Rod and Reel advice

[Traumabrew]

I am getting back into fishing after many many years away from it. I have read many of the forum articles and other websites regarding suggestions and reviews, but I am still unsure and confused. For now, I am going to be fishing from the bank using a variety of baits, but will be mostly using top water. I want to get a nice, quality rod and reel. My experience on buying rod and reel "combos" is that they are not usually the best bet. I would like to spend about 150 on the rod and 150 on the reel. Looking for a general purpose baitcaster. I love St Croix, Orvis and Loomis fly rods but am not sure of their non fly rods.

 

Thanks

[Beetlebz]

150 bucks opens you up to alot of options. For 150 you can get into dobyns rods, fenwick rods, favorite rods... I've been a fan of the favorites but for that money you can get into dobyns fury or if you shop around, Sierra rods. A buddy had a dobyns sierra 7' MH/F that I loved. 

 

For reels the shimano citica, tatula ct.. my newest tatula SV was 160.

[new2BC4bass]

St. Croix Mojo Bass and Daiwa Tatula SV.  Will need to shop ebay to get the SV for $150 or less.

[WRB]

Baitcasting or spinning?

Tom

[Log Catcher]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Since you love St. Croix, you could pull a Premier 

in the $150 range, and the suggestion of the 

Daiwa Tatula CT or a used Chronarch (flea mkt)

would fit the bill.

[Traumabrew]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I am looking for a baitcaster reel as I have read they are the most versatile. I can only afford a single set up currently and looking for a multipurpose rod and reel, not too technique specific. I was looking into a Dobyns fury 7' MHF rod paired to a Daiwa Tatula CT reel. For 20 dollars more, is the Tatula 100HL better?

 

Thanks

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/dobyns-fr-703c-fury-series-baitcasting-rod-7-ft.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tact100h-tatula-ct-baitcasting-reel.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tatula-100hl-tatula-baitcasting-reel.html

[optimator]

17 minutes ago, Traumabrew said:

Thanks for the advice.

 

I am looking for a baitcaster reel as I have read they are the most versatile. I can only afford a single set up currently and looking for a multipurpose rod and reel, not too technique specific. I was looking into a Dobyns fury 7' MHF rod paired to a Daiwa Tatula CT reel. For 20 dollars more, is the Tatula 100HL better?

 

Thanks

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/dobyns-fr-703c-fury-series-baitcasting-rod-7-ft.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tact100h-tatula-ct-baitcasting-reel.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tatula-100hl-tatula-baitcasting-reel.html

For less money the Fuego CT is a better reel than the Tatula.

[Beetlebz]

I believe the difference between the 100H and 100HL is the HL is lefty if I'm not mistaken... both are 6.3:1 retrieve. 

 

Sadly I haven't actually had my hands on a fuego, but i might need to make that happen for the sake of comparisons. I do have the Tatula SV, its a nice reel. I'm still getting used to the magforce Z brakes but it casts almost thumb free.

 

I don't know if I'm in a place yet where I can say I prefer daiwa over shimano, though. There's a ton of options in your price range. If you stick to a big name in baitcasters, say dawia and shimano, its pretty hard to go wrong in the price bracket. In shimano you have the casitas and the citica. In daiwa you have the fuego, tatula and tatula SV. Any of them will serve you well. I lean towards the tatula SV only because it casts light lures better and the brakes are simpler for your multi use purposes.  

 

I'd recommend all of them, the fuego only by reputation. If I were picking one for me, personally, it would be the casitas or citica. I do love me some svs brakes even if they're not as fast to dial in.

[RPreeb]

15 hours ago, optimator said:

For less money the Fuego CT is a better reel than the Tatula.

How so?  I don't think that I've ever heard anyone make that statement before.  I have two CT 100's (6.3:1 and 8.1:1), and both are great reels.  The Fuego is rated lower in just about every review I've ever read.

[optimator]

I owned both. I knew the SV was designed for lighter baits. But I didn't think it wouldn't cast heavy baits very well either. If I need to cast light baits I'll use spinning gear, problem solved. The Fuego casts a mile, is really smooth, and doesn't have that T wing crap. I still prefer my Curado over the Fuego. But if I needed a cheaper reel I'd buy another Fuego in a heartbeat. The T wing gimmick is a deal breaker for me and the Tatula series. I know this opinion gets a few here really pissy, but the t wing really accomplishes nothing.

[haggard]

23 hours ago, Traumabrew said:

I am getting back into fishing after many many years away from it. I have read many of the forum articles and other websites regarding suggestions and reviews, but I am still unsure and confused. For now, I am going to be fishing from the bank using a variety of baits, but will be mostly using top water. I want to get a nice, quality rod and reel. My experience on buying rod and reel "combos" is that they are not usually the best bet. I would like to spend about 150 on the rod and 150 on the reel. Looking for a general purpose baitcaster. I love St Croix, Orvis and Loomis fly rods but am not sure of their non fly rods.

 

Thanks

General purpose baitcaster, assuming you're biased towards bass as I'd recommend something else if you're targeting smaller panfish, trout.

 

St. Croix PC66MF, wide lure range of 1/4 to 3/4 oz, $120 which leaves you $180 for the reel, so make it a Curado 70/71 (just spend the extra $20).

 

[BillNye]

I think you can get an abu garcia revo stx from last year still for 99 dollars.  I have this reel and I like that it has both magentic brakes and centrifugal brakes.  Because of this you can cast lighter plastics and heavier baits more eadily by just adjusting the brakes which will come in handy if you only have set up. 

[Angry John]

Why not look used?  Gear that's not beat up can be found all over the for sale section.  Shipping on rods will hurt so finding them local or a package deal from a local guy.

[new2BC4bass]

On 4/29/2018 at 1:44 AM, Traumabrew said:

Thanks for the advice.

 

I am looking for a baitcaster reel as I have read they are the most versatile. I can only afford a single set up currently and looking for a multipurpose rod and reel, not too technique specific. I was looking into a Dobyns fury 7' MHF rod paired to a Daiwa Tatula CT reel. For 20 dollars more, is the Tatula 100HL better?

 

Thanks

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/dobyns-fr-703c-fury-series-baitcasting-rod-7-ft.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tact100h-tatula-ct-baitcasting-reel.html

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-tatula-100hl-tatula-baitcasting-reel.html

They are basically the same reel....so I have read.  I've used the Tatula and still have a couple Type Rs.  The Tatula was the original model.  Some complained it was a bit too big for them.  The CT is the newer, smaller version.  Personally I have no problem with reels of the original Tatula size.  You probably need small hands for the original to be too big.  Or else enamored with small reels...which a lot of people are.

[J.Vincent]

Abu Garcia Veritas $100 and Abu Garcia Revo X $100 put the remaining $100 in the bank. Or Shimano Curado K $159 and St Croix Mojo $130  should put you at your budget. Both of these options are very good !

[tim_kovar]

Since you like Dobyns I would search eBay or the forums for a used Dobyns Champion 734.  You can find them around the $150 mark.  For a reel I would go with a Shimano Curado K.  You can find them on eBay for about $140 new.

[Gilly Gals]

17 hours ago, haggard said:

General purpose baitcaster, assuming you're biased towards bass as I'd recommend something else if you're targeting smaller panfish, trout.

 

St. Croix PC66MF, wide lure range of 1/4 to 3/4 oz, $120 which leaves you $180 for the reel, so make it a Curado 70/71 (just spend the extra $20).

 

i second this or stay in the 150 and buy a curado K off ebay, if you buy one today use the code PREP4SUMMER and get one for 120