First Spinning Setup... Hoping To Ask A Few Questions

[Jay Ell Gee]

Hey there everyone. New guy here, and I was hoping to pick at the brains of some of you fishing guru's here on this very impressive forum.

When I started bass fishing, I purchased two rods and reels from a family friend that purchased these particular rod/reels and never even used them. Suffice to say that I started bass fishing with two Shimano Citica's and Abu Garcia Conolon Premier (sp?) 6' medium action rods.

While I know that they aren't the fanciest setups around, I got them for 75.00 a set so I was not complaining. They do just fine for my uses, but now that I am becoming more experienced in the bass fishing world, I am wanting to add a spinning rod to my setup.

Here is the hard part... This rod needs to perform pretty much triple duty. It will have three main uses:

1.) A dedicated soft plastics (Texas Rigged/Shakey Head/Weightless Senko/Tubes) setup when in the bass boat. I will be using it to flip cover and go after missed largemouth bass.

2.) This rod will also be my new go-to rod for wading creeks and small rivers for spotted bass. These bass in my neck of the woods average 1lb or so, some upwards of 2lbs. They require a bit smaller bait selection than largemouths, as I am sure that you could imagine.

3.) Loaner rod for when I bring the little lady along. Currently she is using a Zebco 33, but she can certainly use the spinning setup when she tags along fishing with me.

Now that I have that out of the way... with my budget I am between two reels, and I am pretty much set on one of these two:

Shimano Sahara FD (2500)

http://www.basspro.com/Shimano-Sahara-FD-Spinning-Reels/product/102801/89425

or the Shimano Spirex RG with rear drag (2500)

http://www.basspro.com/Shimano-Spirex-RG-Rear-Drag-Spinning-Reels/product/104123/54695

I will be honest... I have never thrown a spinning reel in my life. The trigger concept of the Spirex seems pretty appealing, but due to its design, it will not have an instant anti-reverse, due to the trigger reset feature. The Sahara seems to be just a basic spinning reel, albeit a very smooth one.

Any reccommendations between the two for a first outfit?

Second of all: rod choices. I will take a look at brands when I figure out my price range, but I can promise you that it will be under 100.00. I am a low-budget fisherman due to grad school, and I will be plenty proud of whatever I own.

However, I could really use a recommendation on rod length, action, and tip speed. I am considering either medium or medium-light, but I have a feeling that the ML may not work all too well on largemouth's when setting the hook on texas rigged plastics... Would a medium rod still cast decently and work well enough for the smaller spots as well?

I know that was a lot to read over, so if you made it this far, I thank you in advance for any suggestions and for taking your time to do so. I appreciate any advice that anyone has to offer, and I hope to start posting around these parts very soon.

[Capt.Bob]

The one big plus here is it's a St Croix, if you wanna trade up, it will recoupe most of its cost if you take care of it, and - 5 YEAR WARRANTY - a good entry level rod, durable with good feel and at 3.9 oz its killer for weight to sensativity factor. http://www.basspro.com/St--Croix-Mojo-Bass-Spinning-Rods/product/104147/66775#chart this would be a good starter rod I feel for your needs I would choose the MBS68MXF model for all round plastics and finess fishing and has a good backbone. But the medium will be a rod you can use for multy tasking and the 6'8 length may be a little better for the blackies in the river. As far as Spinning reels, no doubt hands down the Sahara, I would not go back to a reel without intant anti backup for 1/2 the price difference. if you can stretch it a little go for a Saros, believe me, it's a Stradic in sheeps clothing.For a strait up finess rig the MBS69MLXF and a 1000 Sahara or Saros @ 10.7 oz. total weight aint bad under 2 bills, or with a heavier MBS68MXF @10.8 oz. either one would be pure stealth on a budget???

right now the Bass Pro Bionic Blade is on sale for $59.00 thats a pretty good rod for 60 bucks. But right now the Buy of the century is the LTB right hear. http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/products/Legend_Tournament_Bass_Casting_Rod_LTBC68MXF-326-23.html

[UWBass]

Sahara no questions asked. Light years of a better reel than a Spirex. I also have a vendetta against rear drag spinning reels, but still, Sahara.

I would also recommend the St.Croix Mojo Bass 6'8 MXF. Around $100, and would be acceptable for your uses. A 7' M spinning rod is also just a great all around rod for pretty much everything, akin to a 7' MH baitcaster. There is a 7' Medium Fast Mojo available also. While a ML would suffice for a lot of applications, it just doesn't have the nuts to pull a fish out of the weeds if they dig down. You said you want to flip cover, go for a Medium.

[BrianSnat]

I have a Spirex and like it a lot. My only quarrel with it is the handle, but someone who is coming from baitcasting may actually feel more at home with it. I'm a big fan of the Quickfire trigger. When it first came out I bought a reel with it and every spinning reel I've purchased since has a Quickfire trigger. In the Shimano line there are only two models left that have it, which is why I went with the Spirex. The fact that the anti reverse isn't instant has never been an issue for me in the close to 20 years I've been using a reel with the Quickfire. Personally I'd get a Spirex with the front drag though. I like the placement of the rear drag but it doesn't work as smoothly as front drag.

For rods under $100 I really like the Fenwick HMG line and the Shimano Clarus. As far as action Medium/fast or Medium/XF in a 6,6 or 7 ft would be pretty versatile. My Shimano Crucial 6,6 M/XF is my go to spinning rod. If I'm only taking one rod and I want it do do almost everything, that's the action I want.

[Jig Man]

I have several levels of Shimano spinning reels. Of the 2 go for the Sahara.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The Sahara is a much better reel of the two, but for a quality spinning reel on a budget the Pflueger President is one of the best bang for your buck deals. They're on sale regularly <$60

A ML St Croix will easily handle bass in creeks or open water but the M/F or XF is probably the more versatile. 6'6" is a good compromise length wise being manageable in tight quarters but not sacrificing too much casting distance in the open.

[MCS]

The Sahara is a much better reel of the two, but for a quality spinning reel on a budget the Pflueger President is one of the best bang for your buck deals. They're on sale regularly <$60

A ML St Croix will easily handle bass in creeks or open water but the M/F or XF is probably the more versatile. 6'6" is a good compromise length wise being manageable in tight quarters but not sacrificing too much casting distance in the open.

WIth that said, I own a Pflueger President and a Pflueger Templar reel. If you do searching you will find the President XT or Templar on Ebay brand new for 30-60 bucks. Any Pflueger spinning reel is a great reel for the money IMO.

A great rod I am happy with is the Bass Pro Shops Carbon Lite. I have a 6'-6" MH and love it.

I think they are on sale now for 79.99 too. That is what I have my Templar mounted on, it casts great.

Man my Abu Cardinal 500's from like 20 years ago are setup like that second Shimano..... I love the drag knob! The fast bale lever is cool too, but I like a drag knob.

[jerzeeD]

^ This. Shimano makes good reels, but for freshwater only spinning reels, Pflueger is tough to beat. If you want to do even better than a president., check out FFO.com. They are selling last years model Pflueger supreme cheap. I got one for 70 bucks delivered. Normally they are 100+ dollars new. They have a magnesium body and 6.2-1 gear ratio. A much better reel than both the Shimano models you are looking at.

[outdoorsman110]

Spirex or the President 6930 or 35.

[Jay Ell Gee]

Hey everyone. Finals snuck up on me and I didn't really get to thank everyone for their input yet, as I have been slammed studying.

I visited my local Dick's Sporting Goods and ended up getting some pretty good deals. I had a $15.00 off coupon for a reel over 80.00, so I picked up a Sahara 2500 for $65.00.

I also spent some time looking through the rods and ended up getting a St. Croix Mojo Bass model MBS68MXF. It is 6'8," Medium Action with an Extra Fast tip. I believe that the XF tip will really set the hook with authority with texas rigged plastics. It also came with a free St. Croix hoodie, which will be handy for the whopping two months of winter we get in south Louisiana.

While I want to thank everyone for all of their help, I was hoping to pick your brains a tiny bit more. I am now tasked with choosing what kind of line to use for my new setup. I have really been wanting to try braid, so after a LOT of research, I believe that I am going to try my hand at PowerPro braid, in moss green.

So... here come a few more questions! What weight test do I need to use? It is to my understanding that thin braid will cause issues in spinners, so should I be looking at 20 to 30 lb braid? Should I use a leader? Mono or fluoro? Any recommendations on decently priced leader line? How do I know what pound test is best to use as a leader? I have always been very simplistic in my fishing methods as a beginner, using stren mono with plenty of success. However, I believe that braid would help me squeeze out every bit of sensitivity and performance from my setup.

Do you recommend braid for a first time spinning reel user? Should I just stick to light mono for now until I get used to it?

Last question, I promise. I often find myself bank fishing with my girlfriend, and obviously, snags are a concern. Is braid a good idea for bank fishing? It would be nice if my leader wasn't super strong so that I could just break off and save my braid if I happen to get in a bit of a bind, but that reason alone makes me think that perhaps I should just start with mono.

Again, thanks to everyone that contributed to my post so far. It was a big help in making my descision. I also want to thank everyone in advance for sharing their knowledge regarding the questions I asked about line. I can't wait to start landing bass on my new setup!

[VolFan]

I use 20 lb powerpro on my Sahara 2500s with no problems. That should handle everything you need it to do. Use a leader if you want...don't if you don't...I've never really had it matter other than treble hook baits in current. Then you want to use a mono or flouro leader to keep the braid out of the trebles.

[Capt.Bob]

that'll make a great starter rig, now hit the water and enjoy!!