How to Cast a Baitcaster Reel Without Backlash, Step by Step

Check the reel with a drop test

Tie on the lure, hold the rod out and press the release button. Lew’s says to adjust the spool tension knob “so that the lure falls in free spool and the spool stops spinning when the lure hits the ground.” Jordan Lee, in a Bassmaster.com column, says to “Make your adjustments a little tight if you’re a novice or new to baitcasting tackle.” For the brake, Field & Stream says to start “a little above the midway point, then back off slightly as you get more comfortable”. Makers differ on which control to set first and on the brake number; a separate baitcaster set-up guide compares them in full.

Put your thumb on the spool and your hand on the grip

Lew’s says to hold the rod “with the reel handle facing up” and to “press on the spool to hold it in place and push down the reel’s thumbar to disengage the spool.” Abu Garcia’s manual says to depress the thumb bar “while keeping the tip of the thumb on the spool to control the lure.” Norrik, an online fishing guide, adds “Remember to keep your thumb rested over the spool, so it does not unwind.” Lew’s notes that “Many anglers, including pros, use two hands when casting, one on the reel and the other below it.” Field & Stream says to reel up “so the lure is about a foot from the rod tip”.

Look behind you, then swing the rod back and forward

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, writing about a spincast lesson, says “The key thing to remember when casting is SAFETY! Remember you have a hook swinging from the other end of the line!” and, mid-cast, “Now look behind you to make sure nobody is standing there or that no objects are in the way before you finish your cast.” The National Park Service lists “Only cast where fishing is permitted” among its fishing safety tips, and “Don’t get hooked, prevent and treat fishing hook related injuries” is another. Lew’s says “Learn the overhand cast first” and “Your wrist and forearm, not your shoulder, are the main drivers when casting.” Abu Garcia’s manual says to bring the rod back so the tip reaches “a point above and behind the shoulder”, then forward “in a single motion without stopping”. Mercury Marine’s write-up of Pro Team angler Andy Montgomery’s tips says “Don’t muscle it. Let the rod do the work.”

Ease your thumb off as the rod comes forward, but not all the way

Abu Garcia says to release the thumb “as the rod is brought forward so that the lure is launched slightly upward and outward toward your target.” Lew’s says to “Back off thumb pressure in the middle of the forward cast but not completely” and adds “It will take practice to determine precisely when to do this.” Abu Garcia’s manual lifts the thumb fully here, while Lew’s keeps light contact. Field & Stream says to apply “just enough thumb pressure to keep the spool from over-spinning”. Realtree’s Joe Balog suggests that on your very first casts you skip thumb work: “just cast”. Balog warns that with his settings (magnetic brake at half, knob set so the lure drops slowly) the lure “will not travel very far”.

Ride the spool, then press to stop it as the lure lands

Lew’s says to “Ride the spool lightly with your thumb as the lure sails to the target. Increase thumb pressure to snub the spool at the end of the cast.” Abu Garcia says that as the lure approaches the water you should stop the spool with your thumb, because otherwise “the spool will continue to rotate causing a backlash”. Realtree says the pressure should be “an applied pressure more than an all out stop, right at the end of the cast.” Mercury’s write-up of Montgomery’s roll cast says that slowing the spool as the lure nears the surface lets it land “without a big splash”. Then turn the handle until the reel engages.

Try the sidearm cast once the overhand cast works

Mercury Marine’s article on Montgomery’s three basic casts calls the overhand cast “the most basic cast” and the sidearm “roll cast” the one for “less splash and more accuracy”. For the roll cast, Mercury says to “bring the rod to the side, using your wrists to swing the lure back slightly over the rod tip. Then propel it forward under the rod tip.” Lew’s says “Turn the spool up when making the sidearm roll cast.” Piscifun and Norrik both say the sidearm cast helps in wind: Piscifun says “In windy conditions, sidearm casts are often more effective than overhead casts”, and Norrik says “Use sidearm casts when throwing into the wind”. Norrik calls it “one step up in complexity” from the overhand cast. Mercury’s third basic cast, the pitch, is a short-range cast for later. Keep the thumb routine from steps 4 and 5.

Back the settings off a little at a time as you improve

Field & Stream says to begin “slowly backing off of the spool-tension knob to increase your casting distance” and that for the brake “you will never really need to go below 40 percent”. Abu Garcia says to reduce the spool tension a quarter turn at a time to maximize casting distance. Lew’s says the better your thumb control, the more you can back off the brakes.

Stop and stay calm; do not thumb the spool and yank

DeFoe says “Most people immediately engage the spool, put their thumb on the spool and start pulling on the line. That’s not the best way to get out a backlash”. Mercury’s article adds “That method often makes the line bind back up even worse.” The lure is still tied on. As the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation puts it, “Remember you have a hook swinging from the other end of the line!”

Tighten the spool tension knob

DeFoe says to tighten it “tighter than you ever would if you were going to cast”.

Press the thumb bar and pull the line off slowly and steadily

DeFoe says “The spool tension knob being tight will keep the line from getting locked up underneath itself”. He adds “A lot of times, this process is all you need, and you can pull all the tangles out.” Mercury’s article adds that slow, steady pulls are “critical to avoid creating a hard kink or cinch in the line, which can create a weak spot.”

If the line locks up, press your thumb on the spool and turn the handle

DeFoe says to apply thumb pressure to the spool “in line with where the line is jammed”, tighten the drag, engage the handle and “slowly turn the handle two complete revolutions while maintaining thumb pressure”. Then press the thumb bar and pull the line off slowly again. He says of this third step “Step 3 will sometimes need repeating, but usually the first or second time will do the trick”.

Check the line, then reel it back under tension

Mercury’s article says the line should look “like when it was initially spooled, with no lines crossed underneath and no loops”. Reel it back by passing it through the thumb and index finger of your off hand, and pull slowly at any kink. On the water, he suggests pulling the line out and letting it fall in the water before reeling in.

Reset the knob and the drag

Mercury’s article says to loosen the tension knob back to where it was, and to consider adjusting it to avoid the next backlash. The tightened star drag also needs setting back, which the Mercury page does not mention: Lew’s rule of thumb is to tighten the star drag “until the resistance is about 25 percent of the line’s strength”.