Rod+Reel Questions

[VinnieT]

Hi there, I was going to get a new rod and reel, and I was wondering, for someone fishing for largemouth bass with primarily crankbaits, senkos and soft plastics, what length rod would you recommend, and what gear ratio? (I was looking at an Abu Revo sx and Veritas)

Also, one thing I have noticed is that most spinning reels have the crank on the left side (because most righties fish with their left hand), but most baitcasters have the crank on the right side. Why this?

[VinnieT]

Also, what is action and what one should I get?

[new2BC4bass]

Also, one thing I have noticed is that most spinning reels have the crank on the left side (because most righties fish with their left hand), but most baitcasters have the crank on the right side. Why this?

Because the guy who invented the baitcaster was left-handed. The guy who invented the spinning reel was right-handed.

[Arv]

Short answer on action, its basically how far down the rod will flex. Faster = less flex, slower = more. Try a google search and you'll find a lot of good resources that explain it in more depth.

IMO, I would get a different rod for treble hooks and single hooks. I want a stiffer tip (fast/extra fast) to get a better hook set with a single hook, which will primarily be bigger than the hooks on a treble. I want a softer tip (moderate) for treble hook presentations so I don't rip the hooks out of a fish's mouth, and to help the hooks stay set better when fighting a fish. Length is personal preference. I prefer around 7' for my rods, but you could range from 6'6 to 7'6 or longer for either application. In general, 7' will do fine.

IMO, an all purpose gear ratio would be 6.5:1, but there are still stipulations that will help determine an appropriate ratio. For example, deeper diving cranks or slow rolling a spinnerbait a 5.5:1 might be more appropriate. A jig and worm application might be better suited for a 7.1:1 ratio. I would recommend doing some reading on here and maybe some other places and form your own opinion. Honestly, a lot of this comes down to personal preference and your own waters you fish.

[VinnieT]

Do you guys think that If I buy an Abu revo sx 6:4:1 and an Abu Veritas 6'6 these would be good with each other?

[EvanT123]

Go with a revo s or Stx and yes they would compliment each other nicely.

[VinnieT]

what's whong with the Abu revo sx?

[LgMouthGambler]

Nothing wrong with it, but its a mag only brake reel. You are better off with cent brakes.

[Arv]

Cent brakes all the way for me. Even if I have a dual braking system I turn the mags off most of the time.

[bassinbrian]

Nothing wrong with it, but its a mag only brake reel. You are better off with cent brakes.

Why is that?

[Mike L]

Cent brakes slow down the spool at the beginning of the cast where if it's gonna backlash on you thats when it will be,

and then backs off slowly as the force of the cast slows which helps with distance.

Mag brakes do nothing for that. It stops the spool at the end of the cast to help backlashes at that point.

With time you can do the same with your thumb.

I only use a mag brake reel for flippin and pitchin.

Mike

[Arv]

Why is that?

Centrifugal brakes will use the speed of the rotation of the spool to, in turn, slow down the spool. The faster the spool spins, the more the brakes act on it. The spool will be spinning fastest during the initial part of a cast, which (at least for me) is when the big nasty back lashes happen. Magnetic brakes work according to the distance between a magnet and the spool. This system allows for brakes to be applied ALMOST directly proportional to spool speed. This means it will act on the spool, especially towards the end of the cast, but does not act as well during the initial high speeds of the spool during a cast.

If you can find a reel with both, great. There are obviously some nice ones out there. But, between the two, I prefer centrifugal. On a reel like my Lews Tournament that has both, I rarely have the mag brakes on. On most casts I am able to use my thumb at the end if I need to. Obviously this is near impossible to do in the beginning.

I have no experience with the SX, but from my understanding, the problem with the Gen 2 was that it was very difficult to dial in, which led to a lot of backlashes. The new Gen 3 SX sounds as if the problems have been fixed, or at least improved upon. However, for my first casting set up, I would be leery of purchasing a reel with only magnetic brakes. I feel the centrifugal system will be easier to dial in and not present as steep a learning curve. I could be wrong, but that's my 2 cents.

[jignfule]

Hi there, I was going to get a new rod and reel, and I was wondering, for someone fishing for largemouth bass with primarily crankbaits, senkos and soft plastics, what length rod would you recommend, and what gear ratio? (I was looking at an Abu Revo sx and Veritas)

Also, one thing I have noticed is that most spinning reels have the crank on the left side (because most righties fish with their left hand), but most baitcasters have the crank on the right side. Why this?

I've heard many different reason,But I would suggest if you are buying your first b/c and you are right handed that you purchase a left hand b/c reel and learn to crank with the left hand right from the beginning. I did that many years ago and am glad I did. Much more natural for me.

[Arv]

I've heard many different reason,But I would suggest if you are buying your first b/c and you are right handed that you purchase a left hand b/c reel and learn to crank with the left hand right from the beginning. I did that many years ago and am glad I did. Much more natural for me.

x2, that's part of the reason I'm selling all my right handed reels