Bass Fishing Reel Rod Setup Help

[Texasangler22]

Iv just started bass fishing and after watching videos I have noticed a lot of people use bait caster reels! My current gear is a Shakespeare tiger 7" and here are the specifications Shakespeare 7 foot 2-piece medium action Tiger spinning rod

Stainless Steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts

Graphite reel seats with stainless steel hoods

Includes Shakespeare Tiger rod and spinning reel

Ball bearing design

Left/Right convertible retrieve

Spooled with line

My other rod and reel is a Shakespeare mantis spinning reel on a Shakespeare Durango rod

If anyone could tell me if either of these are "bass fishing capable" and if you could recommend a good rod and baitcaster reel combo/or seperate for a decent price preferably something less than $50 at most $70! I just want to have the best gear possible in that price range for bass fishing! I really want to get into bass fishing so any and all help, tips, techniques, gear,etc would be greatly appreciated!

[Chuck D]

Sure, you are on the right track.  The first thing to understand at your level is that there are tons of rods/reels/lines to choose from for different applications/techniques, etc and you don't need to try them all at once.  I call that "trying to boil the ocean" vs heat it up one cup at a time which is how I recommend you approach bass fishing; in smaller consumable portions.

 

The spinning setup you have will work fine for many techniques.   My guess is that it came with a spare spool?  If not, try to get one and spool it up with 10# braid and you just created 2 rigs out of one.

 

Your primary spool can be or is likely loaded up with mono or copolymer line which is great for several different applications like crank bait fishing, topwater, inline spinner fishing, or other "moving" baits.  All thing equal, most spinning rods don't do well with line bigger than 8# unless you have a really big spool which I doubt that is so keep that in mind the bigger the line the thicker it is and it will want to jump off the spool and that's no fun to fight all day so match your line to your setup and you'll be happy happy happy.

 

That other spool if you put mono backing on it, then braid as your main line, then a floro leader would be ideal for bottom bouncing techniques like TX rigging soft plastics, shakey head fishing, drop shot fishing, and so on.

 

Then you can cut the leader off and just tie your topwaters directly to braid to fish things like Pop-R's, Gunfish, Rico's, or other med/light topwater plugs that are phenomenal fish catchers and proven.

 

So you have versatility there and that's key.

 

If you want to get more strength and power fish more then a baitcasting setup comes to mind and I'd start with a 6'6" Medium Heavy rod and a 6.4:1 gear ratio reel.   Consider a left hand reel if you have your spinning rod set up left handed or vice versa if you have it set up right handed.  You'll be more efficient if you learn that way.

 

As far as buying a setup, I like your approach; get the best you can.   For that reason consider a second hand rod and reel from another angler who may be upgrading, thinning out their tackle closet, etc.  There's tons of options and you can buy some really nice 2nd hand stuff here, on eBay, other bass fishing sites, etc so shop carefully, ask tons of questions, and really understand where you are fishing, the kind of water (heavy cover, open water, shallow, deep, clear, dirty, etc) and then begin to build your arsenal around where you fish the most so you don't end up with a bunch of gear that is not suitable for the places you fish most.  When you start venturing out that's another story but again, don't boil the ocean....

 

Ask lots of questions.  

[Texasangler22]

This will help a lot! And how do people "get to know their fishing spot" like if the bottom has a bunch of foliage or branches and where to cast? And can you only flip and pitch on a bait caster?

[Chuck D]

Short of going out and finding out for yourself which is fun but can be costly and leave you confused, I'd get to know some local anglers and ask around unless you are fishing private land or bodies of water, someone locally can tell you what's going on with the particular bodies of water you fish.

 

Re: pitch and flip only with a bait caster?  Not at all.   Rods are made in different "powers" or strengths/actions for different techniques and line diameters.   You can use a bait caster for anything you can use a spinning rod for if you want to but you have to match the setup (rod/reel/line/lure weight) to what you are doing which is why it can get confusing quickly.

 

The "all purpose" bait caster that 99% of anglers today start with and keep using is a 6'6" M/H casting setup with a 6.4:1 reel as it can do it all and is the "SUV" of bass fishing meaning it can work on nearly anything without getting too specific like heavy jigs or ultra light drop shots where that rod would be too weak in one case and way too strong in another.

 

Think of bait casters as "power fishing" gear that is suited for heavier line (12# and up) and used commonly for moving baits or the heavier style of baits (categorically over 3/8 of an ounce all of they way up to 4oz).  

 

Think of spinning setups as "finesse" more often for baits that require lighter line (10# and under).

 

Fish size has nothing to do with the kind of rods people use.  Guys in CA catch 10# fish regularly with 6lb line out of 50' of water drop shotting and I catch hundreds of sub 2# fish here on Norman with an 8' flipping stick because there are a ton of fish in that class here on this lake.   This is why the following question will help guide you the most...

 

Where do you live and what fisheries are you going to be pursuing bass on most regularly and from what; boat or land?   

[Halnerd]

Iv just started bass fishing and after watching videos I have noticed a lot of people use bait caster reels! My current gear is a Shakespeare tiger 7" and here are the specifications Shakespeare 7 foot 2-piece medium action Tiger spinning rod

Stainless Steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts

Graphite reel seats with stainless steel hoods

Includes Shakespeare Tiger rod and spinning reel

Ball bearing design

Left/Right convertible retrieve

Spooled with line

My other rod and reel is a Shakespeare mantis spinning reel on a Shakespeare Durango rod

If anyone could tell me if either of these are "bass fishing capable" and if you could recommend a good rod and baitcaster reel combo/or seperate for a decent price preferably something less than $50 at most $70! I just want to have the best gear possible in that price range for bass fishing! I really want to get into bass fishing so any and all help, tips, techniques, gear,etc would be greatly appreciated!

 

Based on the description you gave, I would probably use the 7" shakespeare spinning setup for crankbaits, inline spinners, finesse plastics, drop shots (even lighter weight/short leader Carolina rigs).  Just run some 6-10# low-viz Mono line and have fun.  

 

I do not have a lot of experience with entry level baitcasting combos.  I learned to fish exclusively on spinners, and was an experienced fisherman before I ever touched a baitcast.  So, I waited until I could buy a solid bait casting setup that I knew would have the features that I would want. 

 

As Chuck D alluded, I would try a 6'6" Medium Heavy rod with a 6.4:1 ratio reel for your first baitcaster.  I would suggest stringing it with 14-18# Flourocarbon for several reasons.  First, that line will feel familiar to your standard mono when casting, though Flouro is much stiffer and more sensitive.  Second, Flouro is still heavy enough to fish most cover that a novice is going to feel comfortable attempting anyway, though not as tough as braid.  You can always try braid later, but I find it to be a niche line that is not as versatile as Flouro.  On this setup you can fish offset spinners, texas rigs, jigs, and really any lure with a large single hook or rigs that are heavy or require sensitivity.   

 

I took a quick look around the net and found a few solid baitcasting setups for under 80 bucks that might work, such as this one on sale:  http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=GSX-Tournament-Reel-RH-Vortex-Casting-Rod-Combo-66-Med-Heavy-1-pc&i=97166&aID=504AC2&merchID=4006

 

I have also heard a few people say that these are decent for the money: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Abu-Garcia-Black-Max-Baitcast-Combo/19716434

 

Also, my brother-in-law swears by the pfluegar templar baitcasting reels, which he picks up on ebay for under 35 bucks.  He pairs that reel with an IM6 graphite MH rod from Gander Mountain ($40) for one combo, and another templar with a 6'6" cheap Abu Garcia rod for his second.  Of course, you could pair that reel with any rod you choose.

 

If you know anyone that could let you borrow a baitcaster you might want to try a few out before you decide which one to buy.  I found that centrifugal vs. magnetic braking systems are really the most make or break feature for my personal casting experience and style.  I like centrifugal breaking systems and many inexpensive combos are magnetic only (the pfluegar templar is one of the cheapest centrifugal braking reels I have seen).  Try reels with both braking types before you buy, if you can.  Further, if you find a reel you think you like, try it on a different rod length and power.  You may find that what you are really feeling is the rod and not the reel.  A MH power baitcasting combo feels way different than a med power spinning combo.  Expect that. 

 

Good luck, have fun.  Give yourself time to learn with a baitcaster.  They can be frustrating at first, but are well worth the learning curve.  

 

Kyle