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Switching to a baitcast

MAIZEandBLUE09

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My entire life I've fished with spinning reels but I really want to try something different and learn some new techniques. I'm also going on a Canadian fishing trip this coming spring out in the middle of no where, so I wanted to do this prior to that. So I asked my wife to get me a baitcast reel/rod combo for Xmas. I was looking through the combos (because getting the pair usually saves $50-$100 on the two) and I wanted to stay under $200. I've narrowed my choice down to this Bass Pro combo:
Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Baitcast Combo | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear

I'm going with the 6'6'' Medium rod with the left hand retrieve 6.4:1 reel. I'm a righty but since I've used a spinning reel my whole life I don't want to try and use my left hand to hold the rod and reel with my right. It just seems wrong. This combo seems like one of the better deals out there, probably because it's not slapped with a "Shimano" brand. 9 bearings, ultra light carbon construction and actually has a 2 piece rod option. I don't like rods over 6'6'' because I do about half shore fishing with trees around and I would rather not have a single piece rod; just too hard to travel with. This rod/reel combo seems to check all of my boxes. Anyone else made the switch?
 

beardown07

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I have tried one once, and kept getting the biggest fucking bird's nests you've ever seen.


I do not believe it is something you can just "pick up" and do. Takes a lot of practice en sech.
 

Carnzo

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I only use them offshore from a boat trolling. The time I tried to cast one did not end well.
 

Carnzo

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this. One of the more frustrating times I've ever had fishing.
Ether I didn't let it go at the right time and the cast went 10' or didn't stop it in time and peeled off 300' of line and still went 10'.
If only somebody had filmed me that day.
 

beardown07

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Ether I didn't let it go at the right time and the cast went 10' or didn't stop it in time and peeled off 300' of line and still went 10'.
If only somebody had filmed me that day.



:pound:
 

Edisto_Tiger

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My advice would to be buy good reels and practice, a lot. I hear what you're saying about paying for a brand name, but Shimano makes some of the best reels out there. All my baitcasters are Shimanos and they are Shimano's for a reason. I've tried a handfull of different reels and Shimano beats them all hands down. You get what you pay for.

I can't stress enough how important it is to keep casting. Just keep after it. If you're backlashing every cast, tighten down on the magnetic drag until you start to get a feel for it. Some people take to it like a duck to water and it takes others a little longer.
 

MAIZEandBLUE09

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My advice would to be buy good reels and practice, a lot. I hear what you're saying about paying for a brand name, but Shimano makes some of the best reels out there. All my baitcasters are Shimanos and they are Shimano's for a reason. I've tried a handfull of different reels and Shimano beats them all hands down. You get what you pay for.

I can't stress enough how important it is to keep casting. Just keep after it. If you're backlashing every cast, tighten down on the magnetic drag until you start to get a feel for it. Some people take to it like a duck to water and it takes others a little longer.
I've tried my brother's a few times and the thing that always throws me off is the switched controls from left to right. I'm hoping a reversed reel will help me feel more at home, so to say. Then I can just worry about making sure to get the casting right, rather than flipping hands for casting/reeling.
 

Edisto_Tiger

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I've tried my brother's a few times and the thing that always throws me off is the switched controls from left to right. I'm hoping a reversed reel will help me feel more at home, so to say. Then I can just worry about making sure to get the casting right, rather than flipping hands for casting/reeling.
True. I do that, the switching hands thing, but I've done it for so long now that it's not even a consideration anymore. I just do it naturally and never think about it. I guess the difference is that I started with baitcasters and then moved onto spinning reels, so I didn't have to adjust to switching hands, it was already routine, but I can certainly see where it would be bothersome if you have used spinning reels your entire life and are switching to baitcasters. Good luck. Here's wishing your waders never leak and you always have tight lines!!

:suds:
 

handicappers

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I use them when fishing crankbaits. My crankbait reels have a slower retrieve than 6.4:1. I also use a different size reel for fishing my Texas rig set up. That reel is closer to 9:1.

Only thing I use spinning reel for is drop shot setup and my shakey head setup.

I like 6'6" rods as well, with a fast tip, so I can fling it side arm with crankbaits.

Good luck
 

Edisto_Tiger

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I use them when fishing crankbaits. My crankbait reels have a slower retrieve than 6.4:1. I also use a different size reel for fishing my Texas rig set up. That reel is closer to 9:1.

Only thing I use spinning reel for is drop shot setup and my shakey head setup.

I like 6'6" rods as well, with a fast tip, so I can fling it side arm with crankbaits.

Good luck
I like 5:1 for my crankbaits, jerkbaits, top water, floating worms, flukes, and "slow rolling" spinner baits. I use 6:1 for everything else. I haven't gotten on board with these high speed reels yet. I'm old school.


And I like the 6'6" rods as well. I use 7 footers for jigs and carolina rigs. And as far as the action goes, it just depends on what I'm doing. I like something with some backbone when I'm fishing jigs, texas rigs, and carolina rigs. Then I like something a little softer, like a medium action, for jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits en sech.
 

Darrell Green Fan

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I have tried one once, and kept getting the biggest fucking bird's nests you've ever seen.


I do not believe it is something you can just "pick up" and do. Takes a lot of practice en sech.

This was always my concern, I've heard about the backlash. I sure wouldn't only bring one on a planned fishing trip.
 

MAIZEandBLUE09

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This was always my concern, I've heard about the backlash. I sure wouldn't only bring one on a planned fishing trip.
I'm sure I'll fish before that trip, and I'll bring other rods, but it will give me a ton of time to really get the feel for it down.
 

MAIZEandBLUE09

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@Edisto_Tiger

have you tried the GrandeBass "air tail rattler" worms yet?
Speaking of new worms, I got a few of these "Castaic jerky J" baits and they're fantastic looking. Haven't gone out with them yet, mostly because the water is now freezing over up here, but it's the most realistic paint job I've seen on a soft bait. I got them in a "mystery tackle box" - a monthly thing where they send you 5 or so new baits based on the type of fishing you do - and this was in last months. At first, I thought they were preserved real minnows:
Castaic Baits Jerky J's 8pk
 

DHoey

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I'm sure I'll fish before that trip, and I'll bring other rods, but it will give me a ton of time to really get the feel for it down.
The main difference when casting is this, a spinning real is more of a whip and a baitcast is more of a sling. Also, when your bait hits the water, you need to use your thumb to slow the spool.
 
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