Practice Simple Baitcast Reel Thumbing Control at Home

Abu Garcia 6500 CS Rocket Chrome Baitcast Reel

I enjoy bait cast fishing with reckless abandon. This is part of my personality. I would never recommend a few of my tactics to others, as I have actually discontinued using the centrifugal brakes on my Abu Garcia 6500 CS Rocket. The brake slots remain empty for many years, the spool of the reel is quite loose, and releasing my thumb leaves no noticeable resistance to the setup when casting or on simple release of the line. This is due to mastering the technique of using the thumb for line control, commonly referred to as feathering the line or thumbing by anglers.

No centrifugal brakes; not recommended

I did not know anything about thumbing to control the line of a baitcast reel in my first six months of using it. Although it is embarrassing to admit, I wasted hundreds of yards of fishing line and became quite the expert at causing a backlash on the line and what anglers like to refer to as birds nests, which are severe cases of backlash. Most of my fishing time was spent trying to untangle backlash after birds nest, with this cycle repeating itself. People around me wondered when I would come to my senses and give it all up, or return to using a spinning reel. It took some time, but I woke up one day to realize that using my thumb to help control the line speed of the reel was a good tactic. Thanks to thumbing, I was able to be free myself from a terrible agony.

Unique gift to wind fishing line

One day, a good fishing buddy gave me a unique gift. It was a device with a small electric motor and a special spindle to mount a spool to wind the fishing line on. This would have been the perfect tool to practice thumbing with, but I had already mastered the technique by then. All I had to do was put the end of my line to the spool and flick a switch to wind the line from my baitcast reel onto the spool. I had to use my thumb to control the speed rate and flow of line, which was not difficult to do. The entire process was completed in a couple of  minutes. The speed was never overrun with precise control of the line. If you have or are able to make such a device, you will surely learn thumbing very quickly.

If you can get someone to help you, the same practice can be easily done without the electric device. The other person simply winds the line from your baitcast reel onto his or her empty reel. You get to practice and become proficient at using the thumb for line control, which will save a lot of agony and frustration when actually casting and fishing. This may spare you from hearing the chuckles I often heard, and sensing the eyes of others observing the progress rate of backlash repair.

Thumbing for line control

Ensure that your thumb maintains constant contact with the line after releasing to cast until the setup enters the water and stabilizes. The touch should be very light as if the thumb was a feather stroking the line. Any irregularity will be immediately felt, and the casting can be stopped at any time before a major backlash develops.

Great tool to reel in fish!

That is thumbing for baitcast reel line control in a nutshell. It has worked like a magic charm for me. With proper practice, definite improvement will surely follow. Enjoy casting and fishing with your baitcast reel. It has to be one of the greatest fishing devices ever created.

For more tips and tidbits, check out Bait Cast FishingFrom Land To Sea!

What does Bait Cast Fishing Mean?

My Bait Cast Fishing Image

What do you picture in your mind with the words, bait cast fishing? Many people tend to visualize fishing with a baitcast reel, or using lures to catch black bass fish. Obviously, the words have different meanings for different people. I can only relay my definition based on my style of bait cast fishing.

Abu Garcia 7000C Baitcast Reel

Bait cast fishing has nothing to do with a baitcast reel on this or any of my other sites, articles or blogs, although I happen to enjoy using such a reel. It does not relate to baiting or luring fish with something which resembles what it eats; I use edible bait. It also does not involve using live bait, as casting live bait cast to a distance will quickly result in lifeless bait.

Bait Basket

Frozen shrimp bait of two sizes is used in my bait cast style. The larger shrimp is used individually as it is speared through with a fish hook from the tail section, and exits an area just before and below the head. Fish will usually not eat the tail section, so I often remove it. If I leave the tail, it is done only to hide the knot from the line on the hook from the fish. Fish often feed from the back of the head, and behind the eyes, which is exactly where I set the hook. I prefer single hook fishing, and this hook is inserted within the basket which is already loaded with the smaller shrimp at about 70 percent capacity. Both types of shrimp are released when the bait basket reaches the predetermined depth.

The smaller shrimp serves to perform two main roles: attract and gather fish, and also draw the bait takers or thieves away from the larger shrimp on the hook. The larger fish are also attracted, but do not mingle with the small ones and keep their distance except to get some of the bait shrimp while sweeping past and moving away. Exercising such caution naturally allowed them to grow and mature. Many species suck in the bait, which allows the hook to catch on the corner of the mouth. Even a large fish will have an easier time to suck in the shrimp on a smaller, rather than a very large hook. Small fish will not be able to take in the bait this way.

My target fish is red snapper. The first indication of its presence to me is when the bait on the hook is half eaten and the hook does not return empty. When my red snapper gets hooked, it happens in the corner of the mouth in most cases.I wait for my big target fish to snatch the large shrimp at some point before another fish does.

Bait Cast Fishing From Land To Sea!

This is a simple style of fishing and I call it bait cast fishing because I cast from a land surface to the sea. I cast to long distances, often exceeding a hundred meters; much farther with a brisk tailwind. Even with such a simple style, mistakes can be easily made. Common mistakes include attempting long casts with an unbalanced setup, bait baskets opening before entering the water or not opening at all, fishing lines tangling onto each other, the float or the basket, and inaccurate depth setting for bait release.

Advice and tips from an expert are helpful to correct technical errors. Most anglers make corrections naturally, through experience. As for depth, it may not be a good idea to ask someone at the fishing site. That person is competing with you for the fish, and may pass on bad information. Do some research and get to know your target fish. Getting tips at the bait and fishing supply dealer may help, as they want to keep you as a customer.

This Red Snapper was much too large for the cutting board

Although my target fish is red snapper,  I knew that they are found in the lower part of the ocean, within 15 feet from the bottom before finalizing them as my target. I constantly verify this when I catch them.

Being realistic is also important because catching and landing the target fish is the ultimate joy. I never target a fish that I cannot catch, such as tuna. They do come by, but they are about 500 yards away. I could never reach them by bait casting. But the indescribable thrill of having my float suddenly and swiftly vanish underwater is not something experienced from a boat.

During the warm months, I can easily switch my fishing depth and use the same bait to land bonito and other fish. They fill the area in summer and make themselves the target.

So, my definition of bait cast fishing is to land the target fish with the bait I cast with my bait basket and single hook from land to the sea.

Customize a Bait Basket to Easily Cast Shrimp and Baited Hook When Fishing

Various Kinds of Bait Baskets

There is an easy way to cast shrimp bait a long distance and deliver a hook threaded through shrimp to catch fish. A bait basket allows efficient use of small shrimp to attract and gather fish. Simply load the shrimp into the basket along with the fishing hook baited with a larger shrimp . This bait basket or container is a prime tool that gives you the edge when many others are after the same fish.

  

Left: Large Holes  Right: Rocket Shape Top, Few Small Holes

There are various bait baskets. Here are a few examples.

The best choice is the hard plastic type with a rocket shape on top and a few small holes in the body. Not having many large holes in the body results in better casting distance and the shape cuts wind resistance. Being able to use different sizes of bait shrimp is another advantage. The soft plastic semi transparent type limits you to loading very small shrimp into it because the basket does not open up to release the bait.

Soft Plastic Type

Most hard plastic bait baskets have an insulated wire section going through the body with a loop at the top to attach to the main fishing line, a sinker at the bottom exterior, and a small loop or swivel below that to to attach to the hook line. This insulated wire is fine for a while, but it eventually wears out, causing the thin wires within to fray. This prevents the basket from opening and shutting freely. Due to this weakness, I modify the bait basket by replacing the insulated wire with a stainless steel rod.

Wire Cutter with Hole Between Cutting Edges

A wire cutter with a small hole between the cutting edges is a tool which makes working with the stainless rod much easier for me. If you want to modify a bait basket and this tool is not available, improvise with a sturdy needle nose and standard pliers.

Loop Shaping with Wire Cutter

Loop Formed

A thin rod slides easily into the wire cutter’s hole, and it can be bent at five or six points without much effort. After this is completed, spread the cutting edges of the wire cutter apart, hook the first bent part of the rod to one edge of the hole and the last bent part to the other edge, squeeze slowly and evenly to gradually form a loop. Be very careful as the rod can slip easily off the holes and the cutting edges are sharp. The reason for shaping the loop is that it will be used later to attach the bait basket to the snap of the main line. The loop does not need to be perfect, just functional. There will probably be a small gap at the end of the loop. Solder it to seal it, or block it with a small stainless nut or washer.

Do not proceed to the bottom loop of the rod, yet. There are a few things to insert between them. In fact, you may find it easier to start at the bottom loop!

Sinker to Anchor at Bottom Oblong Loop

A larger oblong loop needs to be shaped at the bottom to anchor a sinker. The sinker is hammered or tapped firmly into the loop. It does not matter if you start from the top or bottom. I always start from the bottom when I do this because it is easier for me to anchor the sinker.

Customized Bait Baskets

The stainless rods I buy are 20 inches long, and this allows me to use a bar for two baskets.The thickness is about 0.075 inches because my sinker is quite heavy at about 2.6 ounces. Most people use a 1.3 to 1.6 ounce sinker so a thickness of 0.06 inches is sufficient.

Bait Basket Position in Setup

There are friction and resistance when I slide the rod through the bait basket's center after anchoring the sinker because my stainless rod is rather thick. There is a long tube or sleeve within the upper part of the basket causing this. I widen the hole of the tube with a thin drill bit, but the tube usually breaks off. Do not be annoyed if this happens to you. If there is about an inch of the sleeve left, this is enough. I use a shortened shish kabob skewer that is just a tad thicker than my stainless rod. After heating it for several minutes, I use it to expand the hole in the sleeve with the help of a sturdy wrench and gloves on my hands. I keep working until the bait basket slides smoothly down the stainless rod. This prevents bait release problems later in the water when casting and fishing. As I modify the bait basket, I ensure that it can slide open about two inches to load the shrimp bait and baited hook.

Nut & Stopper Usage

If you soldered the end of the loop at the top, there is no need of a small stainless nut. If not and there is no nut, there will be times when the hook line will enter this gap.

Some people like to put a little rubber stopper above the top of the basket. The stopper should provide some friction but it should not be tight or it will prevent the basket from opening. Load the bait to scatter and attract fish into the bait basket and insert the hook with the main bait into the basket too. Fill the basket to 70 percent capacity and make sure that the hook is not facing toward the stainless bar for best results. After closing the basket, if you are using a stopper, slide it down to the top before casting. After the fishing float sets, pull up with the fishing rod to release the bait. Happy Bait Cast Fishing!

Learn to Make Your Own Light, Balanced Bait Cast Fishing Float

Bait Cast Fishing Floater On Duty

If you always hold on to your rod or watch for a tug on the line, the float will free up your hands and tell you when a fish is on the line. Just watch the float and take measures to prevent a big fish from taking your fishing pole away.

If you already use floats, don't you agree that those sold in stores are bulky, heavy, break easily, and cost a lot? If you make your own, you will never want to buy another one again. Chances are, you can make about 10 of them for the price of one at the store. If you are good at it, fellow anglers will offer to pay to have you make them some. But, with any new endeavor, it may be tricky in the beginning. But, if you refuse to quit, you can shape, build, and design attractive, efficient custom floats that are suitable for long distance bait cast fishing.

Notice these floats of different lengths and widths for various uses. A couple of them allow attachment of a tiny lithium battery and a diode for night fishing. My fishing style is bait cast. I use a long telescopic rod with a baitcast reel. Others prefer spinning reels. In bait cast fishing the cast is launched with a bait basket and a simple, but specialized set up with an objective of long distance casting. The float must handle the total weight while being light, so as not to add unnecessary weight, and be well balanced. The float functions quickly to set the fishing depth, and instantly indicate a fish on the line.

Long Styrofoam, urethane and polyurethane rods are commonly used to make the body. Styrofoam rods I've used are hard and easy to shape and sand for smoothness. They often have a hole in the core. Polyurethane rods are very popular in Japan as they are available in many different colors. Urethane is my favorite. It is soft but not porous as a sponge is. The body is white and it is the cheapest of the three types. The floater on the far right has a urethane body. The reason for having sinkers at the bottom will be explained later.

Rods for the body are available in various widths, and the urethane rods I buy are well over six feet long, so I slice off appropriate lengths as needed. I buy them at a local building supply wholesaler, and they tell me that they are used for insulation within walls. There is no hole in the center and because this hole is necessary for normal use, so I have the pleasure of creating it. I slide a thin fiberglass rod through the hole after after that. Then I attach a small weight at the bottom and four fins at the top.

Top: Rods for body  Bottom: Making the hole

Creating the hole at the core can be a painstaking process and takes some getting used to. I use the top section of an old fishing pole to do this. Using a fiberglass rod with one end sharpened is a good alternative, as this has to be done later, anyway. Work slowly and carefully. Focus on keeping the hole in the dead center of the body. When done half-way, turn the rod around to do the same from the other end.  The objective is to have the hole align exactly at the center. Do not give up when holes appear at all angles randomly throughout the body. It is to be expected in the beginning. If you concentrate and persevere, you will develop skill and master the technique to do it well on almost every attempt.

Top: Weight attached  Bottom: Shaping body

Although the weight in the picture looks large, in reality it's very light. It is 3.75 grams, or about 0.13 ounces. If wind is not a factor, half of that weight is sufficient. There should be a hole in the sinker core. You have to form a loop at the top end of a thin stainless rod and slide it through the hole of the sinker. Use a razor or cutter and shave an end of a fiberglass rod to fit in the hole on the other end of the looped stainless rod. You may have to enlarge the hole to do this. Leave a quarter to half an inch of excess before snipping the stainless rod. Use thin, sturdy thread or fiber and wrap it around the exposed stainless rod and the fiberglass rod and tie a neat knot near the sinker. Apply glue to the wrapped area, and paint it after it dries if you want to do so.

Shaping the body of the float may be started while waiting for the glue to dry. Before using a razor-sharp cutter, I make guidelines with a pencil or marker at regular intervals along the length of the body. I always cut and shape as if I'm peeling an apple and never shave it as if working on a pencil edge. If there are rough areas remaining, sandpaper is used to smooth them out. I apply heat after that to soften the body so that the final form can be molded with my hands.

Heat may be supplied with an electric or gas range. Insert a rod through the center of the body and rotate it over the heat. Please work carefully and never use high heat and do not rotate the body very slowly. If the body starts to bubble, you've ruined it. It is best to heat slowly just past the point where it is warm. Roll your hands over the warm body while smoothly rotating from top to bottom. This produces the final shape and helps to keep water from seeping into it. Let it cool and bond the body to the fiberglass rod at the desired position.

As for attaching the four fins at the top, it is much easier to do than shaping the body. A sheet of plastic is used to make the fins, but it is best to avoid brittle or hard plastic. Soft and flexible plastic make the fins durable. Be sure to sand the surface of both sides in a circular motion, and try not to use a design with a sharp edge as there are times when the fins contact your main line. A half heart shaped design is best. Sanding makes it easy to apply luminous paint on the fins later. Keeping a master sample of all fin designs allows easy duplication.

To set the first fin, sparingly apply quick drying cement glue on the edge of the fin and carefully place the rod on it. Allow bonding time. Then do the same for the second fin on the opposite side. Looking at the exposed fiberglass rod adjoining the fins, it's easy to see that you have two natural slots on opposite sides to insert the next two fins. Take your time, glue the fins precisely, and don't have glue dripping down along the rod by using too much of it.

When painting the fins, you will find that blue, green, and yellow are not good colors to use as they are difficult to see at a distance. An easy color to spot is luminous orange. Black is easy to see in strong sunlight.

Even if your float is divinely shaped, if it can't handle the weight of your setup, it ends up being a cute ornament. The total weight of my bait cast fishing setup is over four ounces, so mine has a total length of about 10 inches, with the diameter of the body before shaping being about two inches and the total body length at completion is about seven inches. I relay this data to you as a rough guideline for your preparation in creating your custom float.

When testing, I judge it to have passed the test and be acceptable for use if about one third of its body is above the water.

If you are toying with the idea of making your own custom fishing float, my advice is to, "Go For It!" Before taking it out for a test drive in the water, have a bit of fun and toss it in the air in a high arc as if throwing a dart. You'll be pleased with its lightness and good balance. That's why this type of float is used in long distance bait cast fishing in Japan. When you take it fishing with you, don't simply admire its handsome sight and balance. The real fun begins when it shoots down into the water, out of sight. That's where the action is!