First Baitcaster Advice

[DontTreadOnMe]

hi everyone! first time posting.

it didn't occur to me when registering, but if my screen name breaks the rules because it's a "slogan" or something, could a mod please help me change it to something else? thanks.

 

ok, with that out of the way, here's my fishing bio and gear:

 

this is my first year fishing, and i'm loving it.

 

i do lake fishing mostly in WI, IL, and MI. i bounce around the midwest.

right now i'm fishing around oakland county area of MI.

 

i got a canoe this month, and it makes all the difference in the world. such an upgrade from shore fishing. paddling around and trying new spots is a blast.

 

as far as gear goes, i have a cheap ultralight spinner i like using for little panfish. got that one for free.

as my main rod, i've got a St Croix Triumph medium power with a spinner (Daiwa REVOS LT 2500 (REVLT2500)). i had the pleasure of visiting the St Croix factory/shop in Park Falls, WI, and i picked it up as a blem/return there.

 

for baits, worms have worked well for me.

with lures, i've had varying degrees of success with random stuff from bass pro shop, but one thing that stands out is the megabass dark sleeper series. i think these are classified as swimmers? i've been using them without bobbers, and when you reel them in, they look very realistic. like a swimming fish. truly awesome, and i've been having great luck with them compared to other lures. but keep in mind that i'm a novice.

 

the st croix medium spinner setup is nice, but i want to try out baitcasting to try for bigger lures, bigger fish, new techniques, and just to have a second rod rigged up differently so i can quickly and more conveniently alternate.

 

and so i need help choosing a baitcaster. i know the real answer is "it depends", and there is no perfect setup for all situations. but i'm hoping you guys will take it easy on me. that's also why i'm sharing a "fishing bio". i just want something of reasonable quality and flexibility to start with.

 

first, rod power. medium or medium-heavy? since i already have a medium spinner, i thought might as well step up to MH for more diversity. does that make sense, or is medium-heavy overkill for the fishing action i'm likely to see?

 

for the reel, i'm thinking i probably want at least a 7:1 gear ratio. and since i'm of the "buy once cry once" mentality, i thought i'd go for a metal-framed one.

 

i'm considering this combo in medium-heavy: Team Lew's Custom Black Speed Spool LFS Combo

i tried researching it here and elsewhere, and it seems like that's about as good as it gets for bundled combos?

 

i realize more experienced guys pick out their own rods and reels instead of going with combos, but honestly i have no idea where to start.

any suggestions here? maybe a daiwa tatula ct reel or something, but idk which rod?

 

and also, what kind of line should i put on? i'm thinking either non-fluoro mono or braid. and mono tangles more but is easier/cheaper to fix. braid tangles less often, but when it does, it can be tough to fix it without wasting line, and braid's more expensive. is that the idea?

so could someone please recommend a good mono and a braid also?

 

thanks for the help, fellas!

[garroyo130]

Daiwa Fuego CT and H2O express Ethos HD rod

 

SLX combo Ive heard is solid as well but can't speak from experience here 

[garroyo130]

What do you plan on primarily throwing with the new rod? 

[DontTreadOnMe]

2 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Daiwa Fuego CT and H2O express Ethos HD rod

 

SLX combo Ive heard is solid as well but can't speak from experience here 

 

thanks. that daiwa fuego looks nice. never heard of H2O express.

looks like that's about a $190 setup ($110 + $80) or possibly cheaper depending on where you shop.

 

do you think that's comparable in quality to the custom black combo ($280 MSRP, $265 @ amazon, or $240 @ dick's)?

 

1 hour ago, garroyo130 said:

What do you plan on primarily throwing with the new rod? 

 

as dumb as this sounds, i'm not really sure. there's so much jargon and so many types of lures and associated techniques. this forum had a little anti-spam quiz i had to do when i joined. it asked for "Another name for a lipped lure that dives under the surface during the retrieve." i just guessed crankbait, and it accepted that answer, but i didn't even realize that lip in front of them makes them dive down. i've never used a crankbait.

 

i'm looking for something that is a good complement to my medium spinner setup. something suitable for fishing in small to medium-sized lakes. biggest thing i've thrown on my current rod is a half-ounce lure.

 

there can be some overlap in between my spinner and the new baitcaster in terms of what they can handle. and i'm open to possibly getting another rod eventually. but for now, i just want a second rod so i can have two different things rigged up at once for flexibility and convenience.

[garroyo130]

I don't think the Lews Custom Black Combo is a bad deal, but I do think you can do better for the money. If you like the Lews line of rods, the Carbon Fire rod at Dicks is a great rod for the money and comes in all actions depending on what you ultimately decide you want to use it for.

[Angry John]

As a first I always recommend a daiwa advantage hts or htsl.  It is salt water tolerant and fine for brackish.  It's a little heavy but has great casting manners and very smooth.  Besides there always cheap when you find them as they provided a very high performance to dollar raito.

[plawren53202]

I would suggest that as your first baitcaster, you should aim for something very middle of the road/jack of all trades. To me that's a 7' or 7'3" MH/F action. As you said this would also complement your M spinning outfit. 

 

I think it might be easier for people to suggest specific rods/reels if you throw out a ballpark budget figure. Having said that, the Lew's combo you mentioned is certainly a solid combo.

 

For line, I would suggest for a beginner a copolymer. I use Sufix Advance after lots of people here recommending it, and it is a great choice. It is the best of mono and fluoro, soft and supple like mono but much more sensitivity and less stretch, like fluoro. 

[MN Fisher]

Bit over the $200 mark - Diawa Fuego CT-HS (7.3:1) on a Dobyns Fury 704C

 

I've got two Fuegos and they're solid reels. One of those is on a Fury and I couldn't be happier with the combo.

[DontTreadOnMe]

3 hours ago, plawren53202 said:

I think it might be easier for people to suggest specific rods/reels if you throw out a ballpark budget figure. Having said that, the Lew's combo you mentioned is certainly a solid combo.

 

For line, I would suggest for a beginner a copolymer. I use Sufix Advance after lots of people here recommending it, and it is a great choice. It is the best of mono and fluoro, soft and supple like mono but much more sensitivity and less stretch, like fluoro. 

 

ballpark figure perhaps around $300 for a rod and reel, could spend more or less.

 

if i buy another setup, i want it to be because i want to fish a different way and not because of upgrade-itis, if that makes sense.

but with that said, i'm probably not about to buy shimano's flagship reel or something (guessing that's 500-1000).

 

thanks, i'll check out that sufix advance! i'm guessing it doesn't sink like fluoro?

 

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Bit over the $200 mark - Diawa Fuego CT-HS (7.3:1) on a Dobyns Fury 704C

 

I've got two Fuegos and they're solid reels. One of those is on a Fury and I couldn't be happier with the combo.

 

fuego is one i'm considering.

also, someone else just recommended dobyns fury as well. sweet looking rods.

[Hammer 4]

The Fuego would be a good choice.

As for rods, in the $99.99 to 119.99 range, check out the Diawa Tatula XT rods, I have a few, and they fish above the price point, pretty happy with mine.

[Tywithay]

I, too, would recommend the Fuego CT. Excellent reel, even at the retail price, though you can find them quite a bit cheaper if you look around. It is basically identical to the $130 Tatula CT, aside from the line guide. You should be able to snag one for about $75-$80.

 

Rods are pretty much an endless vortex of options. As others have mentioned, a MH is probably going to offer the best all purpose use, and differ from your other setup enough to not overlap. I'm really fond of the Daiwa Tatula and Tatula Elite rods. They're lightweight and offer a lot of performance for the money. The Shimano Zodias is another great rod. There's a new model coming out this year, which means the previous model should be discounted at a lot of retailers. Sales this time of year are a little screwy with the covid, but there are deals to be had if you look around. You can definitely save some coin. The fish don't care if it's a prior generation and a $200 rod doesn't fish any less productively if you pay $140 for it.

[FryDog62]

I think Lew’s has some good products, but I’m mixed on the LFS reels.  Seem nice at first but I had 2-3 that just started squeaking/whining after a couple years no matter how much I had them greased.  
 

Big believer in Daiwa baitcasting reels, Tatula CT’s are great, smooth and dependable.  More so with baitcasting reels (vs. spinning) I think you get what you pay for.  I remember my first few cheap baitcasters were so temperamental and I eventually gave up on them and went back to spinning only for a few years as a result.  

[NYWayfarer]

The Custom Black is a good combo. The reel has an aluminum frame, dual breaks and Winn Grip knobs. It is a lot like the Tournament MP. The rod looks like a TP1 Black Speed Stick which is my favorite rod at the moment. Great action and sensitivity.

[new2BC4bass]

Sportsman's Outfitters has the Tatula 6'10" MHF for $110...a $150 and worth $150 AFAIC.  Excellent rods for the money.  As several have already mentioned, the Fuego CT is hard to beat in its price range and can be found for around $75-$80 if you keep an eye open.

 

Another option is a quality used reel, if you don't mind used.  And if you know what reel you want.  One of my best used reel deals was an older blue Patriarch XT.  $65 for a $250 reel when new and it is in very good condition.  I already had two but was unable to pass up such a great deal on a fine reel.

 

A Gen 1 or Gen 2 STX makes for an excellent option as does a Gen 2 Premier.  They can be found at very low prices.  There are more good used reels than I could list here.

[shimando]

I would recommend Medium Heavy. Your spinning setup will cover your lighter lures and techniques so you can dedicate your baitcasting setup to Texas Rigs, jigs, top water frogs and spooks, etc.

 

Here are some options you should consider.

 

Rods

 

- Duckett Silverado | $99

- Dobyns Fury | $119

- Shimano SLX | $99

- Daiwa Aird X | $54.99

 

Reels

 

- Daiwa Fuego CT | $109.99

- Daiwa Tatula CT | $129.99

- Shimano SLX | $99.99

- Shimano Curado K | $179.99

[Gazz]

If you're tinkering around that $300 mark, I think a Shimano Curado 200K on a Medium Heavy/Fast Dobyns Fury is a serious setup for the money. You will likely never outgrow that setup. A little bit of a cheaper option could be a Shimano SLX XT. I'd stay away from the base SLX and step up to the XT as you are so new that you probably want the external brakes that the XT adds. The SLX rods are really nice for $100 as well. I would take a Fury over it but still a great rod. I have messed around with the Custom Black combo and it is a very nice combo but I think it is overpriced and you really get more out of your money by buying separately at that price point. Also, I would definitely learn to use it with either mono or fluoro to start. The more difficult it is at the beginning, the better you will get overall. Braid is easier but it will likely be harder to learn mono or fluoro after getting comfortable using braid. I learned with braid first and I wish I didn't I developed some bad habits that took a little while to break. I would stick with the Medium Heavy/Fast power and action for the rod as it is a very versatile all-around setup and you already have Medium covered for now. You'll be able to do most things with the MH/F.

[garroyo130]

24 minutes ago, Gazz said:

If you're tinkering around that $300 mark, I think a Shimano Curado 200K on a Medium Heavy/Fast Dobyns Fury is a serious setup for the money.

^ at that price point it would be hard to find a better combo

[new2BC4bass]

I wouldn't use fluoro to start.  Getting a kink on a backlash with fluoro is asking for broken line.  I'm a little bias, but I'd suggest 12#-15# mono or co-polymer to start.  12# of either is my go to for the majority of my MH rods.

 

No experience with Aird X rods, but all the reviews I read on it say it is a great rod for the money.  I like my Lightning (not the Lightning Shock) if you are looking for the lowest cost decent rod.

[suzuki2903]

Daiwa tatula sv tw. 199$ and a Denali attax mf fast tip 120$.     The daiwa for sure and will give you less trouble with casting etc then any other reel aside the shimano dc lineup. 

[new2BC4bass]

6 minutes ago, suzuki2903 said:

Daiwa tatula sv tw. 199$ and a Denali attax mf fast tip 120$.     The daiwa for sure and will give you less trouble with casting etc then any other reel aside the shimano dc lineup. 

Or a used T3 Magforce 3D reel. 

[Tywithay]

27 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Or a used T3 Magforce 3D reel. 

The Ballistic was not great, but the MX and 1016 are still some of the best casting reels I've ever used.

 

I definitely recommend looking at the used sales though. Quick way to turn a $400 combo into a $200 combo.

[new2BC4bass]

2 minutes ago, Tywithay said:

The Ballistic was not great, but the MX and 1016 are still some of the best casting reels I've ever used.

 

I definitely recommend looking at the used sales though. Quick way to turn a $400 combo into a $200 combo.

I also have all 3 models.  The Ballistic was purchased used, but looks NIB.  I've never had it out of the box other than to look it over upon arrival.  Plan on giving it to a sister-in-law that isn't against trying baitcast reels.  The braking system on these reels is great....for those of us needing one.

[Shimano_1]

Shimano slx combo or the fuego ct/shimano slx reel with a basspro carbonlite 2.0 rod would be my suggestions.  Slx combo for the money simply can't be beat 

[DontTreadOnMe]

thanks for the awesome suggestions, everyone! they're very helpful, and i really appreciate it.

 

i'm definitely taking a hard look at Shimano Curado K ($180) and the Daiwa Tatula SV TW ($200).

 

from my research so far, it looks like i couldn't really go wrong with the curado k.

seems like an awesome reel all around.

 

the tatula sv tw also looks baller. apparently designed to be forgiving on backlash issues, but it has a smaller spool which may or may not be a bad thing depending on how far you want to cast. i also saw one guy complain about inadvertently adjusting the controls all the time.

 

i found a thread on another forum (apparently a Voldemort situation here) comparing them with many nice things to say about the sv tw.

a guy named "5 by 3" said:

Quote

Curado K for bombing long casts with big baits and maximum line capacity, Tatula sv for everything else.

 

i might be leaning towards the tatula sv tw given that i'm totally new to baitcasting, and it sounds pretty forgiving.

 

i also thought i was set on a 7:1 gear ratio, but is that too fast for everything except frogging and flipping n pitching? would 6:1 be overall more versatile, and could i still pitch n flip if i want?

 

as for rods, dobyns fury looks pretty awesome.

i'm also eyeing the dobyns sierra now too since it's not that much more expensive.

 

if i got the curado k or the tatula sv tw, which sierra rod do you think would go best with it?

i was looking at the SA 704SF (7'0" 10-20 lb, 1/4-1 oz. Medium Heavy Fast Action).

 

but now i'm reading that the rod power doesn't perfectly translate between the fury and sierra lines, so i'm confused.

also, is there a reason that i should just stick with a fury instead?

[new2BC4bass]

No casting reel is going to be the best for that Sierra rod (SA 704SF).  It is a spinning rod.