kastking perigee 2 w tatula 100hs vs shimano slx combo baitcaster for first time BC'er

[fishhugger]

looking for any advice, tysm. 

i'm a relatively new seeker of large mouths, and want to try bait casting. i've been using spinning gear, using ned rigs, trick worms, spinners, pretty light weight stuff. i'd like to try bait casters for slightly heavier things that i gather are not ideal for spinning gear - heavier plastics, texas rigs, heavier lures... just, in my mind, the next one or two or three steps up. but not super heavy. 

i fish a lot in smaller ponds --- less than 10 acres, in california. so - not the HUGE fields of grass in other parts of the country, but definitely some. i've avoided the grass with my lightweight spinning gear.

so i'm thinking of a perigee 2, 7' MH and M twin tip type rod, and gather that the slx tatula is a nice reel... i think that outfit is about $70 plus $130, so $200 total. or the combo people seem to like, the shimano slx, 7' MH one piece rod, with a slx reel. total is about $140. so, a large price differential, but that's not a big issue. altho, saving money is nice...!

i'm leaning a little away from the one piece, or maybe i need to get used to it. for the first time i didn't take apart my two piece 7 footer, and in my honda accord the tip gets in the way, as it extends up to the back of the driver seat. i figure breakage at some point is possible.... idk if i'm comparing apples to oranges, but yeah, i'm wondering about the cost differential of $200 vs $140, whether the perigee 2 with two tips is better or worse than the one piece slx rod, and the difference between the slx reel and the tatula.

thanks a lot, and happy fishing.

[Eric 26]

Although I don’t own either the Kastking or shimano slx rods I do own both of the reels. I absolutely love my slx reel and for the $99.00 price it’s well worth it. I also own several Tatulas including a Tatula CT and a Tatula 100. The slx is a bit smaller than the Tatula but I don’t find the Tatula to be too big for my hands which are average sized. You can also get a Daiwa fuego which is a Tatula without the t-wing system and save a couple bucks. The braking system on the Daiwa’s are in my opinion the most forgiving and easy to use. You can search braking systems on this forum bulldog1935 wrote a great piece explaining the different braking systems. As far as rods I think if you want a 2 piece rod the Kastking gets good reviews and is a great bargain.

[T2DM]

I don't own the reels mentioned by Eric 26 and I do believe he's recommending good reels to start up with, I did however used to own two SLX 7' MH rods and in my opinion they're too tip heavy and feels more like a Heavy action rods, I still owned the Medium 6'10" SLX  for jerkbaits and absolutely love it for that! I only owned two other rod brand outside shimano (dobyns and daiwa) and i'm pretty sure you will like the Dobyns Fury series better than the SLX MH but I must remind you that Dobyns MH is more like a Medium and their Heavy is more like MH. Good Luck.

[fishhugger]

thanks for the replies... i'll keep in mind that the SLX might be a little heavy for their ratings...  as i said, i'm looking for something to fish around grass, which i avoid with my spinning setup.  @T2DMwhat size jerkbaits do you use with your medium SLX, and what else do you do with it? for example, texas rigs, and what weight?

 

happy fishing...

 

[T2DM]

59 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

thanks for the replies... i'll keep in mind that the SLX might be a little heavy for their ratings...  as i said, i'm looking for something to fish around grass, which i avoid with my spinning setup.  @T2DMwhat size jerkbaits do you use with your medium SLX, and what else do you do with it? for example, texas rigs, and what weight?

 

happy fishing...

 

I use it for 3/8oz.  Megabass vision 110 jr , 3/8 lipless crankbait, weightless fluke & senko and some top water lures with treble hooks. I even use it for light underspin like the 1/8oz Owner Flashy Swimmer w/ 3" Keitech Easy Shiner, it'll handle 1/2oz. total weight but it feels like it's being pushed to it's limit. Basically I use at it as my spinning setup alternative but with a bit more backbone if that make sense.

 

I hope this helps.?

 

 

[fishhugger]

48 minutes ago, T2DM said:

I use it for 3/8oz.  Megabass vision 110 jr , 3/8 lipless crankbait, weightless fluke & senko and some top water lures with treble hooks. I even use it for light underspin like the 1/8oz Owner Flashy Swimmer w/ 3" Keitech Easy Shiner, it'll handle 1/2oz. total weight but it feels like it's being pushed to it's limit. Basically I use at it as my spinning setup alternative but with a bit more backbone if that make sense.

 

I hope this helps.?

 

 

Thanks! Yes, pretty clear.

[ike8120]

I have a few Perigee 2 rods and they are not bad for the price.

[fishhugger]

9 hours ago, ike8120 said:

I have a few Perigee 2 rods and they are not bad for the price.

how's the sensitivity? i'm pretty new at this, but this seems to be what people value in a rod... since i'm planning on using jigs, plastics, chatters, texas... i assume most or all of these like sensitivity...

thanks!

sensitivie fishing!

[ike8120]

3 hours ago, fishhugger said:

how's the sensitivity? i'm pretty new at this, but this seems to be what people value in a rod... since i'm planning on using jigs, plastics, chatters, texas... i assume most or all of these like sensitivity...

thanks!

sensitivie fishing!

I am by no means an expert but for a budget friendly rod it is pretty decent sensitivity.

[HaydenS]

I'd go for the SLX Combo, $140 is a steal.  The rod is pretty sensitive and strong, you could throw just about anything on it.  It sounds like you're just starting out with a baitcaster, so start with mono, and once you can cast well without many backlashes( and you can get a backlash out), go to Seaguar fluorocarbon.  I'd use 12-15 pound depending on where your fishing, and what lure you use the most with this combo.  Read the manual on the SLX reel, and you won't backlash that often.  The brakes are quite good on the SLX. 

 

Not the biggest fan of kastking.  I've tried the Tatula and it is a good reel.

[Bankc]

I have a Perigree II rod, and it's just okay.  At $50 with two tips, they're a good deal.  Good line guides and a really nice handle and seat for the money.  But the blank is kind of heavy and not very sensitive, though not to the extreme.  It's still a decent rod.  I use mine for spinnerbaits mostly, and it works fine for that.  The only other $50 rod I've owned to compare it to was a BPS Tourney Special, and I thought that rod had a slightly better blank, but much worse reel seat and line guides.  

 

Either the SLX or the Tatula would be a fine choice.  I have a few Tatula CT's, and they're great reels, especially for the money.  Personally, I'd go with the Tatula over the SLX because I like the braking system on those reels better than the centrifugal brakes.  However, I'm betting that I'd like the SLX rod a lot more than my Perigree II, just based on Shimano's other rods around that price range.  So the SLX combo is probably your best bet for the money.  

[Derek1]

I think you’ll be happier with the slx in the grass. 

Especially if your gonna throw some jigs. 

[fishhugger]

thanks guys! i decided on the slx combo (altho i wasn't that thrilled with the shipper's customer service..." 

it'll be a new experience learning baitcasting!! and i just my PB a couple days ago, on my spinning rod. i was trying out some of the jigs i want to use on my baitcaster. 

and then i just graduated from fry to minnow on this great forum.... my life is fulfilled....!!!...lol.. this is a nice resource.

happy jigging!!

[HookInMouth]

Great choice on the SLX. Let us know how you like it!

[fishhugger]

lessee.... so, day 1, i spool up the slx reel... actually, the line ends up lopsided --- most of the line is on the ls of the reel...day 2,  i walked the line out, and i think i was able to get it even again. i practiced casting on a lawn, all brakes on, about .6 oz lead. day 3, since casting went so well, went fishing. went great, a couple little birdie nests. no fish, though. i turned off two of the brakes.

 

i had loaded the reel w 10# mono (tried getting #15, but delayed indefinitely).  the slx rod seems to cast 3/8 oz fine. at this point, i can cast about 40 or 50 feet. i wanted the rod, which is my first bait caster, to be a couple steps (in terms of 'backbone' and lure weight) up from my spinning gear. i feel like this rod, a mh, fits the bill. i don't like how the handle is so small though.. i used to play tennis (even played with wooden rackets, way back then) and may get some tennis grip tape to put on the handle.

 

maybe a couple questions -- why does the line sometimes end up lopsided more on the LS of the reel?  and i don't get why the slx mh rod specifies power pro rating of  --- 20 to 50#.  as a newbie to BC's - the rod doesn't seem strong enough to handle 50# line... the mono rating is 10 to 20#, which seems totally reasonable....

 

thanks for all your help and suggestions... wow - this baitcasting is not bad..........

 

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, fishhugger said:

and i don't get why the slx mh rod specifies power pro rating of  --- 20 to 50#.  as a newbie to BC's - the rod doesn't seem strong enough to handle 50# line... the mono rating is 10 to 20#, which seems totally reasonable....

It's not that you want to haul something weighing 50# with that rod. It's that with braid, the stronger braids cut through weeds...that's why you put strong braid on a rig...ability to cast into thick weeds and have a good chance of not only hauling a fish out, but also getting your lure back.

 

1 hour ago, fishhugger said:

i feel like this rod, a mh, fits the bill.

 

MH/F rod - the 'Swiss Army  Knife' of rods - doesn't do everything, but does quite a few things well.

 

1 hour ago, fishhugger said:

why does the line sometimes end up lopsided more on the LS of the reel? 

Do you have tension on the line when retrieving? Is the level-wind moving back-and-forth like it should? Do you have the reel tipped over on it's left side when reeling in?

[fishhugger]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

It's not that you want to haul something weighing 50# with that rod. It's that with braid, the stronger braids cut through weeds...that's why you put strong braid on a rig...ability to cast into thick weeds and have a good chance of not only hauling a fish out, but also getting your lure back.

 

Do you have tension on the line when retrieving? Is the level-wind moving back-and-forth like it should? Do you have the reel tipped over on it's left side when reeling in?

the weeds where i fish i assume are typical --- many are long stemmed, and i think two varieties. idk if they grow from the bottom, but they are only near the shallow, such as 1 to 3' deep edges of the lake. i think the only places they don't grow are --- the edge is maybe 7' deep.. braid really cuts through the weeds? i'd pictured it just pulling up the mass of weeds, in a big, heavy, wad.

 

i retrieve with my swim jig, 3/8 oz... when i retrieve the line and i'm practicing casting on a lawn, i apply moderate tension with my fingers in front of the reel...  i'll try to notice if i'm tilting the reel or something... sometimes the line seems level; othertimes, pretty lopsided... 

 

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

braid really cuts through the weeds? i'd pictured it just pulling up the mass of weeds, in a big, heavy, wad.

It can do both - but most braids are thin enough and strong enough to slice through quite a number of weed types...I've even cut through lily-pad stems with 50# Power Pro.

 

7 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

i retrieve with my swim jig, 3/8 oz... when i retrieve the line and i'm practicing casting on a lawn, i apply moderate tension with my fingers in front of the reel...  i'll try to notice if i'm tilting the reel or something... sometimes the line seems level; othertimes, pretty lopsided... 

If you have weight on the end - lure or practice plug - you shouldn't have to pinch the line...they'll supply enough tension.

 

Let me guess...you hold the rod and pinch the line with your left hand...that's probably what's doing it as you're 'forcing' the line to one side as you retrieve it.

[fishhugger]

11 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

It can do both - but most braids are thin enough and strong enough to slice through quite a number of weed types...I've even cut through lily-pad stems with 50# Power Pro.

 

If you have weight on the end - lure or practice plug - you shouldn't have to pinch the line...they'll supply enough tension.

 

Let me guess...you hold the rod and pinch the line with your left hand...that's probably what's doing it as you're 'forcing' the line to one side as you retrieve it.

thanks for the reply...

 

i will have to try the heavy braids and cutting through weeds... this slx rod is heavy enough to do that?  as someone totally new to baitcasting, i'd imagined a much heavier rod for that and pictured this mh as pretty light. altho it's heavier than almost all my other rods (which are all spinning rods)

 

i hold the line with my r fingers, between the reel and the first guide. i'd read that guys do that to feel the line better.. i've just started trying that. i'll try to see if that's doing something weird to the ... idk what it's called - the guide on the reel that lays the line back and forth...

 

i do just strip line off the reel by pulling - would that mess up the even laying of the line?  if i get a small birds nest, i just pull out the line and clear out the nest... then when i reel the line back in, i use my r fingers to apply tension, until all the line is back.

 

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

i will have to try the heavy braids and cutting through weeds... this slx rod is heavy enough to do that?  as someone totally new to baitcasting, i'd imagined a much heavier rod for that and pictured this mh as pretty light. altho it's heavier than almost all my other rods (which are all spinning rods)

A MH rod should handle moderate weeds...maybe thicker patches of Hydrilla, Milfoil and such. Rod I have the 50# on is a Heavy.

 

7 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

hold the line with my r fingers, between the reel and the first guide. i'd read that guys do that to feel the line better.. i've just started trying that.

Don't have to hold the line to do that...just have a finger under it with a slight lift, or over with a slight push-down.

 

Most people 'palm' the reel - hold the rod/reel in such a way that the sideplate where the brake adjustment is, is up against the palm of their hand, a finger out to touch the line for that feeling advantage.

 

8 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

i'll try to see if that's doing something weird to the ... idk what it's called - the guide on the reel that lays the line back and forth...

That's the level-wind...if you're holding the line too tight, it can over-ride the level-wind as it tries to place the line evenly across the spool.

 

11 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

i do just strip line off the reel by pulling - would that mess up the even laying of the line?  if i get a small birds nest, i just pull out the line and clear out the nest... then when i reel the line back in, i use my r fingers to apply tension, until all the line is back.

Nope - exact same way I clear backlashes...I would hold the line as close to the first guide as possible when reeling the line back in after clearing the nest out...less chance of it screwing up the level-wind.

[fishhugger]

@MN Fisherthanks for the explanations! particularly about how to palm the reel --- really wasn't sure how people hold those things... 

 

happy fishing

[Lead Head]

When you are "pinching" the line in front of the reel, make sure your pinch point is centered with the reel. I would be willing to bet your pinch point is slightly to the left when you get the uneven line lay (as MN Fisher was suggesting).

 

Nothing wrong with gently pinching line for extra sensitivity, but its really only going to be helpful when fishing bottom contact baits. In my experience, most strikes on moving baits aren't subtle enough that touching the line will make any difference. 

 

Look into Winn wrap if you want a beefier handle, its made for fishing rods.

 

[fishhugger]

2 hours ago, Lead Head said:

When you are "pinching" the line in front of the reel, make sure your pinch point is centered with the reel. I would be willing to bet your pinch point is slightly to the left when you get the uneven line lay (as MN Fisher was suggesting).

 

Nothing wrong with gently pinching line for extra sensitivity, but its really only going to be helpful when fishing bottom contact baits. In my experience, most strikes on moving baits aren't subtle enough that touching the line will make any difference. 

 

Look into Winn wrap if you want a beefier handle, its made for fishing rods.

 

thanks lead head... i think the lopsided line lay --- it's not from me pinching the line, because i'm just starting to do that, and it wasn't coinciding with the uneven line lay... and i don't even no how to 'pinch' it --- i've been laying my finger parallel to reel spool --- letting the line run over or under it... as i said -- i don't no how people do this --- i may search for it.

 

and i'll take your advice and try to do it just on pretty subtle bottom contact things.  since i'm mainly swim jigging, or chatterbaiting --- i'll lay off the finger to the line for sensitivity, when using those jigs.

 

hopefully the uneven line lay will even itself out over time, as i practice my technique. i think it might be cause my line can tend to be a little loose - i may have subtle line loosening on casting, and the occasional mini bird nest might leave the line a little loose also... 

 

i'm actually thankful that these tiny baitcasters hold so little line... it's easy to walk out the entire spool. that's pretty convenient....

 

happy fishing...

[Lead Head]

How I fish bottom contact (jig/t-rig).

[rtwvumtneer6]

On 9/11/2021 at 4:19 PM, fishhugger said:

i don't get why the slx mh rod specifies power pro rating of  --- 20 to 50#.  as a newbie to BC's - the rod doesn't seem strong enough to handle 50# line... the mono rating is 10 to 20#, which seems totally reasonable....

Fairly confident that Shimano bought PowerPro about 10 years ago, maybe more.  So, it's marketing.  You'll notice this if you pay attention to packaging.  For example, Rapala will suggest their crankbaits be thrown on Suffix line. Also, from a diameter perspective, 50# braid is the average size of about 12# mono.