First Foray Into BFS

[Big Rick]

After much research and asking a ton of questions to @bulldog1935 I have made my first foray into BFS. Because I didn't want to break off some big bucks for a specialized BFS reel or wait until they finally came into stock I decided to order a spool for a Tatula I had on a shelf. Bulldog gave me great advice on the spool to purchase and it arrived a full month early from the Ukraine. Then I picked his brain a bit more for a budget rod. He so graciously sent me some links and pics of his amazing equipment. I ended up purchasing a Shimano Majestic model B68L-BFS/2. I got the last one Bait Finesse Empire had in stock. 

 

When my rod came in I mounted everything up and spooled on some Smackdown Braid 15#. I weighed my bait at .24oz. I know that's not the lightest bait to throw, but I wanted to insure the reel and I would get along. I was very impressed. Within a few casts I had dialed it in and was bombing cast of 30+ yards. I also could accurately put my bait in an ice cream bucket at 45 feet. 

 

I realize this is a very limited sample and probably of little value, but I feel like it's mission accomplished for less than $200 if you don't account for the Tatula I already had. I guess the main reason for this post is to "officially" say THANKS to Bulldog1935 for being so kind and taking the time to share his wealth of knowledge with me. 

 

I'm excited at the prospect of catching some fish with this rig as I despise using spinning gear. I am already much more accurate with this combo than I ever was with my spinning setups. 

[walleyecrazy]

Nice looking setup. I’ve heard good things about the Tatulas with BFS spools. 

[Eric 26]

@bulldog1935 is a true wealth of knowledge who’s helped me out of a few times also. He also has some pretty awesome looking gear that he shows on here from time to time.

[PressuredFishing]

Bsf is becoming popular 

[roadwarrior]

 From Japan Tackle

 

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

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

 

I have fished it a couple of times and have decided BFS is not my cup of tea.

If you are interested let me know. At cost, no shipping delay and I will absorb

the freight.

[bulldog1935]

As I mentioned to Rick, the nice thing about converting an existing reel - it's a swap-in spool. 

You don't destroy the reel, you just have a different spare spool and line in a can. 

It's a good way to test the water, especially if you can find a good deal on a nice L or ML rod. 

It doesn't replace anything you're already doing, just adds to it. 

The cost-effective Shimano rod he snagged also has a nice wide lure range of <1/8 to 1/2 oz. 

 

 

@casts_by_fly

Rick, let's take it off the board. 

I'll send you a board pm for what I know

Ron

[casts_by_fly]

6 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

As I mentioned to Rick, the nice thing about converting an existing reel - it's a swap-in spool. 

You don't destroy the reel, you just have a different spare spool and line in a can. 

It's a good way to test the water, especially if you can find a good deal on a nice L or ML rod. 

It doesn't replace anything you're already doing, just adds to it. 

can you recommend a drop in bfs spool for the shimano chronarch 100?  I have one here I’m not using and wouldn’t mind trying it. It’s not the SF model, just the basic one. Awesome reel generally but not low profile enough for me to fish it all the time. A bfs rig would be nice to have. 
 

thanks

rick

 

 

[WC53]

Congrats!

I noticed BFE also has a new ajing rod listed for saltwater.  I tried test casting a couple ML and M crankbait rods today and they were quite serviceable.  Always take a reel and a hookless hard bait when browsing.

 

My roro Diawa spool is a little more finicky than my curado bfs, but I get a bit more distance. Now try some 10lb braid!

 

really liking the Finesse Eye weedless hooks in 1/16 ounce. The hooks are a light, but so far so good.  Bonefish 1/16 ounce jigheads are also stout in light sizes.

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, PressuredFishing said:

Bsf is becoming popular 

So is BFS unfortunately...

[bulldog1935]

The unfortunate part is limited supply train over the last couple of years - most of the good stuff has sold out, especially aftermarket spools. 

It seems the Chinese are restocking sooner than Avail and KTF in Japan. 

The AMO spools are really pretty good, and I believe that's what Rick bought from SDScustom on ebay.  (This KTF-look-alike is a Ray's Studio spool from Thailand)

 

[PhishLI]

39 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

So is BFS unfortunately...

...and that makes you angry?

[Deleted account]

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

...and that makes you angry?

No, it makes me sad...

[jbsoonerfan]

Okay, I am not a very smart guy, but isn't 0.24 oz basically 1/4 oz? I thought BFS was like 1/16 or so? But, I don't understand the fad so maybe I am not reading this right.

[bulldog1935]

If you look at BFS not as a fad, but as improved small braid or light-line fishing with a baitcast reel, it all makes a bit more sense.  Yes, at the extreme, you can build a baitcaster that will throw 2 or 3 g. 

The same BFS reel can throw 3/4 or 1 oz. 

Rods to match a BFS reel don't have to be UL, and can be all-range

My all-range bass rod, 1/16 to 5/8 oz

 

My salt rod will throw 2 to 20 g, though I'll admit to using it primarily for 3/16 oz and less. 

It blows comparable spinning tackle out of the bay. 

 

I built this braid Ambassadeur for a small-water frogger with 20-lb X-braid, and it's 100% backlash-proof, from 3 g to an ounce and more - no further adjustments after initial set-up. 

 

[WC53]

7 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Okay, I am not a very smart guy, but isn't 0.24 oz basically 1/4 oz? I thought BFS was like 1/16 or so? But, I don't understand the fad so maybe I am not reading this right.

Lot of cross contamination between UL trout stuff versus bass finesse or what some call power finesse.  IMO. Most of the stuff I am tossing is 1/8-3/16 total weight. Hard baits I like to keep around 2.5-4.5 grams. Soft baits with the wind penetration of a napkin, 3.5-4.5.  A hair jig on a 1/16 jighead weighs about 3.8 grams. I cannot remotely cast it on a standard reel.

 

I don’t use an UL trout stream noodle for a rod. The light baits need a lighter tip to toss accurately and the low inertia of the spools makes all the difference to my old arse. Now I am no longer young nor coordinated so ymmv.

 

Seems to be a lot of hate for “BFS”. I always threw tiny baits in the winter and this was a casting solution for me. Better lures and hooks that weren’t crappie  too.

 

 

[bulldog1935]

My home turf has the water and the fish to throw in the UL or L trout rod. 

Hill country limestone creeks have endemic Guadalupe bass.  When I took Kevin Townsend here, he noted they will live in faster water than trout occupy in coldwater.  We call them Texas Brook Trout, and 15" is a lunker for the species.  This is on a fly rod with a sinking line, but the BFS UL with a sinking trout plug will plug right in here. 

I've mentioned this before, the Japanese began BFS-tuning the small Ambassadeurs for stream trout fishing a decade ago.  They've since applied the reels to finesse bass fishing, and it also caught on here.  The salt finesse is even newer, with BFS rods showing up only within the past few years, though the Japanese have been finesse fishing salt with other tackle for hundreds of years. 

 

The US recognition of BFS is a bass thing, but all off-shelf BFS reels made in Japan are made first for stream trout fishing. The Japanese don't market stream and salt BFS rods to USM. Japan tackle exported to the US is aimed at our traditional definitions of bass and salt as they see it (good luck finding a low-geared spinning reel).  For every model they export to the US, they offer 5 other models to JDM. 

@volzfan59

BFS = Bait finesse system - baitcast reel with the combination of a shallow lightweight spool, low-inertia bearings, and light line.

 

Proof that it's not a fad is that big bait reels are heading in the same direction, with lighter-weight, gradually shallower spools, and touting low-inertia bearings. 

Daiwa uses their own mag-sealed "micro bearings" in every upscale reel size now. 

[Big Rick]

10 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Okay, I am not a very smart guy, but isn't 0.24 oz basically 1/4 oz? I thought BFS was like 1/16 or so? But, I don't understand the fad so maybe I am not reading this right.

You're right, it is. However, that just happened to be what I had handy to throw. I will go lighter to see just how well my new setup will handle it. My ultimate goal of this venture is 1/8 oz. I don't fish any lighter than that on casting gear. So, don't base your opinions or ideas of BFS on my experiences as they are limited and will stay that way....

[fishwizzard]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I've mentioned this before, the Japanese began BFS-tuning the small Ambassadeurs for stream trout fishing a decade ago.  They've since applied the reels to finesse bass fishing, and it also caught on here.  The salt finesse is even newer, with BFS rods showing up only within the past few years, though the Japanese have been finesse fishing salt with other tackle for hundreds of years. 

 

I would argue that the specific term "Bait Finesse System" is and was always a bass thing.  Every JDM rod I have seen with "BFS" or "Bait Finesse" in the description or alphanumeric code has clearly been a bass rod or in a line of other bass rods.  The lighter UL stuff is either labeled "stream" or "light game".  

 

I do agree the UL Abu tuning got it's start with stream fishing but I think that there has always been a clear divide between bass/BFS and UL or Light Game rods ment for trouts/small saltwater species.  

[Deleted account]

I'm out the door in the next 15 minutes to finesse some baits with a spinning rod.

[fishwizzard]

5 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I'm out the door in the next 15 minutes to finesse some baits with a spinning rod.

They keep pushing the rain back and now I wish I had planned my day differently or I’d be out there with my fussy little casting rod!

[volzfan59]

I've seen "BFS" mentioned before. I've never heard of it before. Sorry to ask, but what are we talking about?

@bulldog1935, thank you for your reply. As I was told years ago, "There's no stupid question, you'll never know if you don't ask".

[PhishLI]

47 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I'm out the door in the next 15 minutes to finesse some baits with a spinning rod.

Enjoy!

 

[Deleted account]

6 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

They keep pushing the rain back and now I wish I had planned my day differently or I’d be out there with my fussy little casting rod!

Water was cold and dirty, got a couple of half hearted bumps, nothing came tight, only fished for about 2 hours, didn't feel like dealing with the rain, I'm getting soft in my old age. I'm going pickerel fishing next couple of days, I need a jerk at the other end.

[cyclops2]

I am available .     ?

[PressuredFishing]

6 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Enjoy!

 

Enjoy ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I'd rather take that then below, way easier to cut and retie a wind knot than toy around with a BSf backlash lol