Is A Baitcaster Worth It? – Expert Observation

Using baitcasters has become a trend in the fishing industry. But are they worth all the hype? If you’re looking for the answer to the question, you’re in the right place. Is a baitcaster worth it? It’ll mostly depend on you.

If you’re thinking of going after the bigger fish with larger baits, you might want to think about using bait casters. They offer better precision, and you can use thicker lines for better stability. However, there’s a skill curve you’ll need to pass to get the complete set of benefits.

There’s a reason why you’ve only seen pros use bait casters. While they’re a bit versatile, bait casters are a bit difficult to use. It’s like comparing automatic to stick shifts in cars. While stick shifts are more fun, you’ll need a particular skillset to use them. 

What’s So Special About Baitasters?

You can see pros using bait casters left and right. But what’s so special about bait casters?

First of all, they allow you to cast different types of lures. Crank baits, spinner baits, jigs – you name it. Moreover, it’ll also allow you to use this plethora of baits with pinpoint precision.

Another selling point of bait casters is that they increase your range. Using a bait caster, you can fling the line directly straight off the spool to have a more extended reach.

But there’s a catch! For starters, they’re not that easy to master. When working with bait casters, you’ll see that there’s a dialed-in drag resistance. So, you’ll need to find the sweet spot where you can put your thumb pressure. Otherwise, you won’t have the accuracy you’re looking for.

Now, if you’re thinking of getting someone’s help in getting over the skill curve, we’re afraid that’s not possible. That’s your hurdle, and you’ll have to get out of that yourself.

Drawbacks to Using Baitcasters:

Of course, no one would expect everything to be all good about bait casters. They come with their particular set of issues. So, before making any decisions, you should know about those issues and whether any of them would be a dealbreaker for you.

Higher Learning Curve

The thing about bait casters is that they need a lot of practice. But as you put in more time and effort, you’ll eventually get better. So, it’s up to you whether you’d like to take up that challenge or not.

Backlash

If a less experienced angler uses the bait caster, chances are they’ll end up with backlashes more often than not. But as with the earlier issue, you can solve this one with practice as well.

Spool Tension Needs Adjustment

As you’re leaning towards using bait casters, you’ll probably want to use different types of baits or lures. These lures differ from each other in various ways. One of them is their weight.

Each bait has its unique weight. So, it can be a bit of a problem if you need to adjust your spool’s tension each time you use a different lure. But when using bait casters, this is one of the sacrifices you’ll have to make.

How to Avoid Backlashes For Baitcaster?

Remember earlier we said that no one could help you and you’ll have to solve this problem yourself? While that’s all true, you can use a bit of advice to get over this curve more efficiently.

Choose the Right Line

Fortune favors the prepared. It’s best to go in with the best equipment when starting with bait casters. If you don’t use the proper lines, you’ll end up with a mess on your hands.

For example, if you use fluorocarbon lines, you’ll make a mess out of your fishing gear. Fluorocarbon lines have less give than their monofilament lines.

So, when shooting your lines, they can get tangled, and you’ll end up with a bird’s nest on your hands. And trust us when we say this; they’re a hassle to deal with!

You can make do with braided lines. But be careful. They also come with their issues. And when those issues come out, as they often do, you’ll have a lot of trouble getting out of that one. If worst comes to worst, you may have to cut large amounts of line to rectify the situation.

Your best bet would be to use monofilament lines. They have a lot of give, and they don’t get tangled that easily. This can be useful while you’re still getting used to your brand new bait caster.

Pick the Right Spool Tension

When you’re just starting out with bait casters, you’ll need to pick the proper spool tension for yourself. The pros usually have this set at the lowest level to let the line flow unrestricted, and then they control it with their thumb.

But since you’re yet to gain such a level of expertise, it’s best to start slow. Don’t worry. You’ll slowly but surely get there.

Look on the side of your baitcasting reel. You’ll find a knob there. If you’re unsure where the knob should be, it’s usually on the same side as the handle. Once you’ve located the knob, turn it all the way up to the tightest pressure setting.

To make sure that you’ve got the right setting, hold your rod out. Now let the line come out around ten inches. Let go of the line and see how the lure reacts.

If the lure flies right off the hinge, you’ve turned the knob the wrong way. But if the bait stays right where it was, you’re done with the first step.

Now, dial it down a bit until the lure starts to fall off two inches per second. This is the default setting that you should practice with. But remember to adjust this setting as you change your lure.

For example, if you start using a half-pound lure instead of a one-pound lure, you’ll want to increase the tension so the lure doesn’t fly off uncontrollably. And vice versa if you’re going up the scale.

As you gain more experience and become more comfortable with your bait caster, you can adjust the tension to use your lure more freely.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Practice makes perfect—all those settings and other stuff you’re working on needs to be worked on. If you don’t put in the time and effort, you’ll be stuck on your current level of expertise.

So, practice until you can master the control of the free line. Once you can fully control the speed and length of your cast with nothing but your thumb, you’ll be welcomed to the league of the pros!

Final Verdict

Bait casters come with their own set of unique advantages and disadvantages. You need to decide whether the benefits outweigh the costs. But it all boils down to one question: is a bait caster worth it?

It depends on your skill level and the location of your fishing spot. If you’re looking for more precise fishing performance, a bait caster is your best bet. They can help you fish in tighter spots. But you’ll have to learn the process of handling a bait caster slowly. The learning process can be a bit difficult, but the result is so worth it!