Dobyns Ultra Finesse/BFS rods out now

[waymont]

*** has these rods up and ready to ship! Who's going to get one?

 

https://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/dobyns-sierra-ultra-finesse-casting-series.html

[optimator]

If I'm using baits that light it's spinning tackle for me. 

[ChrisD46]

Much love for Dobyns rods and to each their own for wanting to use such a light bait casting set up requiring a special bait cast reel capable of handling such light lines and lures (i.e. Shimano 50 series). I personally draw the line at a 3 power (Medium) action bait cast rod set up - any lighter and I switch over to a spinning set up .

[MN Fisher]

X3 - Anything under a 3-power in Dobyn's BC and I go spinning. For the BFS guys, this is great - just not for everyone.

 

P.S. Gary - could you please come out with a 4 power spinning rod in the Fury line?  Please? Maybe a 5 power too?

[JLBBass]

57 minutes ago, optimator said:

If I'm using baits that light it's spinning tackle for me. 

EXACTLY!

[Teal]

Kudos to Gary for bringing something that the BFS guys have been wanting!  Not for me, but I'm happy for the BFS guys and Dobyns.  

[J Francho]

Ultra Finesse is the new Light. Rods look great, and are priced right for sure!

[WRB]

What casting reel does Gary recommend to use on BFS rods?

Tom

[iabass8]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

What casting reel does Gary recommend to use on BFS rods?

Tom

They were tested and perfected by a couple staffers using an air stream custom and alphas air tw. 

[brophog]

So hard to get good quality BFS rods, and importing such things is expensive.

 

Plus, a big reason BFS isn’t more popular in the US is lack of presence. Companies want to know there is a market for their products but until someone takes a chance and makes products available that never happens. So definitely Kudos!

[ATA]

14 hours ago, WRB said:

What casting reel does Gary recommend to use on BFS rods?

Tom

Shimano Aldebaran BFS

Shimano Calcutta BFS

[bulldog1935]

9 hours ago, BaitFinesse said:

Here is an example of the difference between the two.  The one on the right is an UL BFS rod with a solid carbon tip and the one on the left just an UL casting rod with a solid carbon tip.  Both throw the same baits but the big diameter back half BFS rods throws them slightly worse but has a TON of power by comparison.

 

 

Exception for the spinning rod statement.  

BFS rods are the same idea as Japanese Rockfish rods, which I began fishing in the salt a dozen years ago, and lured my friends into as well - though there's no spinning UL that can cast with them, mostly because of the extra rod length. 

Showing this older Takamiya rod, because the solid tip and reinforced butt are so apparent.  The rod construction gives you the ability to throw uncanny light weight, fish a very wide lure weight range, protect uncanny light line, and turn big fish.  They're essentially the same progressive taper as a good dry-fly rod - soft tip, fast mid, stout butt.  

I'm sure you could build your own from a fly rod blank.  

Traditional UL spinning rods have a faster tip with all the flex in the mid and butt (para taper) - that taper narrows both the lure weight range and big fish range using traditional UL rods.   

This rod and my newer versions have landed salt doubles including one double with a 23" snook - 4 lb test.  

 

Have been following the Dobyns rod, and looking forward to someone's review. 

Note the Dobyns Ultra Finesse spinning rods are built the same way.  If you check Yamaga Blanks Light Game rods, their published load curves for spinning and bait of the same length are identical.  

 

My buddy Alex sight-fishing a 5-lb bass on my XUL rod above

[redmeansdistortion]

I wonder how this stacks up with the Phenix Feather 71L?  I have the Feather and love it to death.

[fishwizzard]

11 hours ago, BaitFinesse said:

 

True BFS rods don't have a spinning rod equivalent.  That unique build of power with a soft tip only exists in BFS tapers and they will say "BFS" on the blank.

I would disagree, the Loomis MagL/XF spinning rods are built like that.  

[FryDog62]

I have ordered a Dobyns 740 Ultra Finesse rod to use for throwing 1/16-1/8 oz hair jigs for smallmouth. May use as a Ned/DS rod some too.  I have a Daiwa Alphas, but odd as it may sound I will experiment with a Tatula Elite too. The Elite is not BFS but I have used it on a 7'1" Phenix Feather MLF and honestly get better distance than the Alphas.  Elite can be a little touchier, but once dialed in I can cast a light Ned about 10-20% farther than the Alphas. 

[Backroad Angler]

Looks pretty neat! Love my dobyns, may have to give it a try

[BrianMDTX]

Not for me, but good to see someone filling a niche a lot closer than Japan lol. 

[FryDog62]

On 1/8/2021 at 4:18 PM, iabass8 said:

They were tested and perfected by a couple staffers using an air stream custom and alphas air tw. 

How do you think the Alphas CT SV would work with that rod?  Wondering if it will get enough distance with light hair jigs..

[iabass8]

18 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

How do you think the Alphas CT SV would work with that rod?  Wondering if it will get enough distance with light hair jigs..

I think something like a 1/16oz hairjig would be manageable on the 700. Alphas CTSV is a little deeper of a spool that what I would prefer if I'm building a BFS specific setup but it would suffice. I would prefer the stream custom reel as a starting point. 

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, iabass8 said:

I think something like a 1/16oz hairjig would be manageable on the 700. Alphas CTSV is a little deeper of a spool that what I would prefer if I'm building a BFS specific setup but it would suffice. I would prefer the stream custom reel as a starting point. 

Air stream preferred over Air TW, or do you mean starting price of stream is better? 

[iabass8]

18 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Air stream preferred over Air TW, or do you mean starting price of stream is better? 

I prefer the air stream over the air tw simply over the aesthetics. CF handle/spool etc. both reels are exceptional reels if you want a strictly BFS setup. . 

[FryDog62]

27 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

I prefer the air stream over the air tw simply over the aesthetics. CF handle/spool etc. both reels are exceptional reels if you want a strictly BFS setup. . 

Thx, I better save up some yens ?

[iabass8]

12 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Thx, I better save up some yens ?

if you are deal hunting, look at Jpangler. I ordered a new zillion 1000tw for 318$ yesterday and it's going to be delivered tuesday....can't beat that. 

[bulldog1935]

Of course you guys know I'm going to be the historian of this crap.  

Finesse fishing, long rockfish rods, BFS all, of course, originated in Japan - the Japanese called it Caro, and probably goes back to bamboo days.  

The Europeans called their parallel approach Bombardo.  The Brits coined the name "threadlining" in the 1930s.  

In the US, we have our parallel approach, first mentioned by Ernie St. Claire, and later dubbed XUL (and revived threadlining) by Joe Robinson.  

All these parallel approaches use progressive (fly rod) taper, to get the properties I described in my post above.  

Dave Whitlock and Joe Robinson began making XUL spinning rods from fly rod blanks in the 70s, and most of 30 years later, Joe got around to describing it in his book Piscatorial Absurdities.  Here's Joe at work on Lake Travis.

Joe's book created a following and for awhile, there was even a Threadlining internet forum.  

Here's my buddy Alex again, seducing some nice creek impoundment bass on a rod he built from a 2-wt fly rod blank.  

 

 

[J Francho]

The B in BFS is for baitcasting.  While the idea of light tackle isn't new, using a casting reel is relatively new.  I don't think I heard of it before 2005.