Bait Case V. Spincast

[eric1978]

You may want to ask Eric. Seems he's got something going on in his canoe that might explain things.

If they invent a reel that does that, I'll flip three bills for it. Dirty mind, you.

[tjulianc]

I am mainly a fly fisherman, so I am pretty ignorant on baitcasting equipment. I can cast a baitcast reel, learned on an ambassador in the 70s and still have one of the green direct drives (5000D) from that era. I have used it in the last few years catching bass on a farm pond.

I also have a cheap baitcaster (Quantum DSS400C) that I bought as part of an outfit really cheap at the Zebco garage sale in Tulsa a couple years ago.

I am trying to honestly understand, what will a $120 reel do that the cheap Quantum won't? Does it freespool easier so you can cast lighter lures? Is it mainly the anti-backlash mechanism that is so much better?

How will the $120 reel compare to my old ambassador?

Yes a new Citica, BPS Pro Qualifier, or Revo S will cast farther and backlash less than a cheap Quantum or a 40 year old Ambassador-at least the ones I've had experience with. They also have better drag and are quieter, smoother, lighter, and more durable.

But if you are only using a baitcaster a few days a year and just for pond fishing, then there is probably no reason to spend 120 dollars on one. Just like a guy who only fly fishes a few days a year doesn't need to go out and buy a Sage rod with a Lamson reel.

Durability is a big issue with the cheaper reels. I fish 100+ days a year in rain, heat and cold. If I bought cheap reels, I would spend more money replacing them and servicing them, than just getting a Citica(or your favorite $129.99 reel) on Ebay for 90 bucks or less.

[Mitch f]

If they invent a reel that does that, I'll flip three bills for it. Dirty mind, you.

Eric, Don't worry, at least you don't have to deodorize and disinfect your "tool" after use. Not to mention multiple counseling sessions for your dog for having to witness.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Where does my $25 spinning rod I bought at Walmart it into this conversation? Probably not "high quality", but it worked well enough for me to catch a whole bunch of smallmouth on it today.

Just my opinion, but I'd say ya'll are making this way, way too complicated.

Eric and I aren't talking about spinning gear. Baitcasters are a whole different animal with a much high skill level. You don't see 8 year lods with baitcasting gear normally. That's not a knock on spinning gear, I have uses for it too, but it can't do what baitcasters can either.

[stlfisher]

When I first transitioned from spinning gear to baitcasting gear...I went through 3 cheap baitcasters in about a month. It was some cheap $40 reel from Cabela's sponsered by Bill dance so it seemed like a good deal. It was horrible. After 3 I got my money back and bought a Citica. For me that is my magic price point for a reel and about *80- $100 or so for a rod. I like the value of the $200 setups and it is a comfortable price point for me. I can also have 3 or 4 set ups in that price range. I would be terrified to use a $700 set up for fear of breaking or losing it.

All that being said you can fish with any type of gear...expensive or economical...but there does come a point when quality will help.

[exiledguide]

It's all about limitations and that is why there are so many choices. I don't have a baitcasting outfit that cost me less than $200, but that's what my 60 years of experience with them tells me I need for my fishing. The biggest problem with going cheap is the same problem with buying a used truck, the cheaper you go the more bad ones you'll find.

If I remember right you got your expensive baitcaster for free so you're hardly an expert on the price of baitcasting reels.

Wayne what was your first baitcasting reel and was your first rod like mine stainless steel to go with my Ocean City reel with black braided line. They were hand me downs from my grandfather.Used to string the line between the clothesline post to dry it out after fishing.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Wayne what was your first baitcasting reel and was your first rod like mine stainless steel to go with my Ocean City reel with black braided line. They were hand me downs from my grandfather.Used to string the line between the clothesline post to dry it out after fishing.

Mine was a J C Higgins (Sears and Roebuck) reel on a True Temper steel rod. The rod was square. Every kid back then dreamed of getting a Pflueger Supreme or a Shakespere President. I bought mine with money earned working saturdays in a gracery and later I got a real job, delivering papers.

[Al Agnew]

My first one was a Shakespeare, but I don't remember the model name. It wasn't a President, which was the most famous of the old Shakespeare direct drive reels. The President was bigger and clunkier than the one I got from my dad for Christmas when I was about 8 years old. My second one was a Shakespeare Presidential, which was the sportiest and one of the most expensive direct drive reels you could get. It was pretty "modern", with a lightweight black plastic and aluminum frame, and that thing could cast lures as light as 3/16th ounce if it was set right and your thumb was educated enough. I had it on a 5 ft. St. Croix solid glass rod, and it was really a sweet river fishing rig.

For you youngsters that don't know...the direct drive reels back then didn't have a free-spool feature. No button to push when you were ready to cast, you just made the cast and the reel handle turned backward as the line went out. The reel handles were very light with very small knobs so that the handle would spin as freely as possible. No drag...you played the fish with your thumb. Then the Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 came onto the scene, one of the first reels with a free spool feature, and all the bass fishermen switched to it. Shakespeare came out with a free spool version of the President...the free spool button was in the hub of the reel handle, but I don't think it ever became very popular. Garcia soon introduced smaller versions of the 5000, some of which survive to this day.

[Mitch f]

You guys got me beat, my first was a 1975 light blue colored Daiwa Millionaire.

[Greasy B]

One of my goals this year is abandon spinning as much as possible.

Advantages or disadvantages not withstanding the darn things are just to hard on my hands. After a season of holding the reel stem between my fingers I develop this big knot where it goes between my finger. Heck I still have the knot from last year. Ergonomics is a big deal when I have this thing in my hand for countless hours. I'm not entirely sure but it seems to me that bait casting rods and reels also have their disadvantages as well. what can I do to have a rig that doesn't disfigure my hand and doesn't wear me out?