When I adjusted the baitcaster to have the bait slowly drop from the rod tip I can cast great but when the bait hits the water it doesn't sink and pull any more line out. Do I loosen the adjustment knob after the cast to let the bait sink or what?

I was wacky rigging senkos and trying to let a rattle trap drop to 20 feet before retrieving and had the same problem. In both situations I had to hand pull the line to get the bait to drop naturally.

What's the trick? Learn to cast on a looser setting?

Hand strip, learn to cast with a lighter spool tension, use a spinning reel.

What I do, at least for the trap, is raise the rod tip to 12 o'clock as soon as the bait hits the water.  That gives it some slack to start falling and usually that's enough to make the spool spin when it gets to the end of the slack.  If not, I back off the tension a tad.

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I would highly recommend not adjusting the cast control just to get the bait to descend. First, it won't help much. J's recommendation about hand stripping is just about the only alternative.  Second, it would mean that you might have to adjust it back for your next cast.

This is my mini peeve (but not a show stopper) when using casting setups for finesse fishing.  A spinning reel gives a near vertical drop with no extra effort from the angler.

I do fish with a pretty loose cast control setting and unless the bait is pretty heavy, you're still going to have to hand pull line off. If you ever watch a bass fishing show where anglers are fishing with casting rigs, you will occassionally see them stripping off line. This is what they do to address your inquiry.

when the lure hits the water i raise the rod tip, slowly lower the rod then with the reel still free i jerk the rod up again the bait gets a little hop and you get another 7 feet or so of slack then i will slowly lower the rod again. I also keep my thumb on the spool in case I get bit.

hope that makes sense. the resistance from your lure in the water should be enough for your spool to spin when you raise the rod if not your tension knob is too tight.

Hand strip line out.

Hand strip line out.

x2 Watch and feel as you do to detect something picking it up as it drops. Once you get in the habit it's not a big deal.

id loosen the tension and add a little thumb on the cranks then pull line as needed. add a high arc cast and then lower the rod tip if you dont mind a splash.

try a good spinning rod with the senkos if you havent already.

I don't have a problem with baits not sinking after they hit the water with casting gear. The spool tension should be adjusted so your lure falls freely but not super fast, and makes no more than a half turn of the spool when it hits the ground.

Thanks for all the tips. Looking forward to getting back out there to give it a shot. Warm up water!

What I do, at least for the trap, is raise the rod tip to 12 o'clock as soon as the bait hits the water. That gives it some slack to start falling and usually that's enough to make the spool spin when it gets to the end of the slack. If not, I back off the tension a tad.

This is what I do as well.