Fishinthefish Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 Good afternoon. I'll get started by telling you a little about how I fish, before I ask your opinions on what I'm considering starting to fish with. The majority of my spring is cat fishin', I don't own my own boat so shore fishing for pre-spawn and spawn bass isn't always the easiest thing especially on the Fox River in Illinois. I normally use artificial big boy leeches, down off a power plant lake in southern Illinois that has a warming/cooling side to it so it's nice for many, or huge cat fish. But what I'm particularly interested in is my new bass rod I'm looking to get, as well as a bait casting reel. I've fished with bait casters before I'm not new to them, but what I am new is to buying them. So below I'm going to post the rod and reel that I'm looking into buying, my price range is between 200-270 dollars per item. I fish primarily artificial light weight gear, small jigs, buzz bait's on a rare occasion with heavy emphasis on worms. Shaky head worms, weightless sinking works for top water, split shot weighted Texas rigs for bumping the bottom. So, without wasting anymore time here we go. The Pflueger Patriarch, I can only fish lefty so no XL option for me model number: PAT71LHLPX http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/Pflueger%C2%AE-Patriarch%C2%AE-Low-Profile-Reel/1315401,default,pd.html The St Croix Legend Tournament Bass fishing rod, casting obviously. I'm looking at a medium/extra fast action option. http://stcroixrods.com/products/freshwater/legend-tournament-bass/ Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 That combination will work great. 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 That combination will work great. YELP! Quote
Super User lmbfisherman Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 Definitely will work fine! The only advice I can give you is go in a store and check the rod/reel out to see if you like it. In fact I'm sure a store would let you place the reel on the rod to check how it feel. Quote
Super User WIGuide Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 Sounds like a good combo to me! It should do everything you're asking of it. Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 Great choice. Only change I would suggest is a Shimano reel, and then you would fit right in here. Just kidding........sort of. I've got a couple of the older Patriarch XTs and had 2 Trions (still have one), and feel they are the Rodney Dangerfield's of baitcast reels. One centrifugal brake on and magnetic brake set at 3 allows me to cast a 10" ribbontail worm and 3/0 hook on my XT as well as my brother-in-law does with his spinning rods. Quote
DaveT63 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 Yep, like everyone else said, those should suit you just fine. Quote
kschultz76 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 Can you provide a bit more insight into the weight ranges you intend to use? And what weightless baits specifically? Not all bait cast reels throw very light weight rigs equally well and there may be better options if your total lure weight is say under 3/8 normally. The inclusion of the buzz bait in the mix kinda throw me off. Also I have that LTB 6'8" M/XF rod, and really like for its intended functions. But it really is an extremely fast taper and not ideal for buzz baits, spinnerbaits, etc. it is good for all the plastics, jigs, and lighter popping/walking baits. For more versatility you might want to consider the M/F. Just my .02 based on personal experience with that rod. Quote
Fishinthefish Posted February 13, 2015 Author Posted February 13, 2015 I apologize for saying buzzbait. I have no intention of throwing those on a casting reel. I have a spinning reel for those. Im looking at throwing max and on a very rare occasion up to 1/2 oz. normally I'll be throwing either weightless 3/0 to 5/0 hooks with a worm on other creature on them and at times the creature will have a small cylinder weight on it. Quote
kschultz76 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 No need to apologize just wanted to be sure I was understanding your needs for this correctly. Ok in that case I think you'll be happy with that rod. I've not used any Pflueger bc reels so I can't provide much insight there. However if lighter weights are really where you'll be at, like 1/4-3/8 oz total weight I would just make sure you research how well that reel handles those weights. In my experience some reels handle that weight range better then others while still handling 1/2 oz no problem. Best of luck and enjoy the new rig!! Quote
Fishinthefish Posted February 13, 2015 Author Posted February 13, 2015 Thank you I hope I do. And for the record I'm a shimano guy too. I'll be getting a core 101mg to pair with an extreme series st croix. Quote
kschultz76 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 Well if you're a Shimano guy I'd consider the Chronarch CI4+. It will be really nice on that rod, at least on my older version without the skeletonized reel seat the rod is light and well balanced so the CI4+ pairs well. And that reel handles the lighter weight baits with ease. Quote
kschultz76 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 And I like my reel handles on the "wrong" side too! Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted February 13, 2015 Super User Posted February 13, 2015 And I like my reel handles on the "wrong" side too! I wasn't aware there was a wrong side. Quote
kschultz76 Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 I wasn't aware there was a wrong side. I'm always told by those who prefer their handles on the right hand side that my handles are on the wrong side. Of course the Brits would say our steering wheels are on the wrong side! Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted February 14, 2015 Super User Posted February 14, 2015 I'm always told by those who prefer their handles on the right hand side that my handles are on the wrong side. Of course the Brits would say our steering wheels are on the wrong side! I grew up with spinning reels, and cranking on the left side. When an Alphas ito 103ai came up for sale a few years ago at a decent price, I figured I'd better jump on it. Handle was on the right. Currently almost half my reels are right hand. Why miss out on a good deal just because the handle isn't on the preferred side? It isn't that hard to reel with either hand. A little harder to learn to cast with either hand, but doable even for an old fart like me. Quote
Fishinthefish Posted February 14, 2015 Author Posted February 14, 2015 I've been stuck with a righty before. Cast normal and switched hands for the reeling half way through the cast. It was a small pain to learn but worth a hundred dollars in savings. Quote
bassinOUT89 Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 I grew up with spinning reels, and cranking on the left side. When an Alphas ito 103ai came up for sale a few years ago at a decent price, I figured I'd better jump on it. Handle was on the right. Currently almost half my reels are right hand. Why miss out on a good deal just because the handle isn't on the preferred side? It isn't that hard to reel with either hand. A little harder to learn to cast with either hand, but doable even for an old fart like me.im weird but I prefer my spinning outfits lefty. Casting outfits righty. Quote
PitchinJigz Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 Pflueger makes great reels, but I would also take a look at the Lew's Team Lite. Costs $240. I own it and it's a great reel. Quote
Super User Long Mike Posted February 14, 2015 Super User Posted February 14, 2015 As said above, Pflueger makes great reels, and the Patriarch is a sweetheart. I own several. That said, I suggest you take a look at Pinnacle's new line-up of reels. In that price range the Pinnacle baitcasters really shine. Having used them for the last year or so, I highly recommend them. I like them so much that I will be retiring my Pflueger baitcasters over the upcoming months. Quote
Fishinthefish Posted February 14, 2015 Author Posted February 14, 2015 As said above, Pflueger makes great reels, and the Patriarch is a sweetheart. I own several. That said, I suggest you take a look at Pinnacle's new line-up of reels. In that price range the Pinnacle baitcasters really shine. Having used them for the last year or so, I highly recommend them. I like them so much that I will be retiring my Pflueger baitcasters over the upcoming months. I am the unfortunate soul who is a lefty fisher and as I recall Pinnacle doesn't like us. I would love to get or at least try a pinnacle reel at some point. Though I could be mistaken they might have started endulging to dark side recent I haven't checked with them in quite awhile. Pinnacle and *** are my top two reels I'm interested in trying out. Though I'm not entirely familiar with all of the newer or smaller name reel companies that have sprung up in the last five years I've been absent from fishing. To be fair I'm getting a lot of pressure from my fishing buddies to just spend the extra money on a shimano core instead of going with a pflueger patriarch. But shopping around I can get the pflueger at 160 dollars which is a steal from what I've been told and am reading as far as product quality goes. I've also found shimano core rightys for as low as 240. Which I would gladly spend on a lefty in a heart beat. Sad times for impatient fishermen with the equipment bug as an outlet for frozen lakes rivers and ponds. Quote
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