I have covered setting drag and setting the spool tensioner on a baitcast fishing reel in articles in the past and put together and in depth tutorial on casting a baitcast reel as part of the coverage on catfishing techniques and catfish reels here on the site but I still get questions from people constantly about learning to cast and how to properly setup a reel.
I also find people diverting to other equipment (like spinning reels or spincast reels) because they don’t know how to cast with a baitcast reel or are intimidated by it.
Spinning reels and spincast reels will work fine for channel catfish but if you are going to fish for blue catfish and flathead catfish you will ultimately want a bigger, beefier fishing reel.
Using a baitcast reel is really no big deal and with a little practice and having the reel setup correctly, the process of casting will come much easier.
Making sure the spool tensioner is set correctly will help with casting and setting the drag correctly will help keep you from losing that fish of a lifetime at the most inopportune time.
With the recent catfishing quick tip catfishing videos on using a bait clicker for catfish I started a whole new firestorm of questions and realized I might have been putting the cart before the horse on the video series so I wanted to quickly cover setting drag and setting the spool tensioner (one last time).
Setting Drag
Setting the drag correctly is essential. You can compensate for a drag that is too loose but with the drag being set too tight, your line will snap with a big fish.
The drag needs to be set properly and you can always increase the drag if needed, but you cannot make up for a lost fish.
I’ve seen lots of people and other website outlining techniques for using scales and complex equations for setting the drag on a reel and it is a total waste of time.
Setting The Spool Tensioner
The spool tensioner is what helps slow the spool down when casting.
The more experience you get casting with a baitcast reel the less concern you will have with this and the looser and looser you will be able to keep this. If you’re getting backlashes or having trouble casting, setting the spool tensioner correctly is the best place to start.
This is a quick and simple adjustment process.
I walk you through the whole process in this weeks catfishing quick tip video.
This article is part of an ongoing series on catfish reels that covers everything you need you need to know about choosing catfish reels and setting them up for use. Check out the tutorial for more information.
You can also get the free Catfish Gear 101 eBook that covers catfish rods and reels and everything you would ever need to know about rods and reels for catfish.
About Chad
Chad hello, once again an excellent video!! maybe castin techniques would be a great next video.
Thanks
Emilio
“I will go back to bass fishing when bass grow to 80lbs”
Chad;
This is another quality tutorial, thanks for covering/explaining all the *basic’s*. Now to get out there and practice, practice, and more practice. As soon as this cold, and windy rain stops that is.
Keep em coming Chad. I always enjoy gleaning from your knowledge base.
this is very informative i`ve known about this but it should help those who never used a baitcaster very good job GOOD FISHING
i’ve found all your tips very good and helpfull thanks for the help. i don’t really like fishing but i sure love catching.
Howdy Chad,
Very good info and well made video, IF WE COULD SEE YOUR HANDSOME? FACE?!
Either use a reflector to SHINE UP under the cap or (heaven forbid) take
off the cap!!! While searching for your features it looked like you
‘HAD A LIP FULL’; IT AIN’T PURTY, IF IT IZ!!! Itz warmin’ up out here;
if we just had some H2O in the holes!!
Chad, another exccelent video, maybe the next one can be on casting techniques. Also have you tried the new mono from Team Catfish. I very nicely asked if they can send me a 1/4 roll in 20 lb before it’s launched on the website and it’s on it’s way!!!!
Maybe you can ask Jeff for some so you can try it and give us your assesment of it. I love all their products. Finally i got the scoop on a new rod that they are working on for later this year they will come in 7 and 8 foot sizes. I sures they will be great!!!!
Gracias Hermano for all the work you do.
Emilio
When I bought my reel and you put together the video about casting on the lawn and toward a bucket helped me get used to a reel that I hadn’t used before and now it is kind of just second hand. Thanks again for the tip!!
Good stuff
Thanks
Right on time. just now trying to figure out how to tweek that. thanks