Worst backlash ever

[GulfOfBothnia]

Is it this one?

http://www.utreel.com/se/images/downloads/rulltrimning1.pdf

But seriously...

Do you use thumb during the cast or just at the moment when the bait/lure hits the water?

[Steve-O]

Nahhh....I remember one I had that completely covered my casting arm and draped over my shoulder. 

Must have been 230-240 yards of line. The one in the link only looks like about 155-160 yards of mono.

And seriously, the thumb best be near the spool unless you're a glutton for bird's nest soup.  I feather the thumb depending on the cast, distance to target, wind, and oops factors.

Steve-o

[akfish]

I keep my thumb on the edge of the spool ever so lightly so that I don't backlash, then apply more pressure as the bait hits the water.

[Norcal Pescador]

Yep! Keep the thumb close to the spool.
On the second and third pages of the article is the famous one ounce tub of Cal's.

[mackereljoe]

Reels with cast control pretty much just feather touch the spool or leave it alone until until it hits water.  When casting against the wind i look at my lure or sinker if it's making progress going forward and as soon as it slows down, put firmer pressure on the edge of the spool.  Reel with no cast control, i tend to slow it down at the edge of the spool within a second to prevent overrun and clamp down when lure or sinker hit the water.   Back then i seem to always end up using the metal spool penn 2/0. 

[seaeagle2]

  I took the easy way out and went back to a spinning reel.

[Alto Mare]

Are you casting with those 4/0 that you customized? If you are, try scaling down to a smaller reel until you get the hang of it. 4/0's are not easy to cast.

[Rare]

Why cast out with a 4/0 

[seaeagle2]

Are you casting with those 4/0 that you customized? If you are, try scaling down to a smaller reel until you get the hang of it. 4/0's are not easy to cast.

Oh no, about 10 years ago I thought I'd learn to bait cast for Steelhead and Salmon in the rivers, cause all the local experts were saying how much better bait casters worked than spinning set ups.   I got a Abu ambassadeur  C3 6503. I just never could get the hang of it. ( I think the local experts figured guys like me would spend our time untangling back lashes instead of fishing thereby reducing the competitionO  I've been using a spinning reel for about 40 years now, so I went back to a modern spinning reel on the steelhead rod I've had since I got it for my 12th birthday  I'm going to use the 4/0's for Halibut fishing.

[Alto Mare]

Why cast out with a 4/0 

Why not!

Hawaiian surf fishermen can cast over 100 yards with the 4/0's, except for Bryan of course . Hey at least he tried, I would never attempt it. I also heard of some guys here casting the 4/0's on a 12' rod with the chromed brass spool, now that takes skills.

[Keith K]

I keep my thumb on the edge of the spool ever so lightly so that I don't backlash, then apply more pressure as the bait hits the water.

Yep.  side of the thumb on the edge of the spool.

Why cast out with a 4/0 

Why not!

Yeah, why not?  You can cast a 6X Jr. a long ways with a Baja Special.  That way you can cover more water while Yo-Yo-ing for yellows.  I also have a narrowed Newell 533 that is a 4/0 sized reel that casts surface iron a MILE ! 

[akfish]

One more hint: Wind the line evenly on the spool. If one part (say the middle) is higher than another part (say the edges) then as the line comes off the spool the spool will try to spin at different rates -- faster when the line comes off the edges and slower when it comes off the middle. That really helps the chances of a backlash.

[Rare]

Just think by now they are many more reels that can do the job far better than a 4/0 for casting. One will be the weight issue of casting from time to time. Can you cast with a 4/0 sure, but here is more of a trolling reels-bottom fishing.

[saltydog]

You gotta have big hands thats all,casting a 4/0 isn't that difficult but it does take practice.

[Keta]

I use my thumb but have a callus from Spectra burns.

Why cast out with a 4/0 

Because we can and sometimes have to, I've had to cast 6" live bait with 50's.