. Would these models worth to have them? Are there other (centrifugal) alternatives?

I hope my questions are not that many and that stupid, but I want to progress with this casting style. Maybe some of you can enlight me a bit.

[Cracker]

Hi!

1. I guess it's normal if Daiwa makes it that way
2. Daiwa suggests to set a spool tension at the point when the spool stops to wiggle left-right and one turn loose.
After that you use magnetic dial depends of the lure, wind conditions, etc
3. Yes, it is normal. I do mostly the same thing, especially if your reel dialed in to max distance casting.

4. In the past a spinning combo was always a winner, at least for me, now with new generation of bc reels I can reach basically same distance, keep in mind most folks in US use fluorocarbon or nylon on bc combo and if you spool you spinning reel with 10-12lb fluorocarbon you might not overcast bc combo, if I use spinning combo it is usually spool a thin10-20lb diameter braid.

5. Can't help you on that. I like magnetic brakes overall. It depends of the person and you can get here completely different answers. Just borrow or buy a used Shimano reel with centrifugal brakes and make your own conclusion.

[blakjack23]

Keep in mind the rod will play a huge factor in casting light weights. What are the specs of the spinning and casting rods you are comparing?

[BigJim]

1. Look up "eddy current braking".

[adyy]

@ cracker - thanks! I will make some tests with the "recommended" Daiwa tension setting. And yes, if I would have used fluorocarbon, probably the results compared with the spinning combo would have been different.

@blakjack23 - when I had fished side by side, I used like this:
Baitcast
rod - MajorCraft Basspara BPC-662M (http://www.majorcraft.co.jp/english/cat ... r/basspara)
reel - Daiwa Alphas 103 L
line - Berkley Fireline Exceed 14lbs (braid)

Spinning
rod - Nissin Lusso S606M (http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/prod ... reshwater/)
reel - Shimano Biomaster 2500S
line - YGK WX8 16lbs (braid)

On both I used a 1/4 jig head with a 3" plastic shad.

I know there are differences, especially in the rods rating, but the baitcaster rod loaded better with that jig, even if it looks more powerful on paper.
But still, the spinning got farther distances.

@BigJim - thanks! The wikipedia page about this topic was a good read.

[zalan]

1. Do not worry about it, it works that is important
2. You need to practice with every different setup how it works, there is no shortcut I believe here. I tend to loose the spool a lot and use the magnetic on a tighter setting, but others could have different preferences.
3. Normal. The magnetic brake only helps, but it is not perfect.
4. I have the same experience, especially if I use nanofil on the spinning setup. I never could achieve insane distances with baitcasting gear.
5. I have a Daiwa Sol (similar to your reel) and a Curado 51E. I can cast the Curado further consistently. I never measured it, but this is noticable. On the other hand, the Sol handles lighter baits better. I think it depends on how big or small lures (jig head is only one part, how much the plastic weights?) do you throw and what line do you use.
Also do you fish stillwater or a river? In stillwater I regularly use 3g jighead with a 10cm shad type plastic for Zander, this is pretty light and I can never cast the same distance with casting than with spinning gear. On the other hand your line choices also could be different for casting than spinning so this might change the game.

[slipperybob]

3/8 oz and lighter, generally spinning gear will outdistance. 1/2 oz and heavier baitcasting gear will outdistance. Given a relative moderate casting effort on both setups.

[GOOD YEAR 71]

3/8 oz and lighter, generally spinning gear will outdistance. 1/2 oz and heavier baitcasting gear will outdistance. Given a relative moderate casting effort on both setups.

Really? On what planet? No offense, I'm just having fun, but I do feel your weight parameters are rather specific there... Line selection and rod of choice have more to do with it than type of reel. I get some guys are all over casters, I've got more than I can use myself, but I have yet to see an 'in use' setup, line and rod selection being similar, where a caster can out chuck a spinner. Accuracy and control not withstanding, it's all in the technique of release.

I've had this debate with others over the years; once the spool is up to speed there is nothing to prevent it from releasing line they say. Okay. I'll agree assuming there is no braking of any kind, which there always is, even if it's just a thumb. However, the little known trick that even many spinner users don't know is that once the lure is at apex, just a little forward lurch of the assembly will release line tension, and friction, peeling off the spool in such a way as to allow the lure to regain some of it's lost momentum mid flight. Timing is critical, motion smooth and deliberate, but increased distance is a given. I sometimes incorporate it with a lift to add to the effect; the more forward/upward movement, the less line tension/friction. It's easier to understand once you feel the sensation, this is not the type of thing you learn in one day. But if you master the practice you'll come to some eye opening revelations.

For those that think, well if it works here (it does) then it will work on a caster (it won't). If anything, on a caster it'll slow the spool by lessening the tension/pull of rotation. The spool does not move on a spinner, but the line does scrub itself upon release, hence greater distance with less friction. So it is written...

[adyy]

Me again!

These days I made some "tunning" to the spool ballbearings of my Alphas.
I removed the sealing and lubed them with thin oil. Now looks like the spool moves easier and for longer time.

Also I watched some Youtube movies regarding this topic and come up to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYypRWchoI

Reproducing that with my spool, does not give any result. The inductor stays in it's place and does not move out.
I used for rotating the spool a drilling machine that has 3500 RPM.
Is it possible that 3500 RPM was too slow to activate the MagForce V?
Could a spool rotate faster while casting? (Personally I would doubt that.)
Did any of you made some similar test?

@GOOD YEAR 71 - basically what you describe is that after line release (during the casting stroke) you should move the rod slowly forward and try to keep the rod tip in the same direction that the line is pulled out?
Makes sense, since that can minimize a bit the friction between the line and the tip guides.