I have an Ambassador 5000 like the picture. (To lazy to run out to the shop for a pic)
Just put some new 17lb mono on it. Good for learning? I put a heavy weight on it and took it out in the yard today more what I call flicking no back last yet…
Posted by mtnman1227
3 Comments
I got a new ambassador(blue one) a few years ago to learn. Didn’t go very well. Stuck to spinners but this last summer I used one of those older ambassadors with the push button like you have and it wasn’t too bad. Kinda tempted to get a daiwa tatula to really dial in the baitcaster technique.
If it’s new then yes! It’s what I started on!
Mono can be a pain to deal with birds nest but you should learn on that first because it’s cheap and thicker.
I made the switch to 30lb braid a little too early with that reel and ended up getting a couple loop of a rats nest between the spool and body of the reel and had to cut a bunch off.
I was using 12lb flouro before I switched to braid.
Every time you tie on a new bait, adjust the right knob so that the lure falls at about 1 foot per second. Adjust the brake (on the opposite side) to a higher setting (to learn). It will keep your spool from going crazy. As you get more familiar, you can loosen that brake a little. It’ll allow longer casting, but it will also increase the chances of backlash. Do this every time your lure changes. The key is a break in the wrist when casting. Like cracking a whip. The more familiar you get, the less adjusting you’ll do overall. And a good trick to practice is to use less line than normal, in the beginning. Spool weight creates momentum. That can cause backlash too. All of my spools are magnesium. It is a blessing. Over time, you’ll get better, you can add more line, adjust your spool tension less. Brake less. But you can work your way into it. I like 10 pound, but everyone has their favorites. I got my first baitcaster in third grade, by fifth, I was proficient. And by 7th I started tournament fishing. Don’t give up on baitcasters. Open-faced reels just can’t give all of the advantages.
For example, you can pitch a lure fast and hard, to the other side of a river, and slow it down instantly, dropping it into the perfect place. Avoiding hanging trees etc. You can also use your index finger when retrieving and feel every bump or tick (with your non reel hand). Just run the line over the top of your index finger, palming the reel.
It can be frustrating, but it’s worth it. I could talk about it for hours. Best of luck to you.
Also, there isn’t a backlash that can’t be picked out. It’s always salvageable. It just takes patience.