Received this real today. Not going to use it until I learn it with practice.

My question is where to set brakes initially? The directions state that you should set the CC so that the spool does not move horizontally and then begin at brake setting of 20. Then adjust brake until you feel comfortable as far as overruns are concerned.

If I follow this method with a 1/4 oz. for practice and find a sweet spot, will this setting work with heavier lures? I ask this because it says to adjust brakes per lure weight and I have trouble casting light lures on a BC.

 

Joe

Nice reel, I have one too. Generally speaking reel manufactures will call for adjustments on the brakes when going up or down in lure weight..I think once you get use to the reel, you can set it and forget it, using your thumb..Just checked my reel..Throwing mostly a hollow body frog on braid, I have the brakes set to 10. Very slight movement on the spool..Best to experiment, with different weights, see what works best for you. Congratz on the new reel.

I agree with ten. Nowadays I use most 5-6 for all lure weights but I started out with 10. The magforce z breaks seem to like more of a sweeping cast then a whipping cast. If it backlashes at all, it's probably gonna be in the first part of the cast. Once the spool gets going, the brakes are very good at preventing backlashes.

Find the video of Brent erhler or however you spell it....showing how to setup that braking system.  I always set mine where spool has just a touch of side to side play then set the mag on about 10. For me I could launch about anything I wanted to fish on that setting 

3 minutes ago, Shimano_1 said:

Find the video of Brent erhler or however you spell it....showing how to setup that braking system.  I always set mine where spool has just a touch of side to side play then set the mag on about 10. For me I could launch about anything I wanted to fish on that setting 

That's what I got my Fuego set at...and I'm launching anything from 3/8 oz hollow frogs to WP-110s with VERY rarely any backlash.

Thanks all. I saw that video somewhere, I’ll find it and watch!

I got so involved in other aspects of this reel that I failed to see that is was rated at 12-16 pound line test, mono probably. I’m assuming I can put 10 (flouro or copoly) on it with no problems, since many opt for braid that have smaller diameters.

 

Joe

The spool tension adjustment knob deterime show fast the lure weight pulls line off the reel without casting. Simple tension adjustment; degrees the spool release, take your tumb off the spool with whatever lure you plan to cast and let it fall on it's own weight.

The lure should fall with very slight tension,not free fall. This is easy to do with each different weight lure if you use a wide range of different weight lure.

The cast control is mag force setting the slows down the spool speed during the cast and  that depends on your casting skill and trained thumb. Adjust to suit your casting technique.

Tom

PS, every fishing partners who picks up one of my rod/reel combo tends to get a backlash because I like them set as free running as possible for long distance casting, it's a learned skill.

 

So the cast control knob adjustment and the brake system are not independent of each other as I have previously thought? I always believed that CC helped at the back end of the cast, when the lure entered the water and the brakes helped on the front end, during the cast itself. 

It seems to me that if you put tension on the spool with CC and then increase the brakes you would be putting an additional tension on the spool. If this is correct, why even bother with the CC and just simply add more brake to help with backlash problems until thumb gets educated?

 

Joe

1 hour ago, 5/0 said:

I got so involved in other aspects of this reel that I failed to see that is was rated at 12-16 pound line test, mono probably. I’m assuming I can put 10 (flouro or copoly) on it with no problems, since many opt for braid that have smaller diameters.

 

Joe

This is only a guide for how much line the spool holds.  Not which pound line you should use.  Follow the rod's line suggestions.  I use 8# mono on most of my reels going on Medium power or lighter rods.  No problems.  I use co-polymer and mono mostly.

 

Tom has more experience than I will ever have.  However, every video (and most all threads) tell you to set spool tension (for Magforce Z) with just a bit of side to side play and then adjust brakes accordingly.  I've got about 20 Daiwas with Magforce Z and they are all set up this way.  However......I learned on an OG Fuego (Magforce Z) by tightening the cast control.  When I sent it in for cleaning and upgrading, the guy told me he couldn't cast a 1/4 oz. weight the way I had the reel set up.

 

I did as he suggested...backed off on cast control, filled spool to bevel.  Had to learn to cast all over again.  It was almost as bad as originally learning to use a baitcast reel.  I suggest learning with the spool tension set up in what seems to me to be the correct method...with a bit of side to side play.  Save yourself some learning time.  I think you will thank me later.  Just remember that any baitcast reel needs a smooth cast.  Daiwas seem to do quite well for distance without having to try to muscle your cast.

1 minute ago, 5/0 said:

So the cast control knob adjustment and the brake system are not independent of each other as I have previously thought? I always believed that CC helped at the back end of the cast, when the lure entered the water and the brakes helped on the front end, during the cast itself. 

It seems to me that if you put tension on the spool with CC and then increase the brakes you would be putting an additional tension on the spool. If this is correct, why even bother with the CC and just simply add more brake to help with backlash problems until thumb gets educated?

 

Joe

I run brakes heavier than a lot of people because I feel it affects distance less than tightening the cast control.  Distance is important to me a lot of times.  Pressure on the spool from the cast control works throughout the entire cast whereas brakes don't.  At least that is my understanding of how brakes work.

 

If I had the skill a lot of these guys have, I would not only be running loose spool tension, but lesser braking than I normally have to run.  I am getting better, but it is a slower progress now that I've reached a certain point in my learning.

8 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

So the cast control knob adjustment and the brake system are not independent of each other as I have previously thought? I always believed that CC helped at the back end of the cast, when the lure entered the water and the brakes helped on the front end, during the cast itself. 

It seems to me that if you put tension on the spool with CC and then increase the brakes you would be putting an additional tension on the spool. If this is correct, why even bother with the CC and just simply add more brake to help with backlash problems until thumb gets educated?

 

Joe

Upon thinking about it some more I guess a tighter CC setting would be help when pitching. This would help in the event the lure should hit something like a branch or cattail on an errant cast.

I haven't found that I need to adjust much based on weight, but more so air resistance. Like spinnerbaits and jigs I'll adjust a bit going between them. 

The spool tension knob only puts force on the very end of the spool shaft. Adjusting side to side spool movement requires 2 knobs, 1 on each end of the spool or a spring device pushing on 1 end of the spool shaft. Any movement side to side is clearence or no tension on the shaft end. How much clearence do you need? .010 Or about 2 sheets of paper thickness and enough clearence, you don't need side to side play or .030 clearance if your bearings are clean. Centrifical  braking only occurs when the spool is spinning fast during the cast, magnetic braking works throughout the cast. There is very little inertia with light weight spools and tend to slow down as the line slows. Backlashes occur more often during the spool start up spinning faster then the line is comming off, advantage magnetic brakes.

Nothing is better then a trained thumb to keep the line from springing off or loosening on the spool while the spool is spinning and changing speeds.

Keep practicing.

Tom 

I have mine set with spool tension just a  little side to side play and brakes set at 10. Never really need to adjust anything from there. 

52 minutes ago, WRB said:

The spool tension knob only puts force on the very end of the spool shaft. Adjusting side to side spool movement requires 2 knobs, 1 on each end of the spool or a spring device pushing on 1 end of the spool shaft. Any movement side to side is clearence or no tension on the shaft end. How much clearence do you need? .010 Or about 2 sheets of paper thickness and enough clearence, you don't need side to side play or .030 clearance if your bearings are clean. Centrifical  braking only occurs when the spool is spinning fast during the cast, magnetic braking works throughout the cast. There is very little inertia with light weight spools and tend to slow down as the line slows. Backlashes occur more often during the spool start up spinning faster then the line is comming off, advantage magnetic brakes.

Nothing is better then a trained thumb to keep the line from springing off or loosening on the spool while the spool is spinning and changing speeds.

Keep practicing.

Tom 

This undoubtedly explains why I prefer Daiwa for lighter lures. 

 

I understand the tension knob putting force on the end of the spool shaft, but don't understand the 2 knob requirement for clearance.  I only have one knob on my reels.  Remove all the tension and you get side to side movement of the spool.

 

I've never delved into a reel more than to remove the spool.  I don't remember seeing a knob on the removable cover side.

 

Not that any of this makes much difference.  I set up spool tension on my (different brands of) reels as the majority of knowledgeable people suggest for that particular reel.  Set brakes according to my ability from there.  Like you (and others) have often said:  Nothing beats good thumb control.  One of the reasons I'll go down to the river.  For casting practice...not to catch fish.  Although I'll never pass up the chance to catch one. 

Back in the day when reels had 2 knobs they didn't have precision bearings, Abu Ambassaduer pre 90's for example. You could move the spool to get the line to go on centered in lieu of to one side or the other. Today's reels only have 1 spool tension knob, some don't have a knob.

The older reels only had 2 centrifical posts with different size weights to adjust, most of today's centrifugal brake reels have between 3 to 6 posts to adjust weights or use magnetic braking. 

I use Shimano reels and Daiwa reels both will cast very well set up correctly. 

Tom

2 minutes ago, WRB said:

Back in the day when reels had 2 knobs they didn't have precision bearings, Abu Ambassaduer pre 90's for example. You could move the spool to get the line to go on centered in lieu of to one side or the other. Today's reels only have 1 spool tension knob, some don't have a knob.

The older reels only had 2 centrifical post with different size weight ps to adjust, today's reels have between 3 to 6 posts to adjust weights or use magnetic braking. 

I use Shimano reels and Daiwa reels both will cast very well set up correctly. 

Tom

 

I kinda miss the old days, things were so much simpler back then. 

20 hours ago, Shimano_1 said:

set mine where spool has just a touch of side to side play then set the mag on about 10.

This is where I started with the Fuego/Tatula SV/Elite/150 and it worked for me. 

 

As my thumb gets better I back the mag setting down, as the lure gets more aerodynamic relative to its weight I back it down, if I'm casting into the wind I (hopefully) remember to go up. 

 

Someone mentioned that the magforce doesn't like whippy casts - I agree with that - if I try to make a short overhand cast (when I should be sidearming it) - I get more backlashes there than bomb casting.