Bait caster rod and reel - recommendation

[Jds63]

Hello All,

 

after many years of spinning reel fishing, i really would like to buy a bait caster rod and reel

not too expensive <$150 reel ... preferably <$100

rod <$75

 

my friend suggested Abu Garcia - revo .... but they are pretty expensive

 

something that might be considered an average all purpose setup , I know it takes a some practice as i have used them before but never bought one of my own ........ fish species would be bass , walleye and pike

 

thanks for any suggestions

[Fang]

bps extreme

 

above average in my opinion

[legacey]

I agree with Fang...the BPS reels are pretty decent and I've been using the same 3 for a lot of years now without a problem.

 

Recently I've been using an Ardent baitcaster reel....a bit pricey but well worth the money IMO. Never had a tangle casting in to the wind.

 

Whatever you get, if you're new to using one, put the line on, and pull out more than you'd cast and put a piece of tape on the spool. It will help with any potential birds nests and wasted line.

 

I've known a lot of people that buy one, go thru the first spool of line from birds nests, then return them to the store thinkink they're crap.

 

Good luck.

 

Cheers

[mepps]

I have heard good things about the Revo, and there are 3 different models, the cheapest 129USD.

 

I have a Diawa Mega force that is a great reel at $70USD. A few of my buddies have sued it as a learner baitcast reel and done very well with it.

The Shimano Cardiff is a decent reel too, and will cost no more then $120 USD

 

As for rods, the Shimano Compre is the bees knees. For a cheaper rod, I like the Berkley Lightning and the Shimano Scimitar @ around $50

Edited August 14, 2009 by mepps

[tbayboy]

I was just at the Cabelas site and they have the prodigy on for $59 ($90 US to your door). It's the one I learned on and is my favourite reel:

 

Cabelas Prodigy

[redneck666]

right now im looking at buying the Abu Garcia black max for $80 it will be my first bait casting reel

[GoneFishin]

There are a lot of good cheap set ups out there. You can find some great deals on used rods and reels. I recommend getting a medium action rod. It's a lot easier to cast with and best for most applications.

[Jds63]

thanks to everyone so far .... i've been reading up on all your recommendations and googling the equipment... won't really know until i have one in my hands

 

this may sound like a stupid question ... but .... I have always used a left handed spinning reel, and i have tried a left handed baitcaster ..... is this the preferred choice ... to stay with the same left handed reel even though the right handed bait caster feels normal as well

 

also do you line it with mono first then braid ?

 

thanks

[JohnF]

thanks to everyone so far .... i've been reading up on all your recommendations and googling the equipment... won't really know until i have one in my hands

 

this may sound like a stupid question ... but .... I have always used a left handed spinning reel, and i have tried a left handed baitcaster ..... is this the preferred choice ... to stay with the same left handed reel even though the right handed bait caster feels normal as well

 

also do you line it with mono first then braid ?

 

thanks

 

I am now using one of each and haven't figgered out which I prefer. I think I toss 'em reasonably well and there doesn't seem to be a problem switching hands after the cast. Left hand crankers suggest that it saves time their way if yer tossing a fast sinking lure or when the fish nails it on the splash. Others say it makes sense with lures like frogs to have a slight delay between splash and crank to give the fish time to inhale (gulp?) the lure properly.

 

I was advised by fairly smart people to start with mono on the reel till I got over the bird's nest syndrome, then go to braid. It was excellent advice. I wasted more than a few yards of mono before I got the hang of adjusting things and thumbing the spool.

 

Someone (or several) here suggested going all braid when yer ready and reversing it when it gets a little worn on the working end. I get mine loaded from bulk reels at my local Fishing Store so the cost is pretty reasonable and there's no real need to save money by using mono backing.

 

Baitcasters are fun. I don't use them often enuf but I'm gonna get a third one anyway so I can line 'em up on the deck (when I actually get to go out on a real boat with real fisherpersons) like the guys do who seem to know what they're doing. It's lotsa fun to just pick up a loaded rod to instantly throw something different back at a follower or to adjust for the changing topography and water obstacles as you let the Minnkota drag you hither and yon. Of course with the clutter of multiple rods underfoot comes the risk of stomping on your expensive new armament, but that's the cost of playing bass pro I suppose.

 

JF

[GoneFishin]

thanks to everyone so far .... i've been reading up on all your recommendations and googling the equipment... won't really know until i have one in my hands

 

this may sound like a stupid question ... but .... I have always used a left handed spinning reel, and i have tried a left handed baitcaster ..... is this the preferred choice ... to stay with the same left handed reel even though the right handed bait caster feels normal as well

 

also do you line it with mono first then braid ?

 

thanks

I reel with my right hand with a spinning reel. But I also use my right arm to cast with like most other people. I switched to reeling with my left hand with a bait caster so I didn't have to switch hands after casting or didn't have to cast with my left arm. Feels natural after a few days on the water.

[izaakwalton]

I advise against getting a combo at a US retailer like Cabelas. It can be more difficult dealing with warranty issues when you've purchased a rod and reel online versus from a local tackle shop. I suggest you go with a left-hand retrieve reel, if you're used to that from your spinning rod experience. Also, I advise you to get a rod with a lifetime warranty from a recognized fishing company - either Shimano or Quantum would be in your price range. It will also have a greater resale value if you decide that baitcasting isn't for you.

 

Re: spooling the reel, you're right: mono then braid. I fill the spool to 60% capacity with mono, then the rest with braid. I use a blood knot to connect the lines. Also, it's preferable to use a mono backing with an equal line diameter to the braided line.

 

I've got a brand new Shimano Clarus casting rod available in the Classifieds section for a fair price. It's the rod I would suggest you buy - whether you choose to purchase mine or not.

Edited August 14, 2009 by izaakwalton

[backbay]

thanks to everyone so far .... i've been reading up on all your recommendations and googling the equipment... won't really know until i have one in my hands

 

this may sound like a stupid question ... but .... I have always used a left handed spinning reel, and i have tried a left handed baitcaster ..... is this the preferred choice ... to stay with the same left handed reel even though the right handed bait caster feels normal as well

 

also do you line it with mono first then braid ?

 

thanks

I use lefty baitcasters for exactly the reasons you mention. After reeling spinning gear with my left hand for all my life, I didn't want to change when I moved to baitcasters, and it all works well.

John's advice is good. Start with mono, then move to braid, or flouro, if you like. It'll make the transition easier, jd.

[JohnF]

I use lefty baitcasters for exactly the reasons you mention. After reeling spinning gear with my left hand for all my life, I didn't want to change when I moved to baitcasters, and it all works well.

John's advice is good. Start with mono, then move to braid, or flouro, if you like. It'll make the transition easier, jd.

 

I wuz only parroting what I heard from folks who really know. Seems they were right.

 

All the more reason to rely on experience. In this case it was a kid (with earrings and some tats no less) less than half my age who runs The Fishing Store in my town. Between him and his dad they know more about fishing than I'll ever know. It's easy to defer to them cuz they're usually right and I save money in the long run.

 

It's great when we can deal confidently with someone who can sustain a business while being honest with the customers. We should all be so lucky to have that kind of local shop.

 

JF

[spinnerbaitking]

I just returned 2 extreme reels last weekend, they were bought at the fathers day sales, both made a noise like gears slipping when you started reeling in, repush the button & reel in again & it would be OK maybe, I took them back had 3 people look at them & they said they'd replace them but had no more, so they gave me a store credit & I picked out 2 Team Diawa 100HL, I've been out twice this week & so far I really like the reels, I put 17 lb Flouro on 1 & 15 lb Flouro-clear on 1 used them for crank baits

Richard

Shimano Citica was my next choice

Edited August 15, 2009 by spinnerbaitking

[Jds63]

thanks guys ... for the great tips