Baitcasting Reel

[BackwoodsBassr]

For all intents and purposes I know nothing about using a baitcaster, having only tried one a handful of times. I'm looking in to getting one because I have a lot of fun using them so if anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it.

I'm looking for something to carry about 120-140 yards of 8-14 lb mono, with a reasonable price tag to start off with. For me that's about $80-120 max. Some of the things I was hoping to get opinions on are... ball bearings: steel v. brass? Any difference between 7 and 11 bbs? Also, I was thinking something in the 6:3:1 gear range because I feel like 7:1:1 might be too fast for a noob but do you think that's wise, should I go even lower, or would you recommend the 7:1:1? Any experience on which models are harder/easier to tune/maintain?

I'd rather get something that will perform better after some practice even if it means a bit of a learning curve and a few bird's nests (I'm not new to backlash haha).

BassPro has a great deal on the Quantum KVD Signature baitcaster/Accurist rod combo that looks really enticing so if anyone has any experience with that reel let me know!

Cheers!

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

Hey bassr, I'm a big fan of casting reels and I think theyre an integral part of your arsenal as a fisherman, especially bass fishing. The only thing I use spinning reels for are finesse presentations.

For that price range you really can't go wrong with the revo s bait caster for around 129, Ive seen ones for cheaper if you shop around on ebay you can get them for 99.

As for KVD quantum reels I'm not a big fan, I purchased one for crank baits ( 5:1 ratio) a few years ago and ended up returning it.

At the price range your looking at spending I wouldnt worry too much about ball bearings. gear ratio/ drag power/ weight/ palmability are my main considerations when picking a reel depending on what I intend to use it for, Which leads me to my next question- what do you plan on using it for?

For example- If your fishing a bait like a jig or texas rigged plastic I like to use something with a 7:1 ratio to pick up line quickly so I can turn that fish away from cover and drive that hook home - especially important when theyre swimming towards you.

If im fishing a crankbait you want a slower ratio to keep the bait diving at its maximum depth longer.

The speed of the reel simply translates into how much line you retrieve per crank of the reel.

I have a mix of shimano and abu garcia revo reels, for cleaning and oiling shimano is much easier most times as they have an external oil port that you simply unscrew with a slotted screwdriver and add a few drops of oil.

 

[FishingNoob]

For all intents and purposes I know nothing about using a baitcaster, having only tried one a handful of times. I'm looking in to getting one because I have a lot of fun using them so if anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it.

I'm looking for something to carry about 120-140 yards of 8-14 lb mono, with a reasonable price tag to start off with. For me that's about $80-120 max. Some of the things I was hoping to get opinions on are... ball bearings: steel v. brass? Any difference between 7 and 11 bbs? Also, I was thinking something in the 6:3:1 gear range because I feel like 7:1:1 might be too fast for a noob but do you think that's wise, should I go even lower, or would you recommend the 7:1:1? Any experience on which models are harder/easier to tune/maintain?

I'd rather get something that will perform better after some practice even if it means a bit of a learning curve and a few bird's nests (I'm not new to backlash haha).

BassPro has a great deal on the Quantum KVD Signature baitcaster/Accurist rod combo that looks really enticing so if anyone has any experience with that reel let me know!

Cheers!

Same boat as you buddy.

 

[FishingNoob]

Hey bassr, I'm a big fan of casting reels and I think theyre an integral part of your arsenal as a fisherman, especially bass fishing. The only thing I use spinning reels for are finesse presentations.

For that price range you really can't go wrong with the revo s bait caster for around 129, Ive seen ones for cheaper if you shop around on ebay you can get them for 99.

As for KVD quantum reels I'm not a big fan, I purchased one for crank baits ( 5:1 ratio) a few years ago and ended up returning it.

At the price range your looking at spending I wouldnt worry too much about ball bearings. gear ratio/ drag power/ weight/ palmability are my main considerations when picking a reel depending on what I intend to use it for, Which leads me to my next question- what do you plan on using it for?

For example- If your fishing a bait like a jig or texas rigged plastic I like to use something with a 7:1 ratio to pick up line quickly so I can turn that fish away from cover and drive that hook home - especially important when theyre swimming towards you.

If im fishing a crankbait you want a slower ratio to keep the bait diving at its maximum depth longer.

The speed of the reel simply translates into how much line you retrieve per crank of the reel.

I have a mix of shimano and abu garcia revo reels, for cleaning and oiling shimano is much easier most times as they have an external oil port that you simply unscrew with a slotted screwdriver and add a few drops of oil.

Hey,

Thanks for the great info. Would you ever use a reel with like a 6.3:1 or 6.4:1 gear ratio? Something that is in between a 7:1 and a 5:1?

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

AnglerAnonymous :

Thanks a lot for your reply! I'll be using the casting reel to upsize a lot of my presentations for pike and larger bass. In reality, probably nothing you couldn't do with an M or MH spinning setup but I want to try something new! I heard that the 7:1:1 is a little quick for those without baitcast experience but having only tried slower casting reels (I think 5:4:1) I have no idea what the higher gear would be like... think it will make a difference if I'm used to slower retrieves? The 6:3:1 seemed like a decent speed for someone with only 1 outfit who wanted to have a multi-purpose rod...is that faulty logic?

I'll be throwing mostly 1/6-1/2 oz in-line spinners and 1/4 to 1/2 oz spinnerbaits, 1/4 - 1/2 oz crankbaits, 1/4 oz jigs with mid sized plastics, and some 1/4 to 3/4 oz casting spoons...

Not necessarily looking to reinvent the way I fish (although doing so would probably help lol), I'm mostly just trying to get longer casts with heavier lures. My L and ML setups don't let me whip the larger baits so I figure instead of getting a heavier spinner I'd try a casting combo. I played it pretty loose with my spinning gear, using 2 combos for casting, jigging, worming, sticking etc...Do you think that would work out with a caster or would you recommend getting specific casting combos for specific purposes?

Oh yah and I heard brass bearings were easier to "break in" than stainless. Any truth to this?

Thanks again!

 

[topwaterjoe]

Heavier lures (1/4oz +) and heavier line only. Cranks, plugs, heavy jigs, and such are fished on 15 lbs and 17-20lbs if you are fishing in the weeds. Anything lighter is best fished with spinning gear..

One suggestion is get a quality reel (AA suggested a fantastic reel for the price range). A bad reel is nothing but tears. Abu Garcia also has the Silver Max for $60 and is pretty good (for what you pay). A magnetic brake system is not as good as a centrifugal, but is a good starting point until you get comfortable with the mechanics of baitcast reels.

A MH/Fast rod paired with a quality 6:4:1 reel will cover most of your bases until you get comfortable. Make sure you cast lures no lighter than the rods rating, or prepare your self for backlashes and short casts.

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

Hey,

Thanks for the great info. Would you ever use a reel with like a 6.3:1 or 6.4:1 gear ratio? Something that is in between a 7:1 and a 5:1?

My pleasure,
I do have some reels with that gear ration 6:4:1 specifically in revo, it will serve you fine for most presentations, one thing to remember is its easier to slow down a fast reel than speed uup a slow reel.

Crankbaits, swimbaits, jerkbaits would be fine. For jigs and t rigs I really won't settle for less than 7:1 though

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

AnglerAnonymous :

Thanks a lot for your reply! I'll be using the casting reel to upsize a lot of my presentations for pike and larger bass. In reality, probably nothing you couldn't do with an M or MH spinning setup but I want to try something new! I heard that the 7:1:1 is a little quick for those without baitcast experience but having only tried slower casting reels (I think 5:4:1) I have no idea what the higher gear would be like... think it will make a difference if I'm used to slower retrieves? The 6:3:1 seemed like a decent speed for someone with only 1 outfit who wanted to have a multi-purpose rod...is that faulty logic?

I'll be throwing mostly 1/6-1/2 oz in-line spinners and 1/4 to 1/2 oz spinnerbaits, 1/4 - 1/2 oz crankbaits, 1/4 oz jigs with mid sized plastics, and some 1/4 to 3/4 oz casting spoons...

Not necessarily looking to reinvent the way I fish (although doing so would probably help lol), I'm mostly just trying to get longer casts with heavier lures. My L and ML setups don't let me whip the larger baits so I figure instead of getting a heavier spinner I'd try a casting combo. I played it pretty loose with my spinning gear, using 2 combos for casting, jigging, worming, sticking etc...Do you think that would work out with a caster or would you recommend getting specific casting combos for specific purposes?

Oh yah and I heard brass bearings were easier to "break in" than stainless. Any truth to this?

Thanks again!

Yea that's exactly what a casting reel excels in. Power fishing big baits, heavier line and stronger drag. Typically bait casters are used for heavier baits as most struggle casting small light baits a distance. Like joe said you'll also follow your rod ratings for size. Usually 1/4+ depending on rod. Anything less would be a hassle unless you have a caster specifically designed for light baits. The 6.4 gear ratio would do you well. Its pretty versatile.as for the rod I would go with a 7" mh heavy fast. Can't go wrong with abu garcia veritas ( white rod) great rod for the money. You'll be able to use that setup for jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, texas rigged, top water frogs etc

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

AnglerAnonymous & topwaterjoe:

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, great advice that I will certainly use when I go to buy one! To pay you back I'll post videos of my first outing with it so you can buckle over laughing at me living in a bird's nest.

(going to BPS on Saturday while I'm in the 905 visiting the gf's family...I'd love to get something there but after only one phone call I have my suspicions about their staff haha).

Cheers!

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

Send me a pm while your there if you have a hard time picking something out. Pms get notified to me by email to my phone. Bait castersd are easier to use than you think. Once you get it let us know which one and I'll give you some tips on how to set it up for ease of use

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

Send me a pm while your there if you have a hard time picking something out. Pms get notified to me by email to my phone. Bait castersd are easier to use than you think. Once you get it let us know which one and I'll give you some tips on how to set it up for ease of use

Sweet man much appreciated, I'll do that for sure! I'll take all the help I can get. Might have to send you a PM even if I get it at the Lebarons in Ottawa haha.

The last baitcaster I used was spooled with light braid so it was stupid tight and hard to get going... at least for the beginner...I'm looking forward to spooling on some nice forgiving line and learning the ropes!

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

No problem. Actually braid is easier to use because it doesn't hold any memory and will form to the spool better. Mono and fluoro have memory and tend to loosen off the spool and sometimes jump off, which can contribute to birds nest if u don't thumb it properly

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

Yah braid has awesome qualities for sure. I was thinking of going towards maybe 20 to 30lb braid to start then move to lighter mono/fluoro once I'm better but I might change my mind if you think I could get away with putting a lighter braid on from the get-go. I'm used to 6lb trilene or vanish lol so I kinda want to go as light as I can.

My buddy was using like 12lb braid I think and he said the tightness was because the braid's super thin diameter caused it to tighten up on the spool when pulled. Is this an anomaly in your experience?

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

you can but 30 lb braid is already 8 lb diameter.

The odd time that will happen but I dont have an issue with it, once you use braid you wont want to use anything else. A rod can only be so sensitive until you put zero stretch line on it.

Visibility issues can be solved by using a flouro leader. The only time I use mono or flouro on casting setup is if im using a crankbait, topwater , jerkbait

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

Awesome I'm glad I asked!

 

[FishingNoob]

Yea that's exactly what a casting reel excels in. Power fishing big baits, heavier line and stronger drag. Typically bait casters are used for heavier baits as most struggle casting small light baits a distance. Like joe said you'll also follow your rod ratings for size. Usually 1/4+ depending on rod. Anything less would be a hassle unless you have a caster specifically designed for light baits. The 6.4 gear ratio would do you well. Its pretty versatile.as for the rod I would go with a 7" mh heavy fast. Can't go wrong with abu garcia veritas ( white rod) great rod for the money. You'll be able to use that setup for jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, texas rigged, top water frogs etc

I use an abu garcia veritas rod it's awesome!

 

[topwaterjoe]

Yea that's exactly what a casting reel excels in. Power fishing big baits, heavier line and stronger drag. Typically bait casters are used for heavier baits as most struggle casting small light baits a distance. Like joe said you'll also follow your rod ratings for size. Usually 1/4+ depending on rod. Anything less would be a hassle unless you have a caster specifically designed for light baits. The 6.4 gear ratio would do you well. Its pretty versatile.as for the rod I would go with a 7" mh heavy fast. Can't go wrong with abu garcia veritas ( white rod) great rod for the money. You'll be able to use that setup for jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, texas rigged, top water frogs etc

x3 for the Veritas. St. Croix and Browning also make decent casting rods in the $80 - $120 for more options.

 

[jc53]

I would rec the shimano Citica great reel for a good price.

http://tackletour.com/reviewshimanociticag200.html

I have not used the reel but look on the tackle tour website.
I currently use a Daiwa Pixy Type R probably the best casting reel I have ever had. I have quite a few casting reels such as steez, Calais, Calais DC.

I would rec using a heavier braid such as 30-40 just to get the feel of a baitcaster. It helps picking out the backlashes amd overruns as well training your thumb to feather the line and stopping the line when you lure hits the water.
Just as important to get the proper rod for your appplication x-tra fast (ML) tip for the lighter baits.
20 lb braid is now all I use with any baitcaster with a 3-4ft fluro lead.
J

 

[BackwoodsBassr]

Thanks jc53, just saw your post!

I didn't end up getting one at BPS...the selection was overwhelming and my buddy and I were with my girlfriend and his wife so there was not nearly enough time to look at everything I wanted to!

I guess it's time to use my lebaron's gift card.... I'll be sure to check out the Shimano line, they carry the citica and several others.

Cheers!

 

[T Dot]

remember is its easier to slow down a fast reel than speed uup a slow reel

this

also if you are going to keep this reel for quite some time, invest in a 2nd spool. helps when you need to change line presentations or when you have a huge over run