My first cast with BFS was surprisingly disappointing. Haha.

[Darth-Baiter]

Shimano BFS reel, Phenix feather rod.  
 

I put it together with excitement.  Tie on a tiny 1/8 bait. Hmmmm, reel feels crunchy.  Crunchy?

 

I let it rip. It goes five feet.  I don't understand?  Closer inspection. The shop put so much line on the spool it was rubbing against the reel’s chassis!  I get rid of a fistful of line and it’s now smooth.  2nd cast goes onto my tree. Oops.  
 

I’ll go to the park this morning with a tiny casting plug.    I did flip that tiny lure a crazy distance.   This is going to be fun. A bigger fish will be interesting. 

[bulldog1935]

no offense, but no shop is going to line any of my reels - for 40 years. 

 

 

don't feel bad, you should hear the horror stories of people who let fly shops load backing on their antique Hardy. 

[FryDog62]

1/8 oz will go a long ways - the acid test for me is how well a BFS reel will cast a 1/16th oz hair jig on 6 or 7 lb fluorocarbon. Have had good luck with both Daiwa Air and your Shimano BFS. Big price diff between the two, will be interesting to see if the Shimano lasts as long durability-wise over time. 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

no offense, but no shop is going to line any of my reels - for 40 years. 

 

 

don't feel bad, you should hear the horror stories of people who let fly shops load backing on their antique Hardy. 

If God wanted us using antiques, he wouldn't have given us museums and glass cases...

Please don't go to the Smithsonian and try to take a ride on one of the planes...

[cyclops2]

The over filling of a reel is just their way of making more money on a customer. What is the age of that giant spool ?   Sitting in the UV light of Fluorescent bulbs.  Breaking strength ? 

[bulldog1935]

@Deleted account c. 1933 Medalist, the glass is Cummings Water Witch from '70s

I could make this thread run for 2 pages with (big fish and) reels I bought, fished 5 years and sold for twice what I paid.  Two of my go-to fly rods are 1915 and 1918. 

[Deleted account]

7 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Deleted account c. 1933 Medalist

I could make this thread run for 2 pages with reels (and big fish) I bought, fished 5 years and sold for twice what I paid.  Two of my go-to fly rods are 1915 and 1918. 

Most of my medalists are JDM  . I still commercial fish with a sidewinder. I fished with one of Babe Ruth's until it fell apart, the guy who owned it reminded me of you (maybe the other way around) I did it just to mess with him. 

[bulldog1935]

When a click-pawl reel goes off, you always get strange looks from the guy nearby who just stepped out of the LL Bean catalog. 

 

[JustJames]

Wow even shimano bfs doesn’t have tight tolerance for such small line. What line did you have them spool? It is very good practice to start spool the reel yourself, I guess. You don’t really need a lot of line with shallow spool, 50-70 yds is plenty. You can try different line type that would fit your need. If I may suggest, 10lb Sufix 832 or 6lb hybrid line is good start. Alway bring spool of line with you, one mess up and you might need to re spool.

Im not sure how centrifugal magnetic (FTB) perform. You might have to adjust the way you cast. At 1/8oz you might be able to whip it out there but below that or not so aerodynamic lure you might have to do some lob easy cast. 
Practice with casting plug is good but try to mix with real thing you plan to use with that setup, so you learn how to adjust accordingly. Don’t be shy to use spool tension to help if spool spin too fast when first start.

It is a shame, my desire for BFS is way down and prevent me getting one of those Shimano BFS. I love Curado 70 platform the most comfortable palming and still wonder of how FTB perform compare to Daiwa SV or Abu linear mag brake.

 

[cyclops2]

I always practiced with the exact lure I would use in varying breezes. With or against the wind. Then your casting is already muscle memorized for all the real conditions.

 

[jigheadworm]

I got the same rod and reel and i have 15 lb power pro with 8 lb invisix leader. With a 1/10 head and trd just a flick of the wrist throws it a long way. 

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Im not sure how centrifugal magnetic (FTB) perform.

I feel FTB requires more thumb input than the Daiwa brakes.  Not that it's a bad thing, but that's what makes it different to me.  I own and fish both but still prefer the Daiwa style brake. 

 

[roadwarrior]

 SHIMANO CALCUTTA CONQUEST BFS HG (Right Handle)

Megabass Destroyer P5 FOst-66X

#6 Tatsu

 

I have fished this a few times, but I think I am going to sell the rig. This might be the perfect BFS,

but it's not designed for Tennessee River smallmouth. If you are interested, let me know.

 

 https://megabassusa.com/product/destroyer-p5-f0st-66x-siglett/

https://japantackle.com/casting-reels/shimano/round-shaped-casting-reels/reg0000212.html

[ATA]

49 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

 SHIMANO CALCUTTA CONQUEST BFS HG (Right Handle)

Megabass Destroyer P5 FOst-66X

#6 Tatsu

 

I have fished this a few times, but I think I am going to sell the rig. This might be the perfect BFS,

but it's not designed for Tennessee River smallmouth. If you are interested, let me know.

 

 https://megabassusa.com/product/destroyer-p5-f0st-66x-siglett/

https://japantackle.com/casting-reels/shimano/round-shaped-casting-reels/reg0000212.html

Thats a great combo, anyone get it is very lucky to have it.

[Derek1]

52 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

 SHIMANO CALCUTTA CONQUEST BFS HG (Right Handle)

Megabass Destroyer P5 FOst-66X

#6 Tatsu

 

I have fished this a few times, but I think I am going to sell the rig. This might be the perfect BFS,

but it's not designed for Tennessee River smallmouth. If you are interested, let me know.

 

 https://megabassusa.com/product/destroyer-p5-f0st-66x-siglett/

https://japantackle.com/casting-reels/shimano/round-shaped-casting-reels/reg0000212.html

The write up on that rod sure sounds fantastic 

[ATA]

I remember my first cast, It was 3 yards ?. But I did it again and again while loosing the break, I jump to 1/16oz and when I cast 1000 times I tried 1/8oz and I cast that like a pro. I have conquest BFS and spool that with Varivas avani braid.

[PressuredFishing]

I have a love hate relationship with bfs, It's great and practical for bass, the only problems are the price tag. I did heavy research into them for trout as well, but after thinking long and hard its stupid to spend 600+ on a combo where a nice 100$ spinning combo with ball bearing swivels will prevent the line twist created by current and trout lures. The cheapest cdm combo I could get together for trout was around 110$, but that's with all cdm gear that would be suitable for trout.

 

Finally bfs is starting to turn into an elitist sport like fly fishing, this roots back to all the people that think spinning combos are fairy wonds or incompetent fisherman. At the end of the day I use bfs for bass, but using it for trout/crappie/whatever even with the highest end combo is simply rooted in the "superiority of BC reels" or wanting to look cool out on the water, even if they backlash every 2-3 casts trying to toss a trout magnet on their 600$ combo at a stocked trout pond. 

[LCG]

Since becoming more proficient with baitcasters, I keep debating selling my Stradic FL to fund the purchase of a Curado BFS reel. Keep going back and forth on the issue.

 

The control and mechanics appeal to me, but skipping and vertical fall seems like it would be easier with spinning reels. Line capacity can be an issue, although it has never been for me so far.

 

I have both the SLX MGL and Curado 70 MGL. The lightest thing I throw is a weightless trickworm and a 1/16oz Ned rig (3/16oz total). These reels can do it, but I need a proper rod to really help further. 

 

Bait monkey at my door...

[roadwarrior]

Boys and their toys...

 

I bought mine last fall and I have about a thousand dollars in it. 
That's not a "great value", but it is a great rig. The deal doesn't

 really fit me so I may sell the combo. 

[cyclops2]

I still have a excellent glass rod from 5 years after they came out. I can showoff with a power cast that has a shiner on it.  Reel in a still swim crazy bait.  What makes a average rod become junk in a couple of years ?    

 

Much smarter fish ?

[TnRiver46]

I hope a neighbor or two was watching when you caught the tree

 

I was practicing with a few reels in my

yard once. I tied on a finesse worm with no hook and flung it out there. As I was retrieving it back across the yard, a mocking bird started dive bombing it out of nowhere. I finally reeled it away from that bird and I saw him fly way down the street, coast is clear. I made a second cast and as I’m reeling that one in, a cardinal dive bombs it out of nowhere. Then I went inside, yard casting is for the birds 

[T-Billy]

42 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I hope a neighbor or two was watching when you caught the tree

 

I was practicing with a few reels in my

yard once. I tied on a finesse worm with no hook and flung it out there. As I was retrieving it back across the yard, a mocking bird started dive bombing it out of nowhere. I finally reeled it away from that bird and I saw him fly way down the street, coast is clear. I made a second cast and as I’m reeling that one in, a cardinal dive bombs it out of nowhere. Then I went inside, yard casting is for the birds 

Never do that in the morning. The early bird WILL get your worm.

[Chet C]

i picked up a new daiwa tatula rod a few weeks ago and my first cast was 3 yds, my yard my neighbors yd and his neighbors yd. (lol)

 

 

chet

[TnRiver46]

41 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Never do that in the morning. The early bird WILL get your worm.

Both of those jokers got it, but I got it back hahaha. Apparently song bird talons are no match for 6 lb test 

[Deleted account]

"Casting BFS into the wind" made my Sahara 1000 giggle...