new2BC4bass

Quality combo and probably my favorite. Thumbs up. I hear the new Pflueger Supreme is pretty good. Lews Tounament MB can be had for just under $109 with free shipping. Shoot. Are we talking casting or spinning? I always go with casting for my first guess.

Welcome to the forum. Yup, a spincast will work fine for both of you. Couldn't be simpler to use, but if you plan on fishing on a regular basis, I would prefer to see you both learn to use a spinning reel for a couple reasons. I started with one at six and if your son is really interested in fishing, and has decent motor skills, then a spinning reel for him isn't out of the question. Spincast reels are extremely simple to use, but are top heavy. A spinning reel is normally held between two fingers and hangs down. You don't have to hold the handle hard enough to keep the reel from flipping over because the weight is already on the bottom. Better balance, too. However, my son-in-law and his father prefer spincast. Can't talk the son-in-law into even trying one of my outfits. Spincast reels also have slower retrieve ratios. Meaning you do a lot more cranking to get the bait back in for another cast. Zebco makes decent spincast reels if you decide to go that way. Do a search using "spincast". Select "This Forum" from the dropdown menu when you type the word in. Several threads on spincast reels and first reels for very young fishermen will come up. Heck. Here. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/search/?q=spincast&type=forums_topic&nodes=12 Enjoy reading. The Pflueger Trion is a pretty good reel. Price about $40. My first reel was a Mitchell 300. They make an Avocet RZ for $30...model AVRZ-2000 would be a good size. Don't know if there are any big name stores near you, but many sell their own house brand rods and reels. However, I am not familiar with them. Sometimes they are made by name brand makers such as Diawa or Quantum. A quality rod for cheap is the Berkley Lightning or Lightning Shock. I prefer the original. About $40. Also check for a Berkley Cherrywood or Berkley Amp at local Walmarts (or Dick's Sporting Goods) for low cost rods that aren't too bad....especially for the price.

Basically the same length, but not the same blank. You would have to ask Fenwick what the difference is. I can tell you the XF definitely has a stiffer tip. It is going to take more weight to load the rod. I seriously doubt you are going to cast a 1/8 oz. weight on the XF for any kind of distance. If I take the rods into work tomorrow, I could measure the diameters, but just eyeballing them they appear to be nearly identical. I am sure there is a lot more technology in rod making than simply changing diameters to reach a desired result. I have a MH-XF that has a 1/4 oz. lower limit. No idea if it will handle 1/4 oz. as I have several Medium rods for that weight. I'm going to assume that it will since it is a Powell Endurance. If it were an Abu rod I wouldn't make that assumption based on my limited experience with their rods.

I prefer a bit longer handle, but have no problem adjusting to it. My Smoke and forbidden rod also have short handles. Only way to have everything your way is to have a custom rod built to your specs.

I don't think there was a 6'9" MF casting rod. I have the 6'10" MF and the 6'9" M-XF which is what you are talking about with that rating. The 6'10" MF starts at 1/8 oz. Smalljaw67 talked to a Fenwick rep and tells me Fenwick deliberately under-priced the rods to get people talking about them. They are very nice rods. I have a few and they are among my favorites. Apparently they did similar with the Aetos rods.

Can't remember if it is the Supreme or Supreme XT, but a friend likes his well enough that he bought a second. And he fishes reels costing a lot more. I have the Trion and Patriarch XT. Both are under-rated.

Graphite or composite. Couldn't find a description of its frame. Were it aluminum, Shimano would be mentioning it in their advertising.

Personally I'd take the aluminum framed LFS over the graphite framed Caenan. Check out the review of the Caenan on TackleTour and the LFS review on ***. About $109 will get you the Lew's Tournament MB from fleabay.

Smalljaw67 (Dan) on here was a tournament fisherman before ill health struck. He tells me Spiderwire Ultracast Ultimate Mono is the best mono he has ever used. I've got 12# on two b/c reels that I will be using this year.

FFO is a good place to look, but you have to keep checking back as stock varies. Right now they have 3 Smallmouth casting rods which were bargains at full price. The HMG is pretty good as well. A 365 day a year fisherman on here uses spinning only and has a few Pflueger and Shimano reels. He has mentioned the Pfluegers have never needed sending in for repair while each Shimano has been sent in for work. Mine (both Shimano and Pflueger) don't see enough use to have a problem. The Tatula b/c at about $95-$100 on fleabay is a great reel at that price. Many think very highly of the Lew's Tournament MB. Just ordered one myself. Shimano b/c reels have a reputation for being solid workhorses. Find one of the older Tatula rods (not the XT) for about $100 and you will be very pleased with your purchase. EDIT: Look for a bargain used rod on for sale forums and the Flea Market on this site.

Lot better looking than my first baitcast....an Ambassadeur 5001C, but bet mine cast a lot easier than yours. My TD-Z 103HL Type R isn't touchy. Must be the wrong model Type R.

The Tatula is a good choice. Something of a Daiwa fan myself, although I like reels from just about every company. Lew's Tournament MB is on my radar for my next Lew's. Great reviews. About $110 on fleabay. Well, just ordered the MB while checking out the price. If manventureoutpost ever gets in more Primmus reels, and keeps the same $104.10 price, I personally don't think you will find a better reel anywhere near that price. Sells on TW for about $225 and is an extremely nice reel. Bought my first for around $150 or so shipped. Feel like I got a bargain at that price.

Welcome Woody! Price range is always nice to know. On the cheap. I've had a 6' Berkley Lightning for more years than I care to admit. Doubt you could find a better rod at that value unless an unhappy wife was selling off her husbands gear in a yard sale. A little more money is an Aeto. I don't have an Aetos spinning rod, but have to believe the lure range is a misprint. More than likely it is 1/4-3/4...not...3/8 oz. That would be a pretty weak MH rod. I am a fan of Fenwick. The HMG 7' MF is rated 1/4-3/4 oz. and HMGs are very nice rods for the moolah. Okuma doesn't get mentioned much, but I've read some pretty good comments about the C3-40X rods (and Helios rods). The 7' MF C3-40X is rated 1/4-5/8 oz. and can be gotten for around $130. Normal price on this rod was $175. The Helios costs less than 25 cents more and weighs 3.7 oz. A nice light rod. Check ebay for that price. I don't know anything about the new Daiwa Tatula XT rods. They are about $76 cheaper than the originals. I have some of the originals in casting and love them. Now if you don't mind spending some big bucks, you can look at GLX, Zodias, Zillion, Cara, Lamiglass, etc., etc. As always, the flea market and for sale forums are always a good place to get an expensive rod for a lot less than new.

I've got a Penn 430SS on my 35-40 year old 6' Lightning. You may not be able to find one, tho. Caught many fish on it in my younger days. Notice I didn't say youth.

Wow! Plenty of excellent posts. I grew up with spinning. Agree. I had no problem with accuracy, but when you start at 6 years old with a spinning reel, it comes quickly. My largest Smallmouth came on light spinning rod and an 1/8 oz. Roostertail. When I got back into fishing after a 23 hiatus, I went all out for baitcast gear. Like Darren and others, I also wanted to do light lures (1/8 oz. and less) with B/C reels. Although fun, I am getting to the point, that my spinning gear is going to see more use as spinning is so much easier with the light stuff. Haven't had one out in several years. That 6'9" M-XF that Dan mentioned is definitely going to be one of them seeing more action as is my 6'9" MF jig and worm rod. I am another who doesn't like throwing heavier lures on a spinning rod. Guess the past 7 years of using b/c almost exclusively has made heavier lures feel awkward on a spinning rod. I'm 100% with Dye.....you need as much fishing tackle....and firearms....as humanly possible. My largest bass was 7.2 pounds. I don't think the gentleman posting the pic posted the one showing his 7 pound plus fish.

Nice! Think you will enjoy it. Paid that for my used Tat. Excellent price new. I like the Type R a bit more. Not because it performs any better, but because I like its looks more and like the higher gear ratio.

Lot of Lew's users here, but I have never seen a mention of a shallow spool for them. Looks like a couple more candidates for Daiwa or Shimano.

I assume this line is no longer made???? OP. Check out Spiderwire's Ultracast Ultimate Mono. A friend tells me it is the best mono he has ever used. I've got some 12# to try. My problem is I'm not sure which reel I put it on.

That may be the definition of "oxymoron".

Okuma baitcast reels seldom get mentioned. Reviews of the Komodo and Aird are rare. I have no experience with either. The Okuma should be a more robust reel. It has an aluminum frame and side plates (although one review only mentioned the handle side plate being aluminum). It appears the Daiwa is a composite. Not that long ago people wouldn't recommend such a reel except for the fisherman who only occasionally fished. I think the 273 means it has a 7.3:1 ratio? Personally I feel the $80 is a great price and it would be my first choice. My only Okuma model is the Helios Air. Was impressed from the first cast with it. Went and bought a second. A little over half my reels are Daiwas, so I am not a Diawa hater. Just feel that in this case the Okuma should be the better reel. Once brakes are set to my liking, I hardly ever touch them, so that wouldn't affect my buying decision.

X2 So far recommendations have been from $100 to over $400.

Call the rod company. Received a used Hammer rod with the insert missing from tiptop. Emailed them and they sent me a pack of four for free. Emailed my address Saturday and had the tiptops Wednesday.

I managed to pick up two for less than $100 each before tax from walmart * a year or so ago. Really nice rods.

Which ever rod you choose, I would suggest one in the 7' to 7'4" range and a MHF. Used is an excellent way to go as long as the rod is in good shape. Also keep an eye open for a used Hammer rod or for a sale on them. Haven't had a chance to more than make a few casts with mine, but they are getting very good reviews. May want to move up to a HF as the consensus is the Hammer rods fish a little light. My MHs are rated 3/16-3/4 oz. Don't know yet if they will handle a 3/4 oz. lure. I'm not a fan of rod's less than 7 foot in MH, but FFO has a Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'9" MHF for $74.88. I've got several Smallmouth rods, and they are fantastic for the listed price of $129.99. Actually have this rod, but it is the one I missed an eye on when stringing the line, and it now has a groove in the finish so I'm a bit leery that the blank might be compromised.

Looking at a rod from them, but they aren't even listed on ResellerRatings. Was looking at the same rod from WholesaleHunter, but their rating was bad enough I'm scared to buy from them. Unfortunately the rod I want is no longer in production so I have to find places that still have some in stock. CDA Tactical lists 2 available....WholesaleHuner 5 available. Thanks.