22" Brown on the Caney tonight

[jad2t]

I fished until sundown at the dam and started to head back home disappointed because not only did I catch a whole lot of nothing but I also used my bday present for the first time, a really nice BPS baitcaster reel and rod and kept getting birds nests in the spool, I'm not good with them yet haha. I put that thing away and stuck to the spinner reel but still caught nothing so I packed up and left. Something told me to try my luck in the river a little upstream and I did. I couldn't see where I was wading so I didnt walk in far. I was fishing with a YoZuri rainbow trout pattern jerkbait and caught this beauty on my second cast. Biggest trout to date and was released nice and healthy back into the river. I had no idea trout could fight like this, I use 8lb test and this thing pulled drag for quite a while. What a way to end the night!!

[tkwalker]

I fished until sundown at the dam and started to head back home disappointed because not only did I catch a whole lot of nothing but I also used my bday present for the first time, a really nice BPS baitcaster reel and rod and kept getting birds nests in the spool, I'm not good with them yet haha. I put that thing away and stuck to the spinner reel but still caught nothing so I packed up and left. Something told me to try my luck in the river a little upstream and I did. I couldn't see where I was wading so I didnt walk in far. I was fishing with a YoZuri rainbow trout pattern jerkbait and caught this beauty on my second cast. Biggest trout to date and was released nice and healthy back into the river. I had no idea trout could fight like this, I use 8lb test and this thing pulled drag for quite a while. What a way to end the night!!

Jimmy, Nice Brown .... Just for directional purposes for new anglers ... Did you mean Down stream ... I know where you were at the Dam ... this may confuse folks ... You can't go uptream from the Dam ... <'TK>< :)

[lilmule]

Nice trout,as for the baitcaster try adujusting the brake knob on the left side,or the spool cap by the handle,then apply thumb pressure.

[Travis C.]

Nice fish man! Those brownies sure fun to catch and pull like a run-a-way train.

Baitcasters are tricky but well worth the practice to get good with them. Most have 2-3 braking systems on the and you need to know what they are for before setting them. Just turning thing up or down doesn't always cut it.

The knob usually next to the drag is a tensioner for the whole spool.

The dial on opposite site is a magnetic brake for the "end" of the cast when the weight of the bait takes up the slack thrown in the line from casting.

The internal pins on opposite side of spool from drag/spool tensioner is for you "beginning" part of the cast when the spool has weight of lure to being pun from casting then being weightless. (That is why you thumb your spool as well)

Set the internal ones opposite so they are in balance. The more internal brakes on the more help you have to control the spool... if you move one then move the one on opposite side. Set the spool tensioner next to where the bait falls without backlash. Finally try a few casts and adjust the side magnetic brake and your good to go. Keep you thumb close by over the spool as you to keep backlash at a minimum. IF everything is set up and you get really good at casting then you won't even need to thumb the spool. I am no where near there. KVD sets everything loose and uses no thumb yet cast 80-100ft. Then again that is why he is who he is.

When you get better you can use it more loosely on the settings to achieve even further casts.

[bd-]

Travis has provided a good run-down on the different braking systems on baitcasting reels. I actually prefer a "less is more" approach - my favorite baitcasting reels are the classic Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 and 6000 series. They have fewer magnets and braking systems, but they are simple to operate and I can get a longer cast out of them. Take my input for what it's worth, though. There was a time when I bass fished and striper fished with baitcasters a LOT, but now I stick with a flyrod 99 percent of the time.

Having said all that, baitcasters are really not ideal for most trout fishing anyway, even with jerkbaits. A good spinning reel with a high-quality drag will probably perform better for you and be more versatile. You can use the same rod and reel for big brown trout and trophy smallmouth fishing, because the demands are about the same.

If you're after largemouth, stripers, and catfish, a baitcaster has its place. But for trout and smallies I'd prefer a spinning rod.

bd

[jad2t]

I just wanted to use the baitcaster and catch my first fish on it because it was a birthday present and my dad kept telling me to hurry and catch my first fish on it.

I've been after a 20+ inch trout for a while and finally decided to fish at night which ive been told over and over is when they are caught.

bd - my next challenge is to catch one of these beasts on my flyrod!

[Travis C.]

my next challenge is to catch one of these beasts on my flyrod!

Mine too :D