This is my first year using a baitcaster. I got an abu garcia 6500 and a 7'6" St. Croix rod. I loaded the reel with powerpro but only enough to spool my Penn 5500SS. My question is, is powerpro OK for a baitcaster reel? Also, how do I cast with it without making a mess out of the line. It seems like if there is any pressure on it, then the button doesn't work. Should I keep my thumb on the spool?

I know this is a dumb question but I had to ask or I am afraid I am going to have a rats nest of line the first time I use this reel...

Thanks!

This question gets asked from time to time. Here is my advice:

1. Don't use PowerPro on a baitcaster if you are just learning. Mono is much more forgiving (due to its stretch) and easier to detangle bird's nests.

2. Wet line/dry thumb: Make sure the line and spool are wet for the first cast. But make sure your thumb is dry. Lock the spool down tightly with the thumb and load the rod fully on the cast. Do not keep your thumb on the spool if you want any distance. The idea is to keep the thumb just above the spool to sense any "fluff" in the line (usually near the end of the cast) and then you feather the spool to slow it down.

3. Watch the lure, bait, or weight all through the cast. As soon as it hits the water, lock the spool down immediately.

4. Play around with the anti-overspool features of th reel, either tightening the spool and/or using all the magnets 'till you get the hang of it. Then you can loosen the spool (it should have VERY SLIGHT "slop" in it) and even remove some of the magnets.

5. Practice with the wind at your back...much more forgiving.

6. Don't get frustrated..I've only met one person who tried to learn to throw a baitcaster and never learned.

Good Luck!

this just my opinion, but i found casting braid easier than mono when i was learning.. i was using 6o lb cortland master braid. its an expensive chioce if you do blow up your spool, but for me, it is easier than mono.

I learned on a Squidder with dacron. I think the braid is easier to pick if you do "nest" it.

As mentioned above, practice, practice and practice.

Conventional/baitcasting style reels all have a spool control (not necessarily the magnets as not all reels have them) and you want that loosened just enough so that your lure will drop slowly on its own, not too fast for a beginner. If you are concerned about the braid, practice with mono first. Get some mono that you are willing to throw away and just go to a local field and cast away, preferably with someone who has done it before. Have a knife handy in case you have to cut away some mono, but it might be worth just using that to practice away from the water so you don't ruin your fishing trip with that set up.

There are a variety of different theories on braid or mono for baitcasting, so that choice is up to you. No matter which you chose, you can expect to become an expert at taking out tangles/birds' nests on such a reel from time to time, as until you truly get the hang of it, because invariably due to wind, different lures for casting and how your line gets wound on the spool, etc., you are bound to experience tangles. Ensuring that your line gets wound on the spool tightly is critical as that will help minimize tangles on the cast, as there is no loose line to become tangled.

That said, it's a great way to fish, strongly recommend it. :hihi:

When mono nests up it tends to stretch and cinch down on itself making it very difficult to pick out, if you got the dough go for the braid.

I just started with a baitcaster myself, I have one with powerpro, one with mono, and one with fireline. Fireline is by far the easiest to learn on. Just keep the casts short until you get used to it.

Would like to see another Casting Clinic with Big Dave......... Since I've asked about this more than once over the past two years, is there anyone else who might be available to lead such a clinic?

I prefer braid, though it's more expensive if you have to cut away a squirrel's nest and discard it. Streamlined, distance-casting lures tend to do better. Most metal-lipped plugs are more wind-resistant, result in more tangles. Darters, needlefish, bottle plugs, tins and bucktails do better. Conventionals are great for working plugs slowly, they have a lower gear ratio that negates the temptation to reel too quickly as with spinning reels. I also learned on a Penn Squidder, now use AbuGarcia Ambassadeur 6500 and 7000. I once killed the antireverse on my 6500 on a Block Island night with many big bass on eels. I hope the 7000 is beefier in this respect.

I would start with mono. I find it much easier to pick out backlashes in mono than with braid, especially powerpro. Also, it has stretch which might prevent you plug from sailing off after a backlash. The problem with braids like pp, you can damage the line after a bad backlash and then lose your plug on the next cast. My favorite braid for conventional reels is spectron. Not as thin as pp but a lot tougher and easier to pick out.