New To Baitcasting

[NWBasslover]

Hey guys, I've been fishing with a spinning rod my entire life and have recently decided to take the plunge and expand my arsenal to include bait casters.  What I need help with is trying to figure out what to buy.

 

I only have one right now. It is a Shakespeare Axiom, I know this isn't a very good combo but it was free!

 

Any suggestions on a rod and reel combo for LESS than $100? I don't want to spend too much on a combo and find out that I'm not going to use it that much!

 

As always thanks for the input.

 

Tight lines, brothers.

Matthew

[derekxec]

do you like using the one you have? if not then it probably wont make much diff using a different one

[hooah212002]

A different (see: better) reel will most certainly make a world of difference. A combo under $100 is a tough sell, but not impossible. At that price point you could find an Abu Garcia Black Max combo at Wally World or Dicks and that would be fine, but not have that great of a rod. However, I would suggest saving even a little bit and getting a Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier (regularly on sale for $80) and *** *** Black rod for $100 or a Powell Diesel for $70. You also have an H2O Mettle at Academy for $50, but on sale right now for $40. American Legacy fishing has a $25 coupon for subscribing to their newsletter and they carry the *** rods making one only $75. Pair that with a Mettle and you are just barely over your $100 limit.

 

Save a bit more dough and it will make a world of difference. I say that as someone who utterly despises that answer. It's just the truth. Cheap baitcast reels will make you dislike all baitcast reels, but high quality ones will make you love fishing even more.

 

edit: You should also note that if you are just learning on a baitcast reel, a good one won't backlash as much. I can throw my Pro Qualifier with virtually zero thumb and not backlash and still get good distance. My other reels require me to actually fish properly. My old old reels (el-cheapos) regularly backlashed even fishing them right. You won't ruin the reel, just learn with cheap line (spiderwire mono is totally sufficient, as is Sufix Elite and Trilene Big Game. All are cheap too) bathed in line conditioner.

 

[derekxec]

i mean if he dont like the feel of using a baitcaster it wont matter if hes using a cheap one or the best one ever made...ive used top of the line and bottom of the line but dont really like them spinning just seems more natural to me

[drew27c]

I posted a similar thread after I had already purchased my setup (curado 300e, st croix premier), but I can tell you with certainty you want a quality reel and $100 is a little low. I highly suggest any shimano with the VBS system (citica, curado, chronarch). This system is awesome for learning. When setup properly you can pretty much cast without thumbing the spool. As you get better you can takes some brakes off which will allow you to cast longer, or re-apply them when it gets windy. 

 

All in all I say double your budget spend 130 on a citica and 70 on a decent stick...you'll thank me later! Good luck mate.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I'm liking my Abu Garcia BlackMax combo.  Got it for like $70 bucks at WalMart.

[rockchalk06]

Keep your rod for now and upgrade it at a later date. In the fle market section there are a bunch of Curado and a Chronarch for a fantasic price

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/119365-the-big-gear-sell-off-shimano-chronarchs-curados-crucials/

[Backwoodsbasser]

You will have am easier time learning on one with more bearings. Smoother gears and an anti backlash system. I learned with a pinnacle balance. And it was difficult ur to te poor quality of it. I did find putting the baitcastig reel on a 24inch ice fishing rod allowed me to practice feathering the spool and using a gentle casting technique easier. With the longer rod I wanted to chunk te practice plug a mile and made a mess o the spool. The short rod I nailed the thumb down as well as using the wrist and got a basic pitching technique down too. As for a decent cheap combo. I fish almost exclusive Abu Garcia. And the black max and pro max are both available at walmart for under 80 bucks

[TexasRigger21]

I'm liking my Abu Garcia BlackMax combo. Got it for like $70 bucks at WalMart.

I like the combo also. Very reliable

[fadetoblack21]

My first baitcaster was some cheap Diawa from Bass Pro that cost me $30. I hated the thing and could not cast it once without a huge backlash. 6 years later (this year), I bought a BPS Pro Qualifier and have had few problems with learning to cast it, so few that I bought a second one just a few weeks after buying the first.

 

I'm going with the consensus here, buy a quality reel to learn on. 

[annexation]

Learned on an Abu Black Max and I still love using it, even after picking up a more expensive Quantum. I always recommend the Black Max to people looking to try out baitcasting. It may not be an issue for you, but it felt much more comfortable and easier for me to learn and use with a left handed retrieve model.

[Darren.]

I bought one of my sons a BPS Tourney combo to practice/learn on. Cost was under $100. Combo went back to BPS within a couple days. It was awful.

 

I had two Quantum Accurist BCs, one a Shaw Grigsby combo I bought at Dick's Sporting Goods. That was a decent model to start on. Was about $100 give or take.

 

I've since migrated up the line to a Shimano Chronarch 50e and the difference is absolutely amazing, in favor of the pricier model. It is what it is. Get the absolute best you can afford. It will make a difference.

 

Check DSG's for sales, clearance, etc. Same for Bass Pro, and your local sporting goods shops.

[martintheduck]

Abu Gracia Black Max is a great reel, as many have said. I still use mine along side some $200+ reels. Also HIGHLY recommend Quantum Code.

 

As far as rods, my 2 cents is that it isn't important at the start. I had a piece of junk rod with a Black Max reel and it did me just fine to learn on. I only started buying nicer rods and reels when I began expanding my arsenal for technique specific applications.

 

I learned flukes, frogs, c-rig, cranks, spinners, jigs, etc... all on one rod. 

[Sam]

NWBasslover, let me give you some advice that you can consider when purchasing a baitcasting combo. By the numbers:

1.  Check out the Cabala's and BPS catalogs for combos under $100.

2.  Start with the less expensive products and wait for the sales to upgrade.

3.  Go with a 6'6" baitcasting rod or longer. The longer you go the farther you can cast.

4.  Read the rod's parameters stamped on the rod regarding bait weight and line test maximums. Balance this data with your reel.

5.  Learn how to "balance" your baitcaster to help reduce and avoid backlashes.

 

I fishes the Potomac River this past weekend any my nonboater used some equipment that consisted of a $20 BPS baitcasting reel; a 6'6" rod that was so old the cork handle was falling apart and the rod's manufacturer's name could no longer be seen; six-pound fluorocarbon line; and he created a drop shot with the set up and caught seven beautiful bass with four over 15-inches for his keeper and he ended up 4th in the tournament.

 

Meanwhile, I had my Shimano 200 Curado on a Cumara rod with 65-pound braid and he was kicking my fanny all over the place.

 

So don't worry about the brand names. Go out and get that combo and practice, practice and practice your casting and be sure to "balance" your reel, rod and bait every time you start to fish or change baits or retie.

 

If you need to know how to balance your rod and reel PM me.

 

Good luck.

[Sam]

NW!!!

 

Check out Dick's for this week's specials for Father's Day.

 

They have a Skeet Reese baitcaster combo for $80.

 

Great start and under $100.

 

You can use the remaining $20 for some line and baits, like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, Senkos, etc.

[Brackish Angler 228]

If you want a versatile combo, I suggest prioritizing the rod over the reel.  The reason for this is you wont be using the reel for much action (unless you crank a lot) so a more sensitive rod is more important.  I suggest a 7' MH  fast action.  Kind of a do-it-all road in my opinion (Top water, bottom, spinners, and traps).  Look for sale or closeout rods that were around $100.  Most of the time the reduce down to $60-$70.  

 

Then try and find a sale reel in the same $60-$70 range.  A good versatile gear ratio is 6.x:1 (x varies per model/mfg) for a not-too-fast, not-too-slow retrieve.  For learning how to cast a bait caster stick to a centrifugal braking system.  This is a very simple system to adjust and does very well at controlling the beginning of the cast. STAY AWAY FROM MAGNETIC BRAKING SYSTEMS FOR YOUR FIRST REEL.

 

I know that could be a tad bit over budget, but you say you don't want to spend much on something you'll never use.  No one wants to use a $100 baitcaster combo.

Tackle warehouse has a Quantum Accurist for $80 and a Daiwa Ballistic 6'9" MH for $65.  I'm not saying that's what you should get, just showing how easy it is to make a BETTER combo for $45 more.  

 

 

NW!!!

 

Check out Dick's for this week's specials for Father's Day.

 

They have a Skeet Reese baitcaster combo for $80.

 

Great start and under $100.

 

You can use the remaining $20 for some line and baits, like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, Senkos, etc.

 

Sam, I'm not seeing that combo.  That's just for the reel I believe. 

[NWBasslover]

Awesome! Thanks for the input everyone!

[sarcazmo]

h20 mettle right now is on sale for 40 dollars and by all accounts is a great reel.

 

If you can swing 60ish more you can get a bass pro carbonlite rod (Great rod, doesnt get the hooplah it deserves in that pricepoint) and pro qualifier combo.  This is what I started with.  Still have it, still use it, still catch fish with it.

 

My pq casts just as well and catches as many fish as my steez so you dont necessarily have to break the bank to get a decent reel.

[Brackish Angler 228]

h20 mettle right now is on sale for 40 dollars and by all accounts is a great reel.

 

If you can swing 60ish more you can get a bass pro carbonlite rod (Great rod, doesnt get the hooplah it deserves in that pricepoint) and pro qualifier combo.  This is what I started with.  Still have it, still use it, still catch fish with it.

 

My pq casts just as well and catches as many fish as my steez so you dont necessarily have to break the bank to get a decent reel.

+1 for Carbonlite and Pro Qualifier. A buddy of mine wins tournaments with almost exclusively those rods and reels.

[Arv]

+1 for Carbonlite and Pro Qualifier. A buddy of mine wins tournaments with almost exclusively those rods and reels.

+2

[Blues19]

Academy has their H2O Xpress Mettle on sale for $39.99.  and they have the 7' MH H2O Express Ethos rod for $59.99.  I have heard great things about both of them. those would give you a solid rod and reel.  They also have All Star Rods for $29.99 which isnt a bad buy either.