Spincast Rod and Reel Pairing

[ruchjw]

I'm very new to bass fishing and have been getting by using a cheap Zebco baitcasting rod and reel combo. I like the baitcasters and will likely be purchasing an Abu Garcia Sliver Max combo in the near future. However, I've decided to make my first major purchase a spincast set up. I have some Amazon gift cards that I've saved and am looking to use. Thus, I'm limited to what I can purchase on Amazon. 

I've been looking to pair a good rod and reel. I've settled on an Ugly Stik GX2 and an Abu Garcia Cardinal S60, but am open to changing my mind so long as I can stay in the $50-$90 price range. Here is my question - how do I know this will be a good pairing? Can any spincast reel be paired with any spincast rod? I imagine that there are some good and bad matches/pairings. Unfortunately, because I'm ordering from Amazon, I can't really try it out before deciding to purchase. 

Any help is much appreciated. Does anyone have any experience with this specific set up? 

[IndianaFinesse]

I would recommend getting a spinning set up instead, they will cast much farther, have faster gear ratios, and have a smoother drag.

[CenCal fisher]

Don't get a spin cast ree, they are easy to use for young children but that is the only thing they have going for them. A spinning rod and reel will last you longer than a spin cast. 

 

The gx2 is a decent cheap spinning rod. I have a Shakespeare agility spinning rod as my truck rod and like it for the price. It's a little cheaper than the gx2 and I think it has the best handle out of any $25 rod. Get a medium light or medium fast rod in the 6 to 7 foot range. 

 

use the remainder of your budget on a reel . Get either a 2500 size shimano Sedona or a size 30 or 35 pflueger president. Both of these reels will last you a few years if you performe occasional service. Cheap reels annoy me more than cheap rods so try to spend the majority of your budget on a reel. 

[frosty]

As a guy that used a spincast a lot for a few years, I'll go along with everyone else and say to skip on the spincast. I have a Pflueger setup that my beautiful bride uses when she goes with me, but my Pflueger president LE spinning reel puts it to shame with casting distance and smoothness. My old, cheap quantum baitcaster will make them both look bad if I do my part 

[fishnkamp]

CenCal fisher gave you some good advice. Boy my wife and I fish 7 Pflueger Presidents.  Some of these are 10 years old and we still use them every time out.  I would say a 30 series President will handle most of your needs. Dicks has a rebate on them so they cost $59 but will end up only costing $49 after the rebate.  Now look at a Berkley Lightning Shock rod from either Walmart (sometimes you can catch the 6 foot 6 inch medium rod on sale) or from places like Tackle Warehouse for $49.  Now my wife actually fishes that exact rod combo for bass and stripers.  It throws and handles lots of baits but it handles crankbaits and rattle traps really well. She has hooked and landed some nice rockfish on that rod. At least you will not be buying a "cheap combo" that you will upgrade from later.

[ruchjw]

Thanks everyone. Like I said, I'm new...and didn't know the difference between a spincast and a spinning model. 

That said - what do you all think of the Abu Garcia Cardinal S60 spinning reel? It's gotten pretty good reviews, is about $35 (which fits nicely with my budget), and seems like a good beginner reel. 

My main question has to do with matching a reel to a rod. Is there a way to tell whether or not it will be a good match? Again, I'm likely ordering off of Amazon because of my gift cards...so I can't be sure that they'll be "compatible," can I?

I'm very much considering the Pflueger President spinning reel. Would 145yd - 6lb test be a good size option? 

[wnspain]

24 minutes ago, ruchjw said:

I'm very much considering the Pflueger President spinning reel. Would 145yd - 6lb test be a good size option? 

The 145yd - 6lb test is model 6930. It's a great option and so is the 6935. The President is 3x the reel of a Cardinal IMO. I believe it's the best value in a spinning reel...bar none! Even better if you can find it on sale. This spring WM had them on sale for $45.

[ruchjw]

1 minute ago, wnspain said:

The 145yd - 6lb test is model 6930. It's a great option and so is the 6935. The President is 3x the reel of a Cardinal IMO. I believe it's the best value in a spinning reel...bar none! Even better if you can find it on sale. This spring WM had them on sale for $45.

Thanks! It's on Amazon for $50 with free shipping. That, coupled with the Ugly Stik GX2 brings my total to $88 - definitely in my budget! Do you think those two will fit nicely together? Is there a way to tell? 

[IndianaFinesse]

6 minutes ago, ruchjw said:

Thanks! It's on Amazon for $50 with free shipping. That, coupled with the Ugly Stik GX2 brings my total to $88 - definitely in my budget! Do you think those two will fit nicely together? Is there a way to tell? 

I would also highly recommend the pfluegar president, I have used the cardinal before but it's not that great.  My cardinal only lasted one year and the drag was kind of jerky, compared to my presidents which have the drag of a 100 dollar reel and have been under heavy use and abuse for six years and counting of fishing almost daily.  

Most rod and reels will work when paired up, the president and gx2 included.  I would recommend also considering the Berkley lightning rod, it is a very good budget rod for the money.  Another thing you could do is if you can wait a little while, around November fishing factory outlet starts getting all of this year's rod models in and sells them at 40% or more off.  Last year I picked up a villain for fifty bucks instead of the retail price of two hundred, simply because it was last year's model!

[wnspain]

Haven't had an Ugly in my hands since my catfishing days as an adolescent. I have no idea if the combo will balance well but usually you should decide on your rod, then match the reel to the rod. Proper balance should be placing the stem of the reel between your ring and little finger or your ring and middle finger (whichever you prefer) and then letting go of the grip to see if it balances properly for the position that your index finger rests. Adjust accordingly, rod tip raises, get a lighter reel. Rod tip lowers, get a heavier reel. Some have other methods but I read this in a book many moons ago and it has served me well. 

[fishnkamp]

https://www.amazon.com/Berkley-Lightning-Casting-6-Feet-0-Inch/dp/B001RDOBQI/ref=sr_1_1?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1470275473&sr=1-1&keywords=Berkley+lightning+Shock+rod

Here is the Berkley I told you about. This is one of my wife's exact setups, this rod along with a Pflueger President model 6935. That is the next size above the reel you asked about. The setup balances beautifully with a 6930x  or  a 6935x. We preferred it with the 35 ( By the way we own 25,30, 35  and 40 series models on different rods).  Personally I like that rod in a 6'6 inch medium, the 6935 President reel, and I have it spooled with 1/2 a spool of good quality  but inexpensive mono as backing, then fill the rest of the spool with Berkley FireLine original  or FireLine fused original and I like it in a green ( almost hi vis yellow) 14 pound test. Its diameter is almost the same as most 6 pound test monofilament line. If I am fishing really clear water i add a 3 to 6 foot leader of copolymer or fluorocarbon line. That is exactly how Linda's rig is sitting here in our rod rack. Currently it has a plastic texas rigged worm and a 3/8 ounce worm weight.

[ruchjw]

Thanks so much, fishnkamp. Very, very helpful. You've got me sold on the Pflueger President. The Berkley rod and Pflueger reel bring me up to $105, which is a bit more than I'd like to spend (not saying it is out of the question).

What do you think of this outfit?

https://www.amazon.com/Pflueger-President-Medium-Spinning-6-Feet/dp/B005Q4YTWA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1470318215&sr=8-6&keywords=pflueger+president+6935

I know I'd be sacrificing for the rod, but this doesn't look half bad. However, spending an extra $25 for the Berkley rod as opposed to the one combined in the outfit pasted above doesn't seem so bad. Would love your honest opinion. 

 

[IndianaFinesse]

2 hours ago, ruchjw said:

Thanks so much, fishnkamp. Very, very helpful. You've got me sold on the Pflueger President. The Berkley rod and Pflueger reel bring me up to $105, which is a bit more than I'd like to spend (not saying it is out of the question).

What do you think of this outfit?

https://www.amazon.com/Pflueger-President-Medium-Spinning-6-Feet/dp/B005Q4YTWA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1470318215&sr=8-6&keywords=pflueger+president+6935

I know I'd be sacrificing for the rod, but this doesn't look half bad. However, spending an extra $25 for the Berkley rod as opposed to the one combined in the outfit pasted above doesn't seem so bad. Would love your honest opinion. 

 

I know that it's not from Amazon, but fishing factory outlet has the 7' medium power, fast action Berkley lightning rod for only eighteen dollars right now.

[buzzed bait]

my honest opinion is the berkley lightning shock rod and the pflueger president are as good as you're going to do in that price range, no doubt about it.  that rod and reel will last you a LONG TIME and catch any bass that's swimming in your waters!

[fishnkamp]

I had never seen that rod before. It is a quality IM8 rod that is not sold separately.  The rod I would get is the 6'6" model, it is a one piece rod rated as a medium with a fast tip very similar to the Lightning Shock. It is rated for  1/8 to 5/8 ounce lures and 6 to 12 pound line. I like the handle and reel seat, they should be very comfortable. It also has a hook keeper which is a nice extra . It get really good reviews so I would jump on it. To order the six foot six model just select it in the drop  down box labeled size and choose 6 foot 6. That will come with a 6935 reel. If you want the lighter combo the 6 foot rod is also a medium with the same specs so it should work well also. However it will be a bit lighter due to the reel it comes with is the 6930., The choice is a personal one.  Either way I would set the reel up the same way a cheap spool of mono til the spool was 1/2 full. Then add your favorite braid or fluorocarbon, and I would add a 3 to 6 foot leader. For all around fishing I really like 14 pound test Berkley FireLine (which is the diameter of about 6 pound mono) That fused line casts like mono but never creates the birds nest or coiling that other lines can do.

[ruchjw]

2 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

...I would set the reel up the same way a cheap spool of mono til the spool was 1/2 full. Then add your favorite braid or fluorocarbon, and I would add a 3 to 6 foot leader. For all around fishing I really like 14 pound test Berkley FireLine (which is the diameter of about 6 pound mono) That fused line casts like mono but never creates the birds nest or coiling that other lines can do.

Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and purchased the Pflueger combo. I'm so excited and can't wait for it to arrive. 

I know you addressed line above. Just so I'm understanding correctly - I should purchase some cheap mono and put that on first (from what I can gather, this is so that the braid doesn't slip on the spool). Then add my favorite braid or fluorocarbon. This is where I need a little direction. Since I just started, I don't really have a favorite. I'm also not very knowledgeable on what lb test to use and why. I'm going to "add" one line to another by using a double uni knot, right? Any help/direction you all can give me with regards to what kind of line to use and why will be much appreciated. I plan to use this rod for finesse style fishing - drop shot, mojo, etc. 

[fishnkamp]

Okay today's fluorocarbon and braids are expensive. Also braid can slip on the spool and its diameter is much smaller than equivalent monos.  Now there are all kinds of braids out there and not all of them play the same.  In the past I always used monofilament or copolymer lines( a fancier line that plays like mono) on the spinning reels my wife and I use. My wife experienced more trouble with line coils coming off and causing trouble.  I would usually spend a few minutes to fix them  Eventually I tried different lines and settled on Berkley FireLine original and FireLine Fused Original (both are basically the same line)  Since I switched us, that problem is gone. Also always close the bail by hand never by turning the reel handle. That avoids the twist in your line which exasperates the coil problem. So we do not choose the thin diameter braid by its test strength as much as by diameter. I like the way 14 pound test FireLine plays on a spinning reel. It is the same diameter as 6 pound mono which means a 30 series reel would take way too much braid to fill economically. Keep in mind between my wife and I we own about 30 rods and reels.  So I bought 1 spool of Bass Pro Excel mono in 14 pound test to use as backing. I  got 1200 yards for $10.00 and it lasted for about 11 years as we built up our arsenal. You do not need to get that much. A 300 yard spool of Tourney Tough, Cajun Red or Stren Original in 14 pound test will fill several reels with backing for less than $8 and you can use the rest for making leaders.  That explains the why,  Now the how, Look up the Arbor Knot on youtube. Tie the mono onto the reel using a good tight arbor knot.  Then wind on about 1/2 the spool. Next using a uni to uni knot (also available on youtube) wind on the FireLine. Make sure you stop about 1/8 of an inch from the end of the spool. Never over fill the spool. One of the main differences with FireLine compared to regular type braids is it acts like mono, it is a single strand like mono rather than a group of lines spun together. So it ties a strong holding knot when tied onto a lure directly. Certain types of lures I  do not even use a leader, like rattle traps and even spinnerbaits. If i am in gin clear water then yes I always use a 6 to 10 pound leader.  The same uni to uni knot works fine to add the leader. I like the trilene knot and the Palomar knot for tying on lures. The other benefit for setting the lines up like this is you purchased one 300 yard spool of mono for less than $8 and your FireLine will run about $14 for a 125 yard spool of 14 pound line.  For about $22 you will be able to fill at least 2 or 3 reels and that is how I make my money stretch. Also if you ever have a major catastrophe you only need to change out 1/2 a spool of braid. I also like the fact this line does not deteriorate much at all. I still have some FireLine on some of my reels that is over 5 years old. It works and feel as good as ever and they get a work out each year during bass and striper seasons. We fish the tidal Chesapeake Bay here and big deep and clear Tennessee lakes on vacation.  We fish all types of rivers, tidal water, and deep clear lakes.  I hope i won't bore you but to give you just a little taste, my wife and I were on Dale Hollow Lake this past April fishing for bass. The first picture is one of the 5 to 7  pound bass we caught. The next picture is of a 6 and a half pound catfish my wife hooked and landed using a 6 foot G Loomis light action GL2 spin jig series spinning rod. Now this rod rates for 1/16 to 5/16 lures. We were fishing a 1/10 ounce Ned Rig mushroom head jig with a TRD Ned rig body (think of a 2.5 inch piece of a Senko worm on it). We were fishing for big smallies holding tight to a 30 foot steep rock bluff wall. While retrieving the lure back to the boat this cat ate it. It took her 15  minutes to land it with that soft rod.. The reel was a Pflueger 6930 with the exact line combo and a 3 foot long leader made of P Line Cxx 8 pound line.  I know I have never laughed as hard as watching this cat run her from the front to back deck multiple times. As soon as she hooked the fish I knew what she had because I saw a school of big fish on the depth finder and they were all hanging tight to the bottom, the bass had been suspended about 15 feet down. I loosened up her drag and sat down behind the console and watched her masterfully fight the fish, while laughing my tail off. I was really proud of her,  She has learned really well, over the years, how to properly fight and another site. In fact both of these two fish were caught on G  Loomis 6 foot Light action spinning rods, hers a GL2 and mine a IMX with the same exact reel and line combo. One last suggestion, years ago I purchased a Berkley Line Spool Station and it makes it so easy to respool a reel. Just remember to spool off the top of the spool of line for baitcasters and off the bottom of the spool wnen spooling spinning reels.It is the best $20 you can spend.

 

 

 

[ruchjw]

Thanks for the detailed advice! I greatly appreciate it!