First Baitcaster Advice

[DontTreadOnMe]

1 minute ago, new2BC4bass said:

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

ah, really? whoops.

guess i'll stick with fury then!

[new2BC4bass]

4 minutes ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

ah, really? whoops.

guess i'll stick with fury then!

You want the SA 704C (Sierra casting rod).  Ask me how I wound up with a 6'10" ML Villain 2.0 casting rod. 

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

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?

I use a 6.3:1 for cranking - the Fuego/Fury rig I referenced earlier. 8.1:1 for pitch/flip/punch/frogs - another Fuego but on an Aird-X H/F. 7.3:1 for jerkbaits, wacky, light T-Rigs (1/4oz and less) - Pflueger President on a M/F Aird-X. Everything else I revert to 7.1:1 - Pflueger Supreme on an MH/F Aird-X - or 7.3:1 - Pflueger President XT on a MH/F Laguna.

 

I want the fast reel to haul the fish out of the slop when tossing lures into (flip/pitch/punch) or atop (frogs)

6-ratio is the best I've found for cranks to keep them 'in the zone'.

Everything else works fine for me on a 7-ratio.

[Shimano_1]

The 7 ratio is gonna be the best all purpose reel in my opinion.  Ive got a cple 8 ratios and a cple 6 but probably 5 of the 7 ratio. I fish jigs, smaller swimbaits, spinnerbaits,  bladed jigs, weightless senkos, frogs and other topwaters all on the 7 ratio.  If i were gonna just take one reel fishing it would be the 7

[brophog]

6 hours ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

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.

 

For a beginner, there may be no more forgiving braking system than the Daiwa SV brakes. Yes, there may be a small reduction in casting distance depending on lure but you can set them to need little or no thumb even at splashdown (which is why a lot of people like them at night). The most forgiving part is when they do backlash they don’t tend to be as severe as many other braking systems, imo.

 

The spool capacity is not an issue for line in the common 30-50 (braid) or 10-12 (mono) lb ranges that would be typical of a MH rod. It’s actually a plus because that spool is a little smaller to keep spool weight down which helps in casting lighter baits. The big lure weight range is a plus for someone only wanting to carry a couple all purpose setups.

 

The Tatula has the zero adjuster knob, which is really a fancy way of saying they made the cast control hard to rotate. The brake dial on the Tatula is typical of a Daiwa, which if anything can be a bit hard to adjust. I guess if someone palmed it just right maybe they’d have a tendency to accidentally adjust it, but it’s certainly not a common occurrence.

 

The only real downside would be price as there are certainly reels in this thread that would get the job done for less. But the Tatula is designed to be stress free and very versatile and that seems to tick the boxes here.

[Gazz]

14 hours ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

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?

From what I know, the Sierra's are a bit slower than advertised for some reason. They have a bit of a more of a moderate-fast action (which just means the tip bends a bit more before hitting the medium heavy backbone). I actually have a Fury in medium heavy/moderate fast and it's great for some things but I mainly use it for cranking. I would go with a Fury in MH/F for your all around setup. The mod/fast will likely hurt you a bit with baits like jigs and such. 

 

Here's a video of Gary Dobyns explaining it a bit himself. 

 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Gazz said:

I actually have a Fury in medium heavy/moderate fast and it's great for some things but I mainly use it for cranking.

Ya, the 705CB is better for cranking..that's the Fury I have for my cranking rig. You'd want the 703C or even the 704C.

[Boomstick]

Well a MH/F rod is generally considered the most versatile by most people, although I could argue a M/F is just as versatile. I would probably go with a MH/F because it can throw t-rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, paddle tail swimbaits and even frogs if you run it with 40lb braid. I would however start off with mono, as it's cheap and if you get some nasty birds nests, it's pretty cheap to replace.

 

As far as which rod and reel? I have a Daiwa Tatula 7'1" MH/XF that I run with a Daiwa Tatula SV reel and that's a pretty good combo and should be under $300 if you buy at the right time on ebay. I would probably go with a 7.3:1 gear ratio or thereabouts to help pick up line quickly which can be nice with Texas rigs and jigs. I use the 7.x:1 gear ratio for just about everything these days except crankbaits which I run a 6.3:1 and sometimes other moving lures in the early and late season.

 

If you're after a Dobyns Sierra, I got my oldest son a Dobyns Sierra 704C and 703C and that's a pretty good two rod pairing. The 704C has a solidly fast tip and is actually nearly identical to the 7'1" Tatula MH/XF in power and action, but the 703C is a little more on the moderate side. You can still fish a texas rig just with a lighter weight, but it can also manage treble hooked baits decently.

 

 

 

[DontTreadOnMe]

rock on. thanks, guys.

 

for the reel, i'll probably get Daiwa Tatula SV TW 7.3:1 (TASV 103HSL)

 

for the rod, i just emailed dobyns asking if they have any refurb/demo rods like sierra 703C, 704C, or similar (even in other series). i also explained my situation and asked for general recommendations.

 

also, i'm on the lookout for daiwa tatula rods on ebay like that 7'1" MH/XF (i think TAT711MHXB). it looks like there are some deals to be had.

 

does that sound reasonable?

 

and for line, perhaps i'll try sufix advance in 12-15 lb.

if i try braid, what's a good one?

[Fin S]

1 hour ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

rock on. thanks, guys.

 

for the reel, i'll probably get Daiwa Tatula SV TW 7.3:1 (TASV 103HSL)

 

for the rod, i just emailed dobyns asking if they have any refurb/demo rods like sierra 703C, 704C, or similar (even in other series). i also explained my situation and asked for general recommendations.

 

also, i'm on the lookout for daiwa tatula rods on ebay like that 7'1" MH/XF (i think TAT711MHXB). it looks like there are some deals to be had.

 

does that sound reasonable?

 

and for line, perhaps i'll try sufix advance in 12-15 lb.

if i try braid, what's a good one?

That sounds like a good plan.

 

If this is your first experience with a baitcaster, you might want to start out with some cheap 12# mono until you can cast pretty consistently without backlash. Otherwise, it'll really suck when you have to cut out 30'-50' of line at a time to clear a rat's nest.

 

For braid, I use PowerPro Spectra and I'm pretty happy with it.

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

and for line, perhaps i'll try sufix advance in 12-15 lb.

if i try braid, what's a good one?

I use Power Pro Spectra on my heavy rig for flip/pitch/frogs but on my MH for spin/chatter/buzz/jigs I'm using 40# Sufix 832

[DontTreadOnMe]

gary dobyns got back to me, and he said that between 703C and 704C, he'd go 704 for more versatility.

he also said 734C would be another good option. i'm asking his staff to check for 704C and 734C refurb availability in Fury and Sierra.

 

between the Fury and Sierra, he said that though the Sierra guides are made by Fuji which is a more popular and more expensive brand name than the Sea Guide brand ones in the Fury, the Fury guides are just as good, and he's in fact seen fewer failures in the Fury guides than Sierra guides...

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

he said that though the Sierra guides are made by Fuji which is a more popular and more expensive brand name than the Sea Guide brand ones in the Fury, the Fury guides are just as good, and he's in fact seen fewer failures in the Fury guides than Sierra guides...

Makes me happier that I got a pair of Furys rather than holding out for Sierras.

[DontTreadOnMe]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Makes me happier that I got a pair of Furys rather than holding out for Sierras.

well, i had mentioned that i was interested in Sierra because i read that the guides are better, and that was his response.

 

i didn't ask him for all the differences. perhaps the sierra is a little more sensitive or something. also, the cork handle is higher grade.

[NJBasstard]

Depending on what you consider MH I'd describe a 4 power Dobyns as a MH+ or a light Heavy power rod. I've used the Fury 704c and currently own a Fury 705cb and the Sierra 704c. The Sierra is definitely a little more parabolic than the Fury but I wouldn't call it mod/fast (atleast conpared to the mod/fast rods I've used). I never fished a Fury 734c to compare, but in the Sierra line the difference between the 704c and 734c seamed to all be in the tip.. The 734 having the softer tip. Biggest difference between the Fury & Sierra 704 when fishing side by side was the weight. Never had either on a scale but the Sierra is noticeably lighter. I've used mine for a little bit of everything but most the time it has a 3/8oz jig tied on.

[new2BC4bass]

9 hours ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

rock on. thanks, guys.

 

for the reel, i'll probably get Daiwa Tatula SV TW 7.3:1 (TASV 103HSL)

 

for the rod, i just emailed dobyns asking if they have any refurb/demo rods like sierra 703C, 704C, or similar (even in other series). i also explained my situation and asked for general recommendations.

 

also, i'm on the lookout for daiwa tatula rods on ebay like that 7'1" MH/XF (i think TAT711MHXB). it looks like there are some deals to be had.

 

does that sound reasonable?

 

and for line, perhaps i'll try sufix advance in 12-15 lb.

if i try braid, what's a good one?

$110 at Sportsman's Outfitters.

[J-rod]

On 7/22/2020 at 12:51 PM, DontTreadOnMe said:

 

 

for the reel, i'll probably get Daiwa Tatula SV TW 7.3:1 (TASV 103HSL)

 

That was my first baitcaster. No issues at all. 12 lb McCoy copolymer or 20-30lb Power Pro Braid is my line of choice on it.

[DontTreadOnMe]

i ended up getting a refurbished dobyns 704C in the discontinued savvy series (SS 704C). it was $100 shipped. i received it today. dobyns shipped it fast. has some obvious signs of use and some scuffs. it seems like a pretty nice rod, but what do i know.

 

for the reel, i got a 2020 daiwa tatula sv tw 103HS L. that's the 7.1:1 with left hand crank. i'm right handed, and i'm wondering why so many people go for right hand crank. in fishing videos, i see such people passing the rod back and forth between their right and left hands between casting and reeling, and to me this seems bizarre and awkward. hm.

 

my impression of the reel is that it seems nice enough, but for 180-200 bucks, i was really expecting a more premium feel. though it's made of metal afaik, it has a very plastic-y feel to it. but i don't really care as long as it works well. again, what do i know. i'm just sharing my noob impression of it.

 

i first ordered the reel from dick's with their 10% off coupon for joining their mailing list (and shipping was free), but i later realized it was the older 2017 model. since i never mounted or used it, i'll return it next time i'm near a.....forgot how to use English's.

 

i then got the 2020 one from tackletrap with 10% off code TT10. unlike dicks, i wasn't charged tax, and i appreciate that. they also shipped pretty fast although they didn't send me a tracking number or a shipment notification email.

 

since i happen to have both reels, here are some comparison pics of the old vs new tat sv tw:

 

Daiwa Tatula SV TW 2017 vs 2020 Image Album

 

 

there's more angles in the linked album. if you want a closeup of something specific, let me know.

 

tbh it's hard for me to notice a difference in size between them. from what i had read, i was expecting the new one to be noticeably smaller.

they shaved off 13g though.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

ok, some questions:

 

i have 30lb and 40lb spools of sufix 832 braid in front of me.

 

should i go with 30lb or 40lb? i've heard that 40lb digs into itself less and rips through grass and water lilies better if you get a snag. but of course 30lb is thinner and lighter. thoughts?

 

and for the SV gurus, do i need to put a mono backer on this, or should i just do all braid? i was thinking of doing all braid with an arbor knot and a small piece of scotch tape over the knot. i don't care about wasting a few dollars' worth of braid.

 

also, i understand that the idea of SV is to make the spool as light as you can so it has less inertia (well, rotational kinetic energy to be more precise) while spinning. so should i only spool it up 1/2 - 3/4 of the way? i read that some people do that.

 

thanks, everyone

[PhishLI]

If you're fishing snaggy spots go for the 40 lb. I'd go straight braid and fill the spool. A 1/2" x 1/2" square of Scotch Super 33 electrical tape placed over the line at 180 degrees apart after you've tied on to the spool will do the trick. It's never slipped on mine.

[Hook2Jaw]

As for your problem with receiving an older Tatula SV TWS, I would probably keep the thing unless money is an issue.  I am absolutely, endlessly, unequivocally in love with the one SV TWS103 I own.  If you go down the fishing road, you'll be happy to have that second reel ready to go!

 

As far as 30# versus 40#, that's a question for what lures you're planning to throw, in my humble opinion.   Baits that offer a lot of resistance(like bladed jigs and spinnerbaits) might cause the 30# to bite and bind on itself.  If you're just planning on worming and jigging in open water or tossing the dark sleepers in similar water, go with 30.  If you want to work in cover and toss lures with more heft to them, go with 40.  You'll get more casting distance with 30, but not much more.  My gut says 40.

 

You dont need backing if you tie a good arbor knot, and mono piled on will slightly slow your spool.  I would spool it with braid. 

 

I'd also fill that puppy up.  Congratulations on your new setup and welcome to BR!

[DontTreadOnMe]

cool, i put on some 40lb to try!

 

in the reel's instruction manual, it recommends wrapping 3-5 turns of line around the spool before tying the knot. i tried that, but i couldn't get it to not slip. i wonder if daiwa's method works for mono but not braid or if i was just doing something wrong?

 

so then i tried electrical tape over the knot (and a second piece 180° away) as suggested. used 3M Super 88 since that's what i have (my fav electrical tape). worked much better.

 

i wasn't sure how much braid to put on. obviously, i spooled it up more than half way, but is this too much line?

 

 

[MN Fisher]

44 minutes ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

i wasn't sure how much braid to put on. obviously, i spooled it up more than half way, but is this too much line?

Can't tell exactly, but looks to be just below where the lip of the spool starts curving over...if so, that's about where you want it.

[Hammer 4]

6 hours ago, DontTreadOnMe said:

cool, i put on some 40lb to try!

 

in the reel's instruction manual, it recommends wrapping 3-5 turns of line around the spool before tying the knot. i tried that, but i couldn't get it to not slip. i wonder if daiwa's method works for mono but not braid or if i was just doing something wrong?

 

so then i tried electrical tape over the knot (and a second piece 180° away) as suggested. used 3M Super 88 since that's what i have (my fav electrical tape). worked much better.

 

i wasn't sure how much braid to put on. obviously, i spooled it up more than half way, but is this too much line?

 

 

That would be about the max amount of line you would want, so yup, your good to go..BTW, nice reel..

[new2BC4bass]

It's good.  Better be because that is how I fill all my reels.