Anyone on here have much experience casting big baitcasters (like avets or senator 4/0’s)? My question is how hard is it to get used to casting those things, is the technique much different than on smaller reels?
The largest size reel I’ve tried casting is a 9000 ABU Ambassedeur, and only did that once to try it out when I first got it. IMO, it’s more about the rod than the reel. You need a long rod for that type of casting & heavy weight. I tried it with a 10 ft rod, and could cast it far enough for the fishing I was doing, but that was less than 50 ft. It takes some skill & practice to cast something that heavy. The whole setup is going to be heavy, so not like casting a typical inshore or bass setup.
I have several “large” size reels, ABU’s & Penn’s and frankly only use them now for bottom fishing from a boat, or trolling.
IMO, if you need to cast any distance, you need a smaller reel that’s made for casting & has good capacity, or stick with a large size spinning reel.
If you want to cast a big reel, you are better off with big spinning reels.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
I have a international 975 and love it, it casts like a dream with 65# braid. Like bigjim5589 said, the longer the rod and the heaver the weight the better it casts. I have mine on a 8’ boron salmon rod and have used it in Costa Rica to cast to sails and cast topwater lures to stripers
I’ve used my pen 4 & 6/0 to cast. For me it’s hit and miss bird nesting. Got to have good timing with your hand on the spool stopping cast just right. Much better for just dropping over the side of the boat.
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
I’ve added several more since I took this pic. IMO, use a reel size that’s appropriate for the fishing you’re doing. When I’m throwing lures for Stripers, I use an ABU 6600 or 5600 size reel, some of the low profiles or my surf spinning gear. I’m using Daiwa Emcast Plus reels on my surf rods & only use the surf gear for the heavier wood lures, 2 oz & heavier or for bait. There’s 2 ABU 9000, and 1 ABU 10000 size reels in this pic. I’ve never tried casting the 10000.
If you are casting 4/0’s, then you are doing it wrong! 
I throw TLD15’s and 20’s all the time for big Reds, Sharks and whatever else might bite. It takes a little getting used to for sure and I still have the occasional backlash. Sucks when a customer tries it and really effs it up good.
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Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
When you cast start adding light pressure as soon as you cast and add a little more as momentum slows and stop it just before it hits the water. Also you can set the drag really light and cast.
Why does no one add a braking system to a larger sized reel like on the smaller baitcasters? Properly set up, both brakes will eliminate 90% of backlashes.
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
Most avet models have an MC (magic cast) cast control available that supposedly works pretty good
I’ve never been able to effectively cast a large conventional reel, I don’t even try if somebody’s looking[:I] To me those are for trolling and bottom fishing, keep a couple of spinning rods hand for when I need to cast. But if I really need to cast a big boy for a quick presentation, I stick the rod in the rod holder, strip off how much line I need, coil it up in my hand, swing the bait around a few times and chunk it where I want it to go. Works for me
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
You can cast a pretty good sized conventional reel with practice and a educated thumb. Once they get much bigger than a 5000 you need no level wind and mag’s to help on the backlash. Any serious distance cast and you need a mag reel for sure even if a level wind. The casting distance records are all with conventional reels. Well over 825’ but, that’s a pro with a souped up custom reel.
J Ford
Buy a thumb protector & practice, practice, practice…
I love spinning reels!
Fishing the beaches, Bays & Ocean of Wildwood/Cape May, NJ
Soon a resident of Georgetown, SC
Check out the Alan Tani website. There is numerous things you can do to make bait casters, level wind reels, and conventional reels work, and cast to the max. Like polishing worm gears and spool shafts with BLUEMAGIC metal polishing cream. You won’t believe the tarnish you can remove from these items, and make them super slick. Then no grease on spool shafts, and level winds, only a small drop or two of corrosion X. I upgraded a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Record 60 using the above procedure, and installing new ceramic bearings, level wind bearing, and ceramic pawl. The casting distance probably increased by 25%, however, the cost of the part’s is probably not worth it. The spool turns so fast it is probably more prone to backlash.
You would be surprised how much faster the spool will turn on the old 5000 - 6600 ambassadeurs. just by polishing the spool shaft and worm gear, and cleaning and thoroughly drying the spool bearings, and most important only one drop of corrosion X on the bearings, and spool shafts.
Been surf casting with Penn Squidders for decades.
Penn stopped making the old models a few years ago-luckily
mine have lasted since the 1950’s and still work just fine.
I use 10’-12’ rods-can throw a long way.
Wet the spool before you cast-won’t burn your thumb.
Just takes practice to perfect this skill.
Once you get good at it, you will be the envy
of the spinning reel set. (No skill at all needed there:))
16’ Alumacraft Mod V Hull Jon Boat
25hp Yammy 4 stroke
Most folks over lube casting reels, I’m guilty myself some times!
quote:
Most folks over lube casting reels, I'm guilty myself some times!
Very true, and many come out of the box with too much oil & grease in them. In a reel for bottom fishing from a boat or for trolling that’s not usually an issue, but for a casting reel where you want distance, it can be like night & day!
General rule: oil on bearings or bushings, grease on gears.
Oil, a drop or two, grease just enough to coat the teeth.
Anymore than that is too much, and many times it will end up in drags, which is not where you want it.
One of the best things I learned with my baitcaster reels is to clean all that excess out of them & re-lube with a good high performance synthetic reel oil & grease, and in the right places & not too much. Actually improved how some of them cast, without any special parts added. 
Well just tried it, without any modifications I can zing my 4/0 about 40-50 yards on a 6 foot rod. What are some things I can do to improve this distance? I plan on getting a longer rod soon
Minimize the amount of grease in the reel, heavy on oil (Corrosion X) less resistance and more distance.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250