Entry Level Bait Caster! What To Get??..

[BassKing226]

So recently I have really wanted to get into the realm of bait caster. I have check eBay, amazon, bass pro, gander, and even Walmart just see to what is out there.

 

I have come to the conclusion that there are a ton of choices to pick from with all types of price ranges.

 

 

I am looking for something under 200 bucks for the combo that can really jump start me into the bait casting world. Something that can get the job done with most rags, soft plastics and lures. I do about 99% of my of fishing on the bank. 

 

 

Any advice or suggestion or links would be Awesome 

 

Thank

 

BK226

[bootytrain]

Curado I. Its user friendly and you can grow into it as you get better because its such a high performer. So no need to spend the money on something "better" or more expensive later unless you just want to. Wait are you talking just the reel or both rod and reel for under $200?

[UNCfan1981]

Lew's laser mg speed,7:1 ratio its around $80 and pair it with St. Croix mojo bass rod, about $110 6'6" mh. Great for jigs and worms. The shorter rod will help in tighter spots off the banks imo. Of course my local academy sports has a Lew's combo for under $ 100 which would really work for a beginner, use the rest for lures and line.

Don't give up if u start backlashing. I almost did, finally figured it out, got dialed in and love using baitcasters now.

[Hi Salenity]

The 50 size Curado or Chronarch is a very easy reel to learn on and is also one of the best made reels.

[BassinLou]

If you are talking both rod and reel for $200. I would look into the the Lews speed spool and a MH 7ft Carbonlite rod. Nice entry level outfit.

[Catch and Grease]

I used the shimano zeles combo and liked it.

Its a 6.4:1 reel on a medium heavy fast action rod, its a good entry level combo that can be used for lots of things and I got on sale for less than 75$ but I think it normally runs for 100-150$

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Pick up a second hand Shimano Citica E or Revo S or a new BPS PQ on sale. They all have centrifugal bakes (dual on the PQ)which are user friendly. They are affordable reels that you won't "outgrow" as your skill and taste in tackle develops. Consider a St Croix Rage 7'+/- MH/F rod if you can push the budget a little bit. If not, a MH/F Mojo with one of the reels mentioned should fit right in $200.

[masterbass]

BPS pro qualifier/carbonlite combo for $159.  Get the 6.4 gear ratio.  If you are used to spinning reels get the left hand retrieve pq.  With the carbonite try a 7' or 6'6" medium heavy/ fast action.  This would be a versatile set up:  jigs, t-rigs, senkos, spinnerbaits, lipless etc.

[gulfcaptain]

Being new to the baitcasting world, I would go with a BPS either a Pro Qualifier or a Carbonlite.  Have 3 of the Carbonlite reels and they are one of my favorites.  Very simple to use.  And being a BPS brand, if you have an issue, take it back and exchange it for something else.  Rod wise, well look around and you can find a decent IM-7 or IM-8 rod at BPS as well.  If you're familiar with Academy, they have the H20 brand there and they are pretty good rods for under $60. The 7'MH IM-8  is a good start and still a nicer rod then some that are in the $100 range.  

[TNBassin']

Get something with centrifugal brakes. Most user friendly and forgiving baitcaster.

[DogBone_384]

BPS pro qualifier/carbonlite combo for $159.  Get the 6.4 gear ratio.  If you are used to spinning reels get the left hand retrieve pq.  With the carbonite try a 7' or 6'6" medium heavy/ fast action.  This would be a versatile set up:  jigs, t-rigs, senkos, spinnerbaits, lipless etc.

 

BPS pro qualifier/carbonlite combo for $159.  Get the 6.4 gear ratio.  If you are used to spinning reels get the left hand retrieve pq.  With the carbonite try a 7' or 6'6" medium heavy/ fast action.  This would be a versatile set up:  jigs, t-rigs, senkos, spinnerbaits, lipless etc.

 

Agree completely.  I started with a PQ and as I got increasingly addicted upgraded my reels.  I have 3 PQ's and find they cast just as well as my Shimano, Diawa, and Lew's reels.  

[Hogsticker]

Get a Daiwa Tatula off that auction site for 108 bucks shipped. The mag force Z braking system is quite user friendly and simple to adjust on the fly. No need to remove a side plate. While I wouldn't consider this an entry level reel, by the end of the summer you will be proficient with a baitcast reel, and happy you didn't get a cheaper reel that you're going to want to upgrade sooner than later. For bank fishing I prefer a 6'8,6'9 rod. You can still get fairly distant casts with this length which can be important from the bank. Anything longer I find can get in the way on the backswing when fishing in tight areas surrounded with trees, rocks, etc. If you're wanting the most versatile power and action to cover multiple techniques, I suggest a medium power fast action rod. Let us know what you end up with.

[augustine_11]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CABELAS-TATULA-TOURNAMENT-ZX-CASTING-COMBO/1751512.uts#BVRRWidgetID

 

This combo is tough to beat. You save $50 bucks with the combo ($250 sold separately). Great reviews on both the rod and reel.

[F14A-B]

There's good deals a lot on the Flea-Market right here....

[timsford]

I would would worry more about the reel than the rod if you are just starting out with baitcast because it takes some time to learn how to thumb a reel properly and not backlash. That being said if i had 200 to spend id look at a daiwa tatula(108 off the auction site), a bps pro qualifier is another reel worth looking at as it has dual brakes and gets great reviews. The lews speed spool or tournament mg are good reels and there are a few cabelas brand reels in your budget that are actually made by diawa. They are great value reels. You can find shimano citica g reels for around 100 and mine has been very reliable though not as smooth as my e series. As far as the rod goes id find a mh 7 ft or so casting rod with a fast tip. The combo id reccomend is the tatula or lews reels with a shimano clarus rod as mine is pretty darn good for the price and has a lifetime warranty. Good luck in your search there are plenty of options in that price range. Do research on warranties and reviews before you buy. All the suggestions above are good but take user reviews with a grain of salt as some ppl love certain brands and will push them no matter what. Try to find the choices you narrow it down to in a store so yoi can handle products bc sometimes things sound good on paper but dont feel as good in hand and spend some time checking prices. Used items are sometimes great values too so dont count that out

[BassKing226]

Curado I. Its user friendly and you can grow into it as you get better because its such a high performer. So no need to spend the money on something "better" or more expensive later unless you just want to. Wait are you talking just the reel or both rod and reel for under $200?

I am talking more a entry level combo both rod and reel bait caster under 200. I want to buy something "better" in time. But, for now I am just looking for something to get started with. 

[Tywithay]

Wait until July 4th and get a T3 Ballistic and a ***, Denali Kovert, or something along those lines...something along those lines. At 15% off you'd be right at or a touch below the $200 threshold, but you'd be fishing with a $360 combo. The reel has 60 different braking combinations so it's very easy to get it dialed in and find a setting that will work for you.