Need Help Choosing A Spinning Outfit?

[Oldbritguy]

Over the past ten years or so I've been doing almost exclusively baitcasting for LMBass and Northern pike - mainly because there's a great local spot just 1/4 mile out from my dock.  (And I'm getting too old -79 -  and too lazy to bother running the boat any further).

 

However, this year (if the ice ever melts?) I want to try some smallmouth fishing around the offshore rockpiles,  and maybe a bit of casting for walleyes in the Spring.  

 

All my spinning stuff is at least ten years old, and most of the rods I built myself. (My eyes cant do that anymore). I'm sure the techniques have changed in this time, and also the rods/reels, lines, etc.  Can you use light braid ( 6-8 lb) on a spinning reel with no problems? The waters around my area are usually gin clear.

 

I'm looking to get a couple of spinning combo outfits that might be suitable for my needs.  And I'd like to use braid/leader on at least one outfit.

 

What do you guys suggest I check out?

 

Appreciate any advice. . .

[Alpha Male]

Over the past ten years or so I've been doing almost exclusively baitcasting for LMBass and Northern pike - mainly because there's a great local spot just 1/4 mile out from my dock.  (And I'm getting too old -79 -  and too lazy to bother running the boat any further).

 

However, this year (if the ice ever melts?) I want to try some smallmouth fishing around the offshore rockpiles,  and maybe a bit of casting for walleyes in the Spring.  

 

All my spinning stuff is at least ten years old, and most of the rods I built myself. (My eyes cant do that anymore). I'm sure the techniques have changed in this time, and also the rods/reels, lines, etc.  Can you use light braid ( 6-8 lb) on a spinning reel with no problems? The waters around my area are usually gin clear.

 

I'm looking to get a couple of spinning combo outfits that might be suitable for my needs.  And I'd like to use braid/leader on at least one outfit.

 

What do you guys suggest I check out?

 

Appreciate any advice. . .

 

Yes you can use braid without problems on spinning gear, i do. I really like my quantum spinning reels (Smoke pt 30 & Accurist pt30). As far as a rod goes I would recommend a Medium-lite Fast or a Medium Extra fast. You would want something pretty sensitive for these techniques like a St. Croix Avid or even a fenwick smallmouth rod.

[Scott F]

Except for the high end reels being lighter than they used to be, there really haven't been that many improvements to spinning gear in the last 10 years to make the reels you have obsolete. Unless you wore them out I'd use what you have. I use nothing but light braid on my spinning reels for smallmouth. Most of the waters I fish are clear so I like long casts. My line of choice for the last several years has been 8lb Fireline. But I have started using Suffix 832 recently. The lightest I can get that in is 10lb.

[motodmast]

your gonna want to throw a drop shot on those rock piles, with a small finesse worm, you wack em all day long. braid is my perfered choice of line on spinning reels. you can go 12-15lb braid (4-6lb mono DIA) and then tie on a small section of Fluorocarbon leader onto it with an alberto knot. 

 

ive had good luck with Sunline SX1, and regular power pro, also power pro slick is great.

 

whats so good with braid on a drop shot setup, is the hooks are so small, all you have to do is lift your rod up, and because of the zero stretch in braid, the hook sets its self.

 

i like a 7' M or Ml power spinning rod, my rod of choice is a dobyns 682 and 702.

 

for reels, i use a 20 size Pfleuger President, it WAY outperforms its price.

 

hope that will help you some,and if you have any more questions, dont be afraid to ask, becuase 90% of the fishing i do is for offshore smallmouth

[Tony L.]

Do you guys add any backing to your spool, or straight fill it with braid?

[motodmast]

i just do straight braid cause i never break it off, and when i need to, i just tie on a new leader

[new2BC4bass]

Do you guys add any backing to your spool, or straight fill it with braid?

I always use mono for backing because braid costs so much more.  I figure 100 yards of braid is more than I'll ever need.  Today some spools are made for braid.  They require no backing to keep braid from slipping.  But unless they are shallow enough to only hold 100 yards of the braid I plan on using, I still use backing.  Some people use a little electrical tape around the spool instead of backing.

[The Fisher]

About 3/4 mono backing and 20 lb power pro