Can we talk about finesse Casting rigs?

[Further North]

I snagged a good deal on a St. Croix Rage that throws light baits very well (1/8 oz - 5/16 oz.) - between the sale price and points on my card, it was less than $70.  While I may replace it at some point, it will do for now...until I find another that works better.

I bought an Cabela's Arachnid with it (Really a Daiwa Tatula-R with a couple extra bearings and a pretty blue spool)...and while that works, I'm guessing there's other reels that might work better...and I have a custom rod on order that the Arachnid will work great on...

...so I'm looking at reels that'll work well for light lures/baits.

So far, the Abu Garcia LTX has attracted some attention, as have the Daiwa SV reels...am I missing any that are perhaps less expensive?  I'm not opposed to spending money if I have to to get great results, but I'm also not going to do it if I don't have to.

[0119]

I do a lot of light and ultra light baitcasting for bass, tarpon and snook.  How light are you talking about doing? What type line and test are you thinking about?  What kind of lures?  I throw 1/8th and 3/16th pins minnows at baby tarpon on 2 and 4# mono.  Are you talking about that much of an extreme?  The LTX has a lot of aftermarket spools and such to finesse it up a bit more if your willing to pay for it. The SV I have no knowledge of.

[Further North]

I'm in NW WI, so no baby tarpon...I'd probably go to a light braid rather than a low breaking strength mono or fluoro...something like a 10 lb Suffix, or if the Gliss I have spooled on one of spinning reels works out, possibly that.

What I'd like to be able to throw would be light weight lures like floating Rapalas, Ned rigs, weightless plastics, maybe drop shot (if I can get passed being bored).  I do all of this on a spinning rod now, and while that's OK, I'd like to do it on a casting rig to free up the spinning rod for other duties.

 

[Poolshark]

The rod is important, but for what you are asking for,  I really think the lews tourny pro has an exceptional knack for tossing the light stuff. Otherwise I've used 50 sized curados and was happy with them. 

[Fishin' Fool]

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? I'm from SE Michigan and I've really resisted adding casting rods to my arsenal for the longest time. I finally did but those will be my crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait, chatterbait rods. I couldn't imagine wanting to throw senkos or small finesse crankbaits on baitcast gear. For the size fish we have up north I don't think it makes sense.

[PitchinJigz]

7 minutes ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? I'm from SE Michigan and I've really resisted adding casting rods to my arsenal for the longest time. I finally did but those will be my crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait, chatterbait rods. I couldn't imagine wanting to throw senkos or small finesse crankbaits on baitcast gear. For the size fish we have up north I don't think it makes sense.

It has nothing to do with the size fish. Some people are just more comfortable using finesse casting setups than spinning combos.

[James Pondscum]

  I have a ltb ml rod and a abu ltx reel for about two years now.  I have used other reels on that rod but the ltx  makes a major difference. Other reels used are a team lews light and a bps carbon lite on this rod.  I throw 1/8 and some lighter just as far on this as my ml spinning rod.  Last year  I used it trout fishing as my arm was giving out on my spinning set.  I was somewhat apprehensive on the purchase of this reel but it made a difference in casting lower weight projectiles   On most of my reels the brakes are set quite low but on this start very high and back off.  I use eight lbs coply line.  The spool is very shallow so small line and small amounts.

[0119]

26 minutes ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? 

I for one don't see spinning gear as long term equipment. My casting reels are heirloom quality that I will hand down to my grandkid. I find spinning gear uncomfortable to use, hate the twist and won't use braids. 

[new2BC4bass]

I don't know much about the newer reels.  The Daiwa SS Air casts down to 1/16 oz.  Possibly the Curado 70 may be similar to the Daiwa SV105 in its ability to cast a wide range of lures well from about 1/8 oz.

Now if you don't mind used there are several other options.  Any Pixy or PX Type R or TD-Z 105H will do 1/8 oz. in the right hands...which so far aren't mine although I can do well with a 1/8 oz. spinnerbait on my PXL and #5 Shad Raps on all of them.  Any 50 size Shimano.   My older gold colored Carbonlites throw 3/16 oz. Shad Raps quite well.  An older Prolite should do 1/8 oz.

I have also thrown 3/16 oz. crankbaits with my Helios Air and did it on a rod rated from 3/8 - 3/4 oz. and lots of thumb.  That unmentionable company is said to do quite well with lighter baits.  Just not sure how light.  Love my Primmus, but haven't tried anything that light with it yet, but feel it probably will do at least down to 3/16 oz.  It is such a nice casting reel.  I honestly think my old Black Max 1600C will do 3/16 oz.

I think a lot of reels will handle 3/16 oz.  It is when you go to 1/8 oz. that the reel becomes more critical.

[Fishin' Fool]

2 hours ago, 0119 said:

I for one don't see spinning gear as long term equipment. My casting reels are heirloom quality that I will hand down to my grandkid. I find spinning gear uncomfortable to use, hate the twist and won't use braids. 

Interesting to hear your perspective. I've been fishing spinning gear my whole life so casting gear is clumsy to me. When I was fishing alot I could be 50 feet off the edges of the lilly pads and put a cast within inches of the pads. I'd almost always know when to expect a bite. I guess up north with the clearer water long casts reign supreme.

[Jeff H]

I have Daiwa Alphas Type F, Daiwa Presso, Daiwa TD-Z 105H, ABU Garcia LTX and the old original finesse ultra light Daiwa Procaster Mini PM100 that I've used for finesse duty.  All these reels have some level of upgrades done to them, I think all have ceramic hybrid spool bearings, either abec 5 or 7.

Which one is best performer?  Honestly....in my own opinion, even though I'm a Daiwa guy, that LTX impresses me most so far.  That old Procaster is incredible.  Very close to being casting champ of the group if I could just control that spool a little better.

I don't like to give this reel any credit (because I don't think it's built to last) but the Pinnacle Producer LTE I have is doing a pretty darn good job of throwing light stuff with 6 lb mono on it.  Not true 1/8 oz, but I was throwing 1/16 and 1/8 oz wacky jig w/4" finesse worms a respectable distance with a M/F rod.

While all this is fun, if you can stand to use spinning gear it will ALWAYS be the cheaper and just as effective route.  I have more money tied up into this "fun" venture than I like to admit.  It's fun and addicting and then it gets quite expensive.  If you have the slush funds, I recommend it, if you don't....back away now!

 

 

[rippin-lips]

1 hour ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? I'm from SE Michigan and I've really resisted adding casting rods to my arsenal for the longest time. I finally did but those will be my crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait, chatterbait rods. I couldn't imagine wanting to throw senkos or small finesse crankbaits on baitcast gear. For the size fish we have up north I don't think it makes sense.

A 5" senko weighs 3/8oz without a hook. Plenty heavy for a medium casting rod. Now a 3" senko you'd wanna have a light or possibly medium light rod. Finesse tackle on light line and light rods is just more fun. I don't touch a spinning rod unless I'm using a drop shot. I avoid that technique if I can so I don't have to use it. 

2 hours ago, Further North said:

I'm in NW WI, so no baby tarpon...I'd probably go to a light braid rather than a low breaking strength mono or fluoro...something like a 10 lb Suffix, or if the Gliss I have spooled on one of spinning reels works out, possibly that.

What I'd like to be able to throw would be light weight lures like floating Rapalas, Ned rigs, weightless plastics, maybe drop shot (if I can get passed being bored).  I do all of this on a spinning rod now, and while that's OK, I'd like to do it on a casting rig to free up the spinning rod for other duties.

 

The lighter the spool the better it will perform with light baits. You just have to figure out what you want to throw weighs. I have a px68 on my ML rod and a tdz 103 with finesse spool on my L rod.

 

Not my catch but buzzedbait caught this the other day on a wacky senko using his ML rod and a curado 51e with yumeya finesse spool. 

[cottny27]

1 hour ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? I'm from SE Michigan and I've really resisted adding casting rods to my arsenal for the longest time. I finally did but those will be my crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait, chatterbait rods. I couldn't imagine wanting to throw senkos or small finesse crankbaits on baitcast gear. For the size fish we have up north I don't think it makes sense.

It's the new thing I guess to put 6# line on casting gear.  Senkos cast like bullets and are 3/8oz in the 5". No finesse needed for them. 

[hzzhangc]

If you can find a DIY BFS spool for tatula it will turn your current reel to a BFS machine.

[Airman4754]

I have two finesse casting rigs. I throw Senkos on a Lamiglas "Senko Special" which is an incredible rod if you can get your hands on one with whatever Browning's higest end baitcast model is with 20lb Spiderwire high-vis. 

The second is a Phenix UMBX 707ML that I use for jig rigs and I fish jig rigs all year. It has a Lew's Tourney Lite his it and I run 30lb PP.

These are fairly high end setups but nothing crazy. Use what you have for a season and make a pros & cons list at the end of the year. Then see if there is something out there that you think will improve your success. 

[Further North]

2 hours ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Just curious why do you want to finesse fish on casting rigs? I'm from SE Michigan and I've really resisted adding casting rods to my arsenal for the longest time. I finally did but those will be my crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait, chatterbait rods. I couldn't imagine wanting to throw senkos or small finesse crankbaits on baitcast gear. For the size fish we have up north I don't think it makes sense.

A few reasons:

• I like to push myself, to learn new things to get better...I'm never going to need to make a 100 foot cast with a fly rod where I fish...but I practice it anyway because it makes me better...I'm going to make myself learn to skip with a bait caster this season as well.
• I'm more accurate with a bait-caster than a spinning rod, and I feel like I have more control over the situation with one as well.
• I like to throw small in-line spinners at times and I'd like to be able to do that with more accuracy.  Putting one in a hole in some lilly pads just works sometimes...
• ...same with Rapala type lures.  I've come up against limits in what a spinning rod can do and I feel like I can do better.

...if I think of more, I'll add 'em.

2 hours ago, nickles said:

  I have a ltb ml rod and a abu ltx reel for about two years now.  I have used other reels on that rod but the ltx  makes a major difference. Other reels used are a team lews light and a bps carbon lite on this rod.  I throw 1/8 and some lighter just as far on this as my ml spinning rod.  Last year  I used it trout fishing as my arm was giving out on my spinning set.  I was somewhat apprehensive on the purchase of this reel but it made a difference in casting lower weight projectiles   On most of my reels the brakes are set quite low but on this start very high and back off.  I use eight lbs coply line.  The spool is very shallow so small line and small amounts.

Thanks.  Trout are in my picture too - though it's mostly tossing flies...but there are days I know I could get under, around, inside hard hunks of cover better with a casting rod.

[0119]

44 minutes ago, cottny27 said:

It's the new thing I guess to put 6# line on casting gear. 

I don't know Ive been doing it for 20 years with 6# and lower.  Kokonee fishermen have done it for much longer than that.  In Japan they use old Ambassadeurs to catch tiny trout in mountain streams.  I wish I had gotten a few Calcutta 50's before shimano deemed them obsolete.

[Further North]

48 minutes ago, hzzhangc said:

If you can find a DIY BFS spool for tatula it will turn your current reel to a BFS machine.

Any idea on a source?  I'd have no idea where to even start looking.

[Maico1]

3 minutes ago, Further North said:

Any idea on a source?  I'd have no idea where to even start looking.

Not sure I would go there , I saw on another site a dude had 5 of them and 2 are already coming apart at the seams....

[rippin-lips]

54 minutes ago, cottny27 said:

It's the new thing I guess to put 6# line on casting gear.  Senkos cast like bullets and are 3/8oz in the 5". No finesse needed for them. 

Not new at all. They've been doing it for years. A 5" senko is not what alot would consider finesse. Now a 3" senko or flick shake is more like it. 

[Maico1]

Take a look at the 2105 Aldebaran BFS HG Limited  and the  2016 Aldebaran BFS HG....

[Further North]

7 minutes ago, Maico1 said:

Take a look at the 2105 Aldebaran BFS HG Limited  and the 2016 Aldebaran BFS HG....here is pic of the Limited....

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k569/Maico346/image_zpsd0qhhgcf.jpeg[/IMG]

Thanks.

[HeavyTwenty]

Just curious, can people cast a 5" senko the same distance on a MF baitcaster as a MF spinner? I've always assumed with a weightless senko, the baitcaster would be 20% shorter range, but my experience with baitcasters is limited to MH and H. 

[Further North]

10 minutes ago, HeavyTwenty said:

Just curious, can people cast a 5" senko the same distance on a MF baitcaster as a MF spinner? I've always assumed with a weightless senko, the baitcaster would be 20% shorter range, but my experience with baitcasters is limited to MH and H. 

Not sure...but often I'd rather sacrifice distance to accuracy.

[Airman4754]

54 minutes ago, 0119 said:

I don't know Ive been doing it for 20 years with 6# and lower.  Kokonee fishermen have done it for much longer than that.  In Japan they use old Ambassadeurs to catch tiny trout in mountain streams.  I wish I had gotten a few Calcutta 50's before shimano deemed them obsolete.

We use 4lb on tiny vintage Ryobi V-Mag baitcasters for kokanee. They have a "V" spool that holds a tremendous amount of line for their size.