New Bait Caster

[Bassyaker319]

Hello everyone, I am a new member of this site but I have been fishing for a while. I usually only use spinning reels when fishing. I have wanted to get a bait caster for a while and this weekend I am going to buy one. I want to stay under one hundred dollars for my first one. I have been looking at the Abu Garcia Silver Max and I was wondering if it seems like a decent rod and reel combo? Also what type of line should I use? I was talking to a guy at a fishing show and he said Fluorocarbon instead of mono or braid. What is better the 6 1/2 foot rod, or the 7 foot rod? 

 

Any tips or insight would be appreciated. Thanks. Tight Lines!!

[fishnkamp]

Let's start this way.  You said you want to stay under one hundred dollars. So to start with look at a Daiwa Exceler reel. This reel sold for $99 just a few months ago now it is $70 from tackle Warehouse. They are very well made and easy to learn on.

A couple of friends and I use them for bass, stripers, and even big snakeheads.

For a rod look at a Berkley lightning shock rod. They run around $45. Some times you can find them on sale for $25.  A nice 6'6" or 7' should work. The medium moderates work real nice for spinnerbaits, crankbaits, rattle traps etc. The mh ones are better for bottom bouncing baits like jigs but a medium moderate will work for an all around use. I personally fish two  of the 6'6" medium moderates for rattle traps to catch stripers.

There are other options but these paired will work well and it will be close to $120, just over your budget.  I do not like to encourage people to buy gear that they will end up upgrading from.

 

[Bassyaker319]

2 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Let's start this way.  You said you want to stay under one hundred dollars. So to start with look at a Daiwa Exceler reel. This reel sold for $99 just a few months ago now it is $70 from tackle Warehouse. They are very well made and easy to learn on.

A couple of friends and I use them for bass, stripers, and even big snakeheads.

For a rod look at a Berkley lightning shock rod. They run around $45. Some times you can find them on sale for $25.  A nice 6'6" or 7' should work. The medium moderates work real nice for spinnerbaits, crankbaits, rattle traps etc. The mh ones are better for bottom bouncing baits like jigs but a medium moderate will work for an all around use. I personally fish two  of the 6'6" medium moderates for rattle traps to catch stripers.

There are other options but these paired will work well and it will be close to $120, just over your budget.  I do not like to encourage people to buy gear that they will end up upgrading from.

 

Thank you for your help. I want to make sure I will like a bait caster before making a huge purchase. That being said I definitely want a reliable set up. I will check out that rod and reel. Thanks again!

[fishnkamp]

The cheaper baitcasters run around $50. Some work better than others for a few more dollars the Diawa is well worth the little extra money. There is a post on here where one of our members found these rods on sale at Walmart for less than $10 on clearance.So I would check your local Wally World. 

[mllrtm79]

1 hour ago, Bassyaker319 said:

I want to make sure I will like a bait caster before making a huge purchase.

 

One thing that helped me was to use a right and a left hand retrieve back to back out on the water one afternoon. It gave me an idea of which one I found most comfortable or natural. 

 

I have a Berkley Lightning Shock 7' MH and really like it (probably will make it my topwater rod next summer), I also have one of their spinning rods (6' M). I haven't used them enough to know how the sensitivity compares to my Abu's (vendetta and vengeance) . For general work they seem to be adequate. 

 

[12poundbass]

2 hours ago, Bassyaker319 said:

Hello everyone, I am a new member of this site but I have been fishing for a while. I usually only use spinning reels when fishing. I have wanted to get a bait caster for a while and this weekend I am going to buy one. I want to stay under one hundred dollars for my first one. I have been looking at the Abu Garcia Silver Max and I was wondering if it seems like a decent rod and reel combo? Also what type of line should I use? I was talking to a guy at a fishing show and he said Fluorocarbon instead of mono or braid. What is better the 6 1/2 foot rod, or the 7 foot rod? 

 

Any tips or insight would be appreciated. Thanks. Tight Lines!!

You wouldn't be disappointed with the Abu Garcia Black Max,Silver Max, or Pro Max. I have several of each. All are under your budget and all are easy to learn on. I wish I had gotten one to learn with. I went cheaper than these and almost gave up on baitcasters. I've never personally used the Diawa but several on here have and they sound pretty nice. If you go with either of these you won't be disappointed.Fluorocarbon line would work just fine (as long as you're not using top water) braid wouldn't be bad either. Good luck and enjoy your new baitcaster.

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard, @Bassyaker319!

 

I'm going to second @fishnkamp's suggestion of the 

Daiwa Exceler. I used a Daiwa Lexa and found it to 

be a fantastic reel for beginners (sons). I have given

it to one of my boys, in fact. The Exceler is basically

the same reel save some bearings, I think, as the 

Lexa. 

 

I've used cheap combos (Bass Pro's Tourney combo)

for casting - and as a gift for another son - and it was

a disaster! Needless to say, returned to BPS!

 

So IMHO, it is hard to go wrong with an Exceler and

at $70, a steal.

[Yudo1]

My advice is to buy a quality, aluminum reel.  You can get a daiwa tatula ct for under $100.  If you're used to spinning reels with a left hand retrieve then get a lefty bait caster. 

[Bassyaker319]

Thanks @Darren.!! I have viewed dozens of articles on this site and I figured it was time to join. I am definitely going to check that reel out.

[A-Jay]

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

 

Whatever reel you choose - There is a learning curve to using revolving spool gear. 

During the process some line may be sacrificed. 

MONO may be a better choice during the "I'm learning to cast" phase, just because it's less expensive. 15lb Trilene Big Game is a decent choice here.  Once you've got a handle on that, re-spooling with something else may not be entirely necessary  but is certainly an option.

 

Besides all the info offered by the BR Forums, the Articles section can be just as useful ~ Here's one of many.

https://www.bassresource.com/beginner/how-to-use-baitcaster.html

 

Good Luck

A-Jay 

 

 

[lmbfisherman]

13 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

You wouldn't be disappointed with the Abu Garcia Black Max,Silver Max, or Pro Max. I have several of each. All are under your budget and all are easy to learn on. I wish I had gotten one to learn with. I went cheaper than these and almost gave up on baitcasters. I've never personally used the Diawa but several on here have and they sound pretty nice. If you go with either of these you won't be disappointed.Fluorocarbon line would work just fine (as long as you're not using top water) braid wouldn't be bad either. Good luck and enjoy your new baitcaster.

12poundbass is right, don't go cheaper or go with anything that isn't mainstream.  Like I mean don't go buy a reel made by X manufacturer that goes with a 49 dollar combo.  I did this and it put me off on baitcasters for years.  I gave it a shot again but using a bit higher end, it was night and day.  Don't go to cheap on the reel! 

 

I would also start off with mono, not floro or braid.  Go buy a big spool of Big Game, so when you back lash you don't lose out on the expensive line! If you do go floro, do not cheapen out on that either. 

[12poundbass]

Tip: read the instructions or watch videos on how to best set it up (brake/tension) 

Tip: take a 1/4 3/8oz jig or weight and practice in your yard, by spring you'll be good to go, that's what I did anyways. Worked for me.

[Bassyaker319]

@A-Jay Thanks for the advice. I am a little nervous with trying a caster but I hope that it will make me a better fisherman!   

[12poundbass]

1 minute ago, lmbfisherman said:

12poundbass is right, don't go cheaper or go with anything that isn't mainstream.  Like I mean don't go buy a reel made by X manufacturer that goes with a 49 dollar combo.  I did this and it put me off on baitcasters for years.  I gave it a shot again but using a bit higher end, it was night and day.  Don't go to cheap on the reel! 

 

I would also start off with mono, not floro or braid.  Go buy a big spool of Big Game, so when you back lash you don't lose out on the expensive line! If you do go floro, do not cheapen out on that either. 

Rhino was my first caster, $30 I think. Biggest piece of junk I ever bought! Lol

[mllrtm79]

being local to me, if you want to check out before you buy i can throw some mono onto one of my black max's (LH) or my Quantum Burner(RH). Both are lower end reels, but would give you an idea, it wouldn't cost anything but time really... I am pulling one of the two off of a 7' vendetta this weekend, just about time to re-spool for the season anyway. 

PM me if you want to, we can set something up. 

Edited February 1, 2017 by mllrtm79
forgot which reel I was talking about

[Bassyaker319]

4 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Rhino was my first caster, $30 I think. Biggest piece of junk I ever bought! Lol

Yeah I almost bought a used reel but I didn't want to buy a trashy reel. I figured it would turn me off of casters forever haha.

[12poundbass]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

 

Whatever reel you choose - There is a learning curve to using revolving spool gear. 

During the process some line may be sacrificed. 

MONO may be a better choice during the "I'm learning to cast" phase, just because it's less expensive. 15lb Trilene Big Game is a decent choice here.  Once you've got a handle on that, re-spooling with something else may not be entirely necessary  but is certainly an option.

 

Besides all the info offered by the BR Forums, the Articles section can be just as useful ~ Here's one of many.

http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/how-to-use-baitcaster.html

 

Good Luck

A-Jay 

 

 

Good call A-Jay with the mono didn't think about losing line to backlash. Which reminds me I have a giant backlash I have to cut out sometime before the ice melts. Thanks for the reminder!

2 minutes ago, Bassyaker319 said:

Yeah I almost bought a used reel but I didn't want to buy a trashy reel. I figured it would turn me off of casters forever haha.

That thing almost turned me off to them. Now I rarely ever use spinning gear. Thinking about finesse fishing this year so I just might use spinning gear again. I need to find some patience first.

[WTnPuddleJumper]

there is nothing wrong with a Silver Max,  I have been using them for years and for the money you cant beat em.  I have had some that has lasted me 3 years.  I fish a lot, a whole lot, and I am rough on tackle.  Ive tried the more expensive options  but the long term results were close to the same.  I use 65# braid on my chatterbait and jig rods and 17 # mono on the rest of them.  As far as rod length it depends on what is comfortable for you.  6'6" are good for a broad range of baits and probably a good length for the beginner.  Academy Sports usually has some good deals on rods.  They have a allstar reg priced for $49 and will on sale it for $29.  Its actually a good solid rod.  Hope this helps

[new2BC4bass]

Like a couple have already mentioned..................DO NOT learn using fluorocarbon.  It will break easy where it gets kinked from a backlash........and you will backlash while learning.

[roadwarrior]

 

[fishnkamp]

If you want a nicer rod, I have a perfectly good St Croix Premier 6' medium action rod for sale. The rod new sells for $140.  I would sell it to you for $50.

 I also have a Bass Pro Shops Tourney Special that is almost mint, That rod is a 6'6" MH fast action rod.  They sold for around $100. I would sell that for $25. I was taking them, along with a few others, to the Middle River Bass flea market in March.  If either one meets your needs I would be happy to work out a meeting spot.  Maybe somewhere like Kent Narrows or Denton. Or even Bass Pro in Baltimore, depending on your availability.  I will bring along a few reels for you to play with to get an idea what you may want to match it up with.

[MDbassin]

If it's your first casting setup head up the road to Cabelas and look at there combos they have. I was there 2 nights ago and they have the black max, silver max, and pro max combos up there.

 

I was in the same situation as you a couple years ago and I bought the lews laser combo for $80 cause I fished all spinning gear and wanted to try baitcasters and now I hardly touch my spinning gear unless I have to. Even the budget lews rods and reels aren't bad for the newcomer 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Generally speaking I'm not a fan of the combos. You're usually paying for one halfway decent component with some cheap give away attached. Not always but often enough. The exceller or maybe one of the new kastking reels matched to a lightning shock as suggested. Learn on a soft mono like trilene xl

[MDbassin]

On 2/1/2017 at 0:24 PM, Bassyaker319 said:

 Also what type of line should I use? I was talking to a guy at a fishing show and he said Fluorocarbon instead of mono or braid. What is better the 6 1/2 foot rod, or the 7 foot rod? 

 

Any tips or insight would be appreciated. Thanks. Tight Lines!!

I assume you also fish at unicorn? I use straight braid at unicorn and have success 

 

your mono and flouro will get memory making it easier to get a backlash with the braid if you get a backlash and the line suddenly stops mid cast you have a much smaller chance of a break off and losing whatever nice shiny expensive lure you have tied on the other end

 

As stated before you will get a backlash but don't get discouraged there are plenty of videos to show how to deal with a backlash it's not as bad as the nightmare some people make it out to be.

 

Fishing with a baitcaster better IMO since while I fish I can keep my pointer finger on my non reeling hand on the line while I work the bait and it helps me detect every little bite, rock, twig, etc. can't do that with spinning gear.

 

as for length the 7ft will work just fine unless your a bank angler and have low trees over head

[Jon Morris]

Abu Garcia blackmax.

 

Nuff said if you're dipping your toes into the baitcasting world.

 

You can get a rod/reel combo from Walmart for under $60.

 

If you decide you like baitcasters then move up from there, at least then you'll have a backup reel for either another pole or in case your upgraded on breaks.

 

As long as you're not pulling 15lb bass out of the thickest vegetation there's nothing that you can't do with this reel and honestly I would consider it stupid to spend any more without knowing if baitcasters are for you.

 

My buddy who actually got me into bass fishing is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced anglers I know and he won't touch a baitcaster........Me? I picked up my first blackmax combo and haven't thrown a spinning rod since.

 

So spend the >$60 for both rod/reel instead of investing $90 on the reel and $50-70 more dollars on the rod of a setup you may use one day and decide that you never want to touch it again.