Baitcaster lovers will avoid light lures at all costs due to the challenges associated with light lure casts. Beginners especially will have a hard time catching any fish or making a good cast. With light lures, you will experience bird nests and backlash more frequently compared to when you are using heavier lures. Therefore, you need to have a little expertise and get the right equipment to avoid disappointments.
However, once you’ve gotten the hang of it, casting light lures with a baitcaster is one of the most interesting and fulfilling fishing techniques. In this article, we will provide you with tips to effectively use baitcasters with light lures.
Casting Baitcasters with Light Lures
It doesn’t matter how good you are at fishing. If you step out with the wrong fishing equipment, you can brace yourself for total failure. With light lures especially, you need to be extra careful when picking equipment like rods and lines.
Rod
A rod is undoubtedly the most important fishing tool. The length, power and action of your rod will determine your fishing success. Rods ranging from 6’6” to 7’6” with medium to medium-heavy power and fast action tip will work perfectly for this application.
Now with the right rod, you need the right technique to use it. Firstly, ensure that you are not using too much energy. Let the rod do most of the work. When throwing the lure, make sure to use the wrist and not the arm. This is because you should not be using too much force. Instead, allow for the rod’s natural bend and the lure’s gravity.
With all this said, you will need to know how to cast. Casting with light lures is similar to flyfishing as your cast is similar to the 11 O’clock to 1 O’clock action. The difference is that the baitcaster should be in front of your face. To help you make a good purchasing decision, here is one of the best rods to use with a baitcaster for light lures.
Shimano SLXC70MH SLX Casting Rod is ideal for this application. The rod is 7 feet long, and it comes with integrated poly curve technology, Advanced Reinforcing technology and Taper Enhancement Technology. Other than being strongly built, it is also very sensitive, making it perfect for lightweight lures.
Reel
When looking for a baitcasting reel for light lures, go for the one with a light spool. With a lighter spool, it will be easier for the lure to spin the spools. Once you have chosen the right reel, the next step involves adjusting the reel.
The first thing you need to adjust is the brakes. Reel’s brakes vary from one reel to another; therefore, you need to understand your reel very well. To reduce the amount of braking, turn the braking down setting and find out what setting works best for you.
The next adjustment needs to be on the knob tension. Adjusting the knob tension will help you eliminate bird nests as you will adjust it to the setting where you’ll only need to press the button to release the line, and the lure will hit the ground.
With light lures, I would recommend the Abu Garcia Revo SX Low Profile Fishing Reel.
With this reel, you can be assured of long and precise casts in addition to unparalleled performance. It comes with a Dura Clutch design and an upgraded Infini braking system for extra smoothness. Its brass main gears, and carbon construction ensures maximum strength and durability. Additionally, it features gear ratios 6.6:1 and 7.3:1 and a powerful carbon matrix drag system with a maximum drag of 24lbs.
Fishing Line and Leader Length
Your choice of fishing line to cast light lures with a baitcaster will depend on your expertise. For beginners, I would recommend a 20lb braided fishing line.
Fluorocarbon lines have a lot of memory. Therefore, they are best suited for more experienced anglers. However, fishing in an area with much cover, a braided line will work better despite your expertise.
Having chosen the best line, the next consideration is the line leader length. When casting light lures with a baitcaster, the leader should be longer than normal. A length of 8 to 10 inches from the lure to the rod will work perfectly with a baitcaster; however, to increase your casting distance with the very light lures, you can let out 2 to 2 ½ feet of line.
Fishing Tackle
With light lures, you need to consider the hook and weight increase. Let’s look at the hook first. The hook is essential in ensuring that you have an easy time when using light lures. Make sure the hook is a little heavy to have an easy time casting your rod.
When it comes to adding weight, you need to ensure that you are using lures to change their weights. Having added their weight, you’ll have an easier time casting. With soft plastic lures, you can use circle or nail weights.
Casting Technique
The final step on how to cast light lures with a baitcaster is by following the right technique. The best technique to use is the long sweeping sidearm cast. While casting with light lures, the mistake you can make is casting overhead or power casting. When you cast way up in the air, you are prone to backlashes and tangles. Additionally, you will start losing speed while the spool is still going.
The best thing to do is to keep the line lower to the ground to maintain its speed. If you are still experiencing spool tangles after this, try to press your thumb on the spool when it hits the water and adjust the spool tension. After gaining some experience and confidence, you can loosen the tension knob and turn some brakes off for longer casts.
Here is a summary of what you ought to do
- Double the slack you cast with.
- Place your thumb on the spool and click on the casting button
- Use one hand and take the rod back parallel to the ground
- When slack is gone, lob it out using your wrist
- Press the spool with your thumb when the lure hits the water
Final Impression
Using light lures does not have to be difficult. With a few fishing hacks and the right equipment, you can enjoy making long casts without much struggle. People’s biggest mistake is using the same same old equipment for new fishing techniques and expecting great results. If you are using a baitcaster with light lures, make sure every other equipment you use is compatible for excellent results. Otherwise, you will encounter disappointments every time you step out to fish. Always make a point of researching the best tools for your new adventure.
