Try reading this.

Click here

Then this.

Click here

Might help a little.

I had the same problem when I went from spinning to baitcasting. The best way I found was to keep practicing and experiment with your drag to make sure its not to lose. You also need to use your thumb on the spool to maintain a steady pressure. Just keep practicing and it will come.    

Practice, Practice, Practice! 

Get a selection of bell sinkers in the various weights you expect to use and a large open field.  Start light or heavy and work your way to the other end.  Hold the rod a 45 degree angle and hit the release.  Tighten or loosen the spool brake to the point where when the weight hits the ground the spool stop immediately.  Now you are ready to try casting.  The important trick is to thunb brake the spool just a split second before the weight hits the ground(water).  If you time this right you can loosen the brake to the point you will be able cast a country mile.  In case you miss the timing, bring some bird food to go with the nest you will have.  I have been getting better over the years with my bass rig but still have not found the best combination of line to fit multiple presentations from light to heavy.  I am sure if I did more bass fishing I would have it figured out by now.

I do use baistcasters on my cat rods but when you are casting 4 or 5 oz weight plus the bait there is not too much to worry about.

Hey, NiZ.  Try this site http://ezinearticles.com/?Baitcasti...376.  This is part 1.  Then go to part 2.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Baitcasti...377.  Then the final part 3.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Baitcasti...id=118379.

I just bought a baitcaster.  Not an easy task trying to stay from those birdsnests!

Gary

Hey, NiZ.  Tankdq pretty much tells you what's what in setting the mechanical backlash spool control.  If you have a  magnetic control on your baitcaster as well, & it's numbered from "0" to "10", set it at "0" to adjust the mechanical brakes like Tank told you, then when that's done, set the magnets at "7" to start out.  If you don't have a numbered magnetic control, then just set the magnets for 2/3 strength after setting the mechanicals.  You won't be getting much distance, but you'll, more or less, be backlash-free this way.  Then, start educating that thumb to feather the spool as it revolves during the cast.  Rest the thumb on the support brace right by the rod (or on the "thumb bar" if your reel has one of those to release the spool), & against the left sideplate of the reel (if you're casting right-handed... if you're casting left-handed, then, of course, rest it against the right aide of the reel).  Keep your thumb in this position throughout the cast.  Make subtle movements with your thumb to vary the pressure on the spool.  Don't go from one extreme to the other (from enough pressure that the spool won't turn to no pressure at all).  Get that thumb used to regulating the spool revolutions during the cast.  You'll actually feel the line start to backlash under the thumb, & you'll be able to gently increase pressure to correct it as you pay out line.  As you get better with your thumb pressure, gradually, back down on the magnetics until they're at "0".  As you get better yet with that thumb, back down on the mechanical brakes as well.  Nyrebel & Tank are both right that it's going to take a lot of practice.  But educating that thumb is how you're going to get accuracy & distance from that reel.  And, believe me, after awhile you'll find you can cast that baitcaster farther than the pushbutton reel! 

Another mistake to be avoided: do not snap the rod at the end of the cast, like you would for spincasting (or spinning) gear.  The rod should be swept back and forth smoothly, with a gentle stop at the end of your casting stroke.  This was my main problem when I was first starting baitcasting... I was snapping that bad boy like I was using the Zebco One or Zebco 33, & that's not a good thing.  A smooth sweep with a gentle stop at the end of the stroke is the ticket.  You may even want to start out casting with the rod already swung back & the bait/lure behind you, & just use a forward stroke for launching your lure.  You might also want to slow down the speed of your stroke until you get more profficient.  After you get some practice, then you can try sweeping the rod back and forth, "loading" the rod with the lure's/bait's weight, & firing away with a faster forward stroke.  But don't worry about that right now.  The accuracy & distance will come.  For now, like Nyrebel & Tank have said, "Practice.  Practice.  Practice."

One more tip for those backlashes.  Go to the nearest sewing store (or sewing department in your discount store) & get what's called a "stitching tool."  This is simply a small, screwdriver-like implement with a "J" bent into the end where the screwdriver blade should be.  You might feel a little silly going into a sewing store & you might get a little red-faced when other anglers see the thing in your tackle box, but, let me tell you, those little things sure help a lot in sorting out the loops in those birds' nests.

Keep the line on the reel fresh, keep the hooks sharp, & don't give up on that baitcaster.  Once you get the hang of it, you'll fall in love with it.  God bless you.  -Sonny

Thanks guys i will give it a shot this weekend. And yes i'm bringing some bird seed with me.

LOL. I am learning to use a baitcaster also. I have found it is a little easier praticing with a heavier weight, around 4 oz. Good luck.

Ice,

I realize that a 4oz weight makes it easy but if you are bass fishing your will never use anything that heavy.  My concern is that you are going to pick up bad habits and not learn how to control the reel when you are throwing a 1/2 oz spinnerbait.   Worse yet would be casting a weightless worm rig, which I cannot do yet.

Hey Tank, First thing i tried practicing with was a 1 ounce sinker. All i could do with it was bounce it real high off the ground.LOL. I found the 4 ounce sinker got me doing the right motions and after a lil bit i went back to the 1 ounce. I can cast them both about the same now. Next thing i will do is back off the mech. brake till i can cast without it. Then the centri brake the same. If it wasn` t for the 4 ounce sinker i may have gave up. It was just a starting point for me that seemed to work well.

I am glad that worked for you.  I guess I should have said that differently.  I was afraid you or anyone else might forget to practice with the lighter weights until you were at the lake.  That doesn't even sound right, I hope you understand what I trying to get across.

LOL. Yes i did understand what you were saying. Nothing was taken in a negative way.

How did you do?