A:Gear ratio refers to how many turns of the spool or rotor you get for each full turn of the handle. If you turn the handle so that it completes one full turn and the spool makes 5.1 revolutions, the gear ratio is labeled 5.1:1. The gear ratio listing on the reel indicates how fast your retrieve will be. A 6.1:1 gear ratio retrieves line faster than a 4.1:1 gear ratio. You might consider this to be important in situations where you are making many casts and covering a lot of water. A slower gear ratio, however, provides more power (as with a lower gear in a car). This could be considered important when fighting larger fish.

A: The first time you use the reel after spooling new line, let the new line out from a moving boat, then reel it back onto the reel. That will remove any twisting that occurred during spooling. Also, every time your line goes out against drag, it twists. This accumulated twisting can be alleviated by the above method, as well.

A:  The left side of the reel (opposite the handle) has a small trigger-like button. Press the button and hold it while turning the sideplate. It will probably be hard to turn the first time or two you take it off, but it will get easier after several removals and re-lubrications. Follow the instructions on which lubricant to use on which part of the reel..

A:  To take this reel apart, first unscrew and remove the spool tensioning knob. (Watch out for the bearing inside, as it may fall out.) Next, find the little black release on the magnetic brake side. Push it while simultaneously turning the side plate. Remove the plate and then the spool. Now you have access to the reel internals so you can clean and lubricate them.

A:  The reason backlash happens is because the reel is spinning faster than your line is being pulled out. When your lure hits the water, it is going to virtually stop pulling line, while your reel is still spinning. This results in backlash.

In order to minimize instances of backlash in your new reel, set up the rod, then hold the it out in front of you. Turn off the brake and let the lure fall to the ground. Adjust the brake so your lure just barely falls on its own. When you get it set so that your lure is creeping downward at a very slow rate, you should be good to go.

You will need to practicing casting in order to train your thumb. Since your thumb supplies the drag on the line, you need to get a feel for how much thumb pressure you need to exert on the line in order to get the lure to stop where you want it to in the water. The key is to place your thumb back on the line right as your lure is about to hit the water. Keep this in mind and it will help you judge when to use your thumb and how much pressure to put on the line.

A:  Remove the cover on the palm side of the reel. Inside you will see numbers from 0 to 6. These correspond to the braking strength applied to the line during casting. The higher the number the more braking that is applied to the line.

Sufficient braking will lower the chances of line backlash. Start by setting the braking to 4. To do this, rotate the central ring until the mark on the side of the ring is at the number 4. Then put the cover back on and try casting to get a feel for the new braking setting. Adjust as you see fit.