This afternoon I had some time to try out my new Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 Winch baitcasting rod.  I got this specifically for crankbaits.  The reel I'm using is my only baitcaster - Shimano Chronarch 200e6.  I bought this rod because I want to use more crankbaits this year and I'm going to specifically use my one baitcaster for crankbaits and my spinning reels for all other things.  

 

 The last two years I've been trying to master this baitcaster.  I got to the point where I could cast with no backlash but not light crankbaits and with no good distance.  The thing is - I always ran balanced brakes - six, four, three or two.  I never ran one.  It really ticked me off how I could not cast any good distance.  

 

 So I get to this small lake with a fishing dock and cast out with three brakes on and a standard KVD 1.5 square bill.  It cast OK but once again, no great distance.  So I went with two brakes on.  Once again it cast OK with no backlash but no great distance.  That ticked me off.  So I decided to try something I have never done - try one brake on!  So I put one brake on and cast and - wow!  I cast a bomb and no backlash!  I tried it again and I cast a bomb and no backlash.  Over and over no backlash.  I tried other crankbaits and I could still cast a bomb.  The only time I did get backlash was when the wind picked up and I cast into it.  One brake was not enough so I need two or thee.  But with the wind I only needed one brake and again I could cast a bomb with no backlash. 

 

 I don't know where all the so called "experts" on Youtube got their information about running balanced brakes.  I took their advice the last two years and have been frustrated.  Now I try one brake and it actually casts pretty darn well!  Now I think I can do some hard core crankbait fishing with my baitcaster to go along with my hard core spinning reels and soft plastic fishing.  

 

 Internet baitcasting experts get an F from me!  Shimano Chronarch and Veritas 2.0 get an A so far.  

Appreciate the info I've always ran two brakes also just for balance I'm gonna try this for myself..

Welcome to true shimano performance lol. The balanced brakes was disproven years ago by Bantam 1. Also people keep spouting the "2 on and forget it" mantra when it comes to shimano, not realizing the full potential of the reels.

I see cringe worthy stuff on the web all the time. Take it all with a grain of salt. You can absolutely safely ad effectively run one brake on in a Shimano reel. If you choose 2 or more, why not space them out around the hub? Even if you didn't, the results would not be catastrophic. Keep in mind too, the rod plays a much bigger role in casting than the reel does.