>>1068360Drag is pretty important for catching bigger fish, but casting? No. Casting involves disconnecting the drag when you put the reel into free spool.
What you're probably thinking of are the magnetic and centrifugal spool brakes. Those are pretty important, especially if you don't know how to use your thumb on the spool to stop it (it's not hard, but beginners don't as a rule). When pitching you want to stop the spool just before the lure hits the water for minimal splash, and heavily braked spools prevent the backlashes that are the bane of beginning memecaster users.
The shows that are intended to be more instructional will often have the spool brakes set heavier than other shows that are more about a pro fisherman showing off. As a rule when teaching someone, more spool braking is always better than less, as getting a huge bird's nest from a spool that's too loose is a worse problem to solve than not casting that far due to too much braking, and you can't be sure that a beginner knows how to set up his reel properly.
With a pro, they know how to set up their reels, so they can adjust their own rigs for maximum distance.
>>1068370More like a solution to a problem that most people don't have. How often do you REALLY have your reel handles slip out of your fingers when cranking?
If you have arthritis in your hands but don't want to give up fishing they're great. If you don't, it's just extra money spent for no great benefit.
