Just wondering if someone can give me a brief description of the difference between casting breaks and spool tension and more importantly how they should be set up. On my calcutta I just adjust the spool tension depending on the lure and go at it. Just got a new reel and it has 4 casting block setting options. I'm gonna play with it tomorrow morning but was looking for some input from you guys w/ more experience. Thank you for any info.

this is just my opinion, but if it has a level wind, take all the blocks out. the levelwind will slow it down enough-

your thumb should do all the breaking IMO, or at least thats how i fish-

As you release a cast, the acceleration on the spool is tremendous and dumps line much faster than the lure can travel through the air. You have to slow this spool speed so it matches the rate the lure is traveling or you get overrun. Casting brakes (centrifigual, magnetic, oil viscosity, or your thumb) produce smooth friction to do this. Ideally, as the spool slows, the braking action becomes less and the spool will continue to dump line at about the same speed the lure travels such that the force of the cast is not disappated pulling line off the spool. In a reel with centrifigual blocks, most of their effect occurs as the lure is released. How much you need depends on the smoothness and force of your casting stroke as well as the weight of your lure and the speed/action of your rod. You want to start with one or two blocks engaged, then add more if you experience overrun early in the cast.
Your reel will cast best with no spindle tension (just adjust it until you can barely detect any side to side play in the spool, then perhaps a fraction more), but this requires you to lightly thumb the spool to decrease spool speed as the lure slows from air resistance. How much depends on the wind and air resistance of your plug. With aerodynamic plugs, the bearing oil viscosity (experiment with the various Rocket Fuel products available) and casting blocks may slow things gently enough that you don't need to thumb at all until the lure lands. With bulky metal lips you need to let your thumb hover over the spool and apply light pressure to the line (or better yet the spool edge) as things start to fluff.
A little extra spindle tension can help reduce the need to thumb your spool, and if you are backlashing a lot later in your cast you should tighten it a bit, but watch out. On most reels friction builds VERY quickly as you tighten up, and it will kill your casting distance dramatically. It will also distort the spindle fractionaly and wear out your bearings much faster (or so they tell me). Basically, you want as little tension on the spindle as you can control.
Finally, the most important factor in avoiding backlashes with conventional tackle is the smoothness of your casting stroke and speed with which the rod unloads. Avoid trying to add acceleration at the very end of your cast (don't add a snap to the end of your stroke like you might with spinning tackle), and avoid fast action rods (at least when you are starting out).
Conventional tackle takes some getting used to, but it excels in many situations and you'll be a more effective fisherman if you learn how to use it. Good luck.

I use non level wind reels and find the most important thing is how accurate you wind the line back on the spool. Space out and not pay attention and you are going to be in trouble the next cast, I do it all the time, especially when fish are breaking. I just look at the spool and say this is going to suck. Then I just gently cast it out and reel it back more uniformed. I usually leave one of the break things in there and take the other ones out but that is an ABU. Practice makes perfect.

The first thing I do when I purchase a new reel is to remove and toss out the casting blocks. I mainly use calcutta 400's. I only adjust to spool tension knob to eliminate the side to side wobble of the spool, after that I am ready to go. You can do everything with your thumb.You have an awesome reel there, IMO The 400s are the smoothest and nicest casting reels I have ever used, right out of the box without any modifications, so you have a great advantage there. I also use Abu's but mainly now just for livelining and casting with those is not as important, however I also remove the casting blocks from those also.

A good way to start is to only remove two break blocks and get comfortable with that, then remove another and so on till you have none left.

Most agree that spending the time learning to educate your thumb will pay off big time and make you a far better caster. Its really worth the time to practice.After awhile you just go on auto pilot and it becomes easy.Its a great way to fish and has many, many advantages over spin tackle, especially in the power and pure muscle department, if you fish live eels then its the best way to go IMO.The drawback is if you fish fast moving plugs etc, But even with those I still use the convench.

Keeping those breaks in will limit your reels ability to shine.

hit it right on the button george..... what numbskull said w/ one more thing...pratice buy doing , n tweeking every reel is a little diff. feel..

And if your anything like me SHORT THUMB'S..those block's come in handy..my thumb can't reach the side of the 400 spool...only the line on the spool...every plug-eel I need to adjust the side knob, but after time it becomes second nature and I don't give it any thought to doing so anymore....there are time's after the cast when I think whatever I throwing is about to hit the water, I'll raise up the rod abit to take up any slack line that maybe over running on the spool...works for me....very few if any black lashes.

I own a 400 S and the thing goes into free spool for no reason. I took it apart and I figured out that it is the roller clutch bearing. No problem I will replace. Thing cost 65 bucks. Damn. Expensive part. Shimano are expensive to repair as far as parts go but they are nice reels.

I like a casting break but zero spool tension. I like 3 in 1 oil. Worst thing in fishing is "down time". Go cautiously at first. Best to give up a few yards rather than a half hour on overruns until you get good at it.