Best baitcast combo setup for Carpal Tunnel

[STREAMHAWAII]

So I've been bass fishing for only about 5 months now. I love to drop shot and do a whole lot of finessing. The problem is that I cannot hold a spinner rod anymore due to carpal tunnel syndrome. When I use my baitcast, I have less pain. I cast with the right and then I put my whole right hand over the top of the baitcast reel and start cranking with my left hand. I know, pretty eccentric but feels more doable. Tolerable. 

 

I guess I would want to use a baitcast for finesse fishing INSTEAD of a spinner is what I'm asking. So if anyone can help me, maybe in that same situation, what would be the best baitcast combo for finesse fishing? The reel speed/ratio, style of rod and recommended fluorocarbon. I already have a baitcast combo for power fishing.

 

Thanks in advance.

[optimator]

Why not fix the problem instead of working around the symptoms?

[STREAMHAWAII]

1 minute ago, optimator said:

Why not fix the problem instead of working around the symptoms?

Good question!

[CroakHunter]

A new combo is much cheaper than carpal tunnel. I'd suggest a daiwa tat sv or curado 70 for the reel. 

[DomQ]

I feel your pain buddy, I've got it in both wrists and TOS in both shoulders as well. Frogging feels like a challenge now and it sucks so much... 

[Jig Man]

This isn't about a set up for fishing.  It is about carpal tunnel syndrome.  I had it in both wrists so bad I had to wear braces to fish and alternate right and left hand casting every few minutes in order to fish at all.  My doctor put me on NSAIDS which helped.  I finally had to have surgery to fix my right wrist.  My left was getting worse and I was thinking about surgery on it but then I had a blood clot in my brain which caused me time in the hospital and considerable rehab time.

 

The first thing they did in the hospital is take away my NSAIDS and told me to quit taking them due to kidney or liver damage down the road.  They also said I needed to give up alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and wheat in order to help prevent another stroke.   I thought the wheat thing was insane but I don't want to go through this again so I quit all of them.

 

After about a month I noticed I was having less symptoms in my left wrist.  It has now been 2 years since I have had any wheat products and I still do not have carpal tunnel in my left wrist.  It might be worth 30 days of your time to get off wheat and see if it helps your situation.

[Deleted account]

39 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

They also said I needed to give up alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and wheat 

No rum, coffee, Cohibas or Pizza? Just give me one of those corrugated hoses for my tailpipe.

[new2BC4bass]

Hopefully you've got a lot of money to spend on this combo.  I assume lighter is better.  Light cost money.  An Aldebaran 50 ($420) weighs 4.7 oz.  A Steez SV ($500) weighs 5.5 oz.  A Revo MGX ($370) weighs 5.0 oz.  A 2017 Shimano Scorpion ($268) weighs 6 oz.  I would check the used market for a Pixy.  Weight about 5.8 oz.  Prices are much better on them now than a few years ago.  There are other options, but the reels will weigh more.  There is a $60 Chinese reel that was mentioned recently in a thread that the poster was impressed by.  No idea of its specs.

 

Review I read of the new Phenix Feather had it weighing less than 3 oz.  Probably not going to get lighter than that from a factory rod.  I know nothing of JDM rods, but there should be quite a few that would work for you.

[J Francho]

5 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

There is a $60 Chinese reel that was mentioned recently in a thread that the poster was impressed by.  No idea of its specs.

Kastking Assassin weighs in at 5.7 oz., though I don't think I can throw anything less than a 1/4 oz. with it.

[new2BC4bass]

The reel I am thinking of began with a "T".  Don't recall reading of a KastKing for finesse.

 

EDIT:  Tusrinoya XF50.  Slightly larger than a Pixy and slightly heavier from what I read.  Also the reviewer said it was easier to cast than a Pixy.

[NYWayfarer]

14 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Kastking Assassin weighs in at 5.7 oz., though I don't think I can throw anything less than a 1/4 oz. with it.

Doesn't @Bluebasser86 use a Spartacus with a Seaknight? spool for casting really light baits?

 

Edit: Found it, baitcasting set up for casting 1/8 oz jigs.

 

[J Francho]

33 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Doesn't @Bluebasser86 use a Spartacus with a Seaknight? spool for casting really light baits?

Forgot about that.  I haven't really tried anything light with mine, so I couldn't comment.

[NYWayfarer]

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Forgot about that.  I haven't really tried anything light with mine, so I couldn't comment.

Same here. I use mine for some heavier cranks and topwaters. The light weight of the Assassin lets me fish these heavy baits for longer without fatigue.

[STREAMHAWAII]

So if I get that assasin, changing the spool helps?

[new2BC4bass]

8 minutes ago, STREAMHAWAII said:

So if I get that assasin, changing the spool helps?

Yes.  A lighter spool will start up faster.

 

If you can find a used ProLite, you wouldn't need to invest in another spool.  ProLite was the finesse model.  I have a couple older CarbonLites (the gold model), and have no problem casting 3/16 oz. Shad Raps.  I'll be the first to admit I don't have the skill most guys on forums have.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

55 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Yes.  A lighter spool will start up faster.

 

If you can find a used ProLite, you wouldn't need to invest in another spool.  ProLite was the finesse model.  I have a couple older CarbonLites (the gold model), and have no problem casting 3/16 oz. Shad Raps.  I'll be the first to admit I don't have the skill most guys on forums have.

Or claim to have. ?

[new2BC4bass]

2 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Or claim to have. ?

Which?  The reels?  Or casting #5 Shad Raps? 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Skill 

[new2BC4bass]

4 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Skill 

Understand now.  

[LCG]

I remember seeing a video with Aaron Marten's talking about injuries to muscles and joints. He recommended hold the spinning rod loosely and with your hand straight above the reel and a finger on the blank for leverage and comfort. I tried and it felt much better to me. 

 

 

 

 

[Boomstick]

I had pretty severe carpal tunnel some years ago. I didn't fish at the time, but I couldn't play guitar at all or even make a fist with my left hand!!!! I quit smoking and changed my diet (ate more fruits and vegetables and less meat) and now the only times I have issues is when the weather changes from cold to warm to cold again, but it's minor - I can still fish and play guitar just a slight discomfort and stiffness in my hands.

 

If surgery is out of the question, you may want to try quitting smoking if you do and looking up a carpal tunnel friendly diet because it really does work.

On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 6:56 AM, Jig Man said:

They also said I needed to give up alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and wheat in order to help prevent another stroke.   I thought the wheat thing was insane but I don't want to go through this again so I quit all of them.

I have read that most people are allergic to wheat and dont know it. Instead of getting sick, they just collect it in their system and put on weight. So if you had this form of wheat allergy then giving up wheat would make total sense.

 

I will say that when I quit smoking and changed my diet around, I ate a lot of meat or fish, rice or potatoes and a vegetable and much less wheat as well for what it's worth any my carpal tunnel nearly disappeared. I lost a small amount of weight on this diet as well, but as far as weight loss it wasn't until I quit eating neat that I got anywhere near my target weight.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

If you'd like, contact me about building something with a custom grip in either spinning or casting configuration to help. 

[burrows]

Carpel tunnel release 

i had it done on both hands what a relief!

[The Bassman]

3 hours ago, Burros said:

Carpel tunnel release 

i had it done on both hands what a relief!

My wife had severe carpal tunnel in both wrists and had this done.  Good as new in no time.  Each surgery took only minutes (but 2K of my cash) and healed in a matter of days.

[STREAMHAWAII]

On 5/19/2018 at 12:02 PM, Burros said:

Carpel tunnel release 

i had it done on both hands what a relief!

How much was it?