Just got into baitcasters.......

[di$TOrTed]

Hello all

I have been lurking for forum for awhile now but just now joined up so I could ask you experts some questions.

Background on me: I'm 21 and have fished about once a year since I was little, but took up fishing 1-2 times a week about a year and a half ago. I shore fish for fun, nothing serious, just for relaxation between work and school.


So at the end of last summer I bought my first baitcaster. It is a BPS Megacast combo. I took it out a few times and sucked with it. I would birds nest every other time and I just ended up going back to spinning gear for the remainder of the fishing trip.

Over the colder months I have been going down to a little pond on my own and practicing with the caster. I have gotten much better, but still not to where i'd like.

My question is this: I was under the impression that with a similar weight lure I could sling it twice as far as with spinning gear. From what I can tell, I can get maybe 10% farther if that. Is this more realistic or am I not doing something right? I can get my lure out pretty far with a spinning reel, farther than most of my friends, but I figured it would be going considerably farther with a baitcaster. I am a shore fisherman so being able to get out there as far as possible is something I am really working on. I have tried a lot of different weights of lures..... do i need to go heavier? I used 1/2oz spinnerbaits and jigs... i think one of the jigs may have been 3/4oz. I made the adjustments to the spool tension knob and have the brakes set on 5/10.

Any suggestions for me?

Thanks