New to Baitcasting: Selecting and Pairing Up Reels to Rods

[JbroBass]

I'm new to baitcasting and I'm trying to choose two reels to match the two rods that I already bought. I'm going to try to stick to just two casting rods for now, to go along with the spinning set-ups that I already own.

 

The first rod is 7' crankbait casting rod with moderate taper rated for 8-17lb test line and 1/4 to 1oz lures. I imagine using this rod for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, jerk baits and worms and with something like 12lb fluro.

 

The second rod is 7'1" medium casting rod with fast taper rated for 8-17lb test and 1/4 to 5/8oz lures. I imagine using this rod for frogs, poppers, swim jigs, and chatterbaits and with something like 20-30 pound braid.

 

I'm looking for a reel(s) that would be good to learn baitcasting with and would pair well with each set-up. Right now I'm leaning toward Shimano SLX DC with the 7.2:1 gear ratio for the first set-up, and the same with the 6.3:1 gear ratio for the second. It also comes in 8.2:1 if anybody thinks that would be better for either set-up.

 

Note: I assume the line rating on the rods is referring to fluoro or mono and that I could use a heavier braid with either (since it's thinner) if I choose to?

 

Thoughts on if this reel and in the noted gear ratios are good choices?

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, JbroBass said:

I'm looking for a reel(s) that would be good to learn baitcasting with and would pair well with each set-up. Right now I'm leaning toward Shimano SLX DC with the 7.2:1 gear ratio for the first set-up, and the same with the 6.3:1 gear ratio for the second. It also comes in 8.2:1 if anybody thinks that would be better for either set-up.

I'd put the 6.3:1 on the MH/M rod - that's the ratio I use on my crankbait rig

 

I'd also use that rig for the chatterbaits - realize that the published weight is JUST for the head. You have to add in the weight of the hook, blade and skirt to get the true weight. If you use a trailer, it gets even worse.

For example - I actually weighed my 3/8oz Z-Man Original chatterbait with my standard trailer, a Berkley Pit Boss - total weight was well over 5/8oz.

 

The 7.1 on the M/F rod would be better for poppers and jerks.

Jigs on that rod are problematical - same issue with weight as with the chatterbaits. Even with 3/8oz jigs, I prefer a MH/F rod to handle them.

 

Frogs...(rocks his hand back and forth)...it's doable on a medium power rod, but not ideal. I actually toss frogs on a H/F (12#-25# line, 3/8-1.5oz lures)

[WRB]

HCan you the OP the rod number; 84MH mod fast and 85MF and mfr?

6.3:1 with 12# Mono w/ 84MH mod. Crank baits, spinner baits, chatter baits etc.

7:2:1 with braid/12# mono leader on the 85MF. For everything else. Not a braid to leader fan but it should help out the MF rod with hook set on bottom contact lures.

FC is expensive for new to bait casting reel users. 12# Berkley Big Game Mono will do everything you need.

Tom

[JbroBass]

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

HCan you the OP the rod number; 84MH mod fast and 85MF and mfr?

 

 

I don't understand what you are asking. Are you asking me to ID the manufacturer and model of the rods? If yes, I think it may be one of the companies that are not supposed to be mentioned on here so I just noted the specifications. 

[WRB]

13 Fishing is allowed now I believe.

If your rods are new unused I suggest changing the 84 MM (7’) to MHF general use bass rod. The 85 (7’1”) MF to MHM crank bait rod.

Tom

PS, tapper is meaningless to bass rods, use Action listed Power then Action for less confusion.

[FrnkNsteen]

I agree completely with Tom. I'd use the moderate action with cranks, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and even the topwater, though not the frog. Just anything with treble hooks. 

 

Then,.. If you haven't bought, or coyld still exchange,... I'd want a universal use MH Fast rod you could use for jigs, worms, and maybe frogs in light cover

[JbroBass]

These rods are not too expensive. I could just purchase a MH/F if I'm not able to exchange.

 

Does anybody see any future use case for the 7'1" M/F? 

[Eric 26]

17 hours ago, JbroBass said:

These rods are not too expensive. I could just purchase a MH/F if I'm not able to exchange.

 

Does anybody see any future use case for the 7'1" M/F? 

Light Texas rigs as in light wire gauge hooks with 1/4 ounce bullet weight with 4” tube or worm is what I used mine for last year and loved it. Also 1/4 ounce swim jigs would pair well.

Weightless flukes might work as well.

[PhishLI]

19 hours ago, JbroBass said:

These rods are not too expensive

We all started somewhere. No shame. Nobody's gonna judge you. Just spill the beans on the manufacturer and models. No jail time. No celly named Bubba.  Just the asterisk treatment if it's forbidden.

[TNBankFishing]

23 hours ago, JbroBass said:

I'm new to baitcasting and I'm trying to choose two reels to match the two rods that I already bought. I'm going to try to stick to just two casting rods for now, to go along with the spinning set-ups that I already own.

 

The first rod is 7' crankbait casting rod with moderate taper rated for 8-17lb test line and 1/4 to 1oz lures. I imagine using this rod for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, jerk baits and worms and with something like 12lb fluro.

 

The second rod is 7'1" medium casting rod with fast taper rated for 8-17lb test and 1/4 to 5/8oz lures. I imagine using this rod for frogs, poppers, swim jigs, and chatterbaits and with something like 20-30 pound braid.

 

I'm looking for a reel(s) that would be good to learn baitcasting with and would pair well with each set-up. Right now I'm leaning toward Shimano SLX DC with the 7.2:1 gear ratio for the first set-up, and the same with the 6.3:1 gear ratio for the second. It also comes in 8.2:1 if anybody thinks that would be better for either set-up.

 

Note: I assume the line rating on the rods is referring to fluoro or mono and that I could use a heavier braid with either (since it's thinner) if I choose to?

 

Thoughts on if this reel and in the noted gear ratios are good choices?

 

 

 

I’d shy away from the SLX DC as the DC won’t make learning any easier and might train you to have bad habits. Select any of the major brands, Lews, Daiwa, Shimano, Abu Garcia and look at their ~ $100 dollar aluminum frame reels. Try a couple on your rod at the shop (no decent shop will stop you from doing this) and choose what feels best. The positive with choosing even two different brands you’ll see what you like best over time.
 

I started as a Shimano guy, never even tried other brands. Now after 2 years of serious tournament use I’ve fallen in love with the simplicity of Daiwa/Lews/Abu on a number of my rods. I still run high end shimano reels, but they live on rods with a certain job that don’t take much adjustment on the water. With a Daiwa I can change from a 1/4 small crank to a 3/4 whopper plopper with a couple turns of the brake dial. 
 

I suggest 7.1 speed for all techniques because for me personally I tend to reel to slowly when I’m not super focused. The only time I drop below is deep diving cranks, and above is jerkbaits and punching. 
 

As others have mentioned the MF might serve you better being stepped up into a MH for the techniques you want to throw. 
 

Line ratings never matter to me. I use the lines I feel confident in with the techniques I use. You don’t need 25lb flouro to flip trees. 99% of my line is between 10 and 15lb. The only time I lean into the heavy stuff is punching and serious frogging. You can frog on 30-40lb braid all day in the majority of locations. 
 

If you’re starting out, buy inexpensive line. You’ll blow up reels more often in the beginning and won’t have the experience to fix them quickly. Try to find a sale on a bulk spool of 10 to 14lb line and use it up. If you want to frog, I’d use that technique when you get your fist heavy rod. Frogging is really just topwater in slop. 

[JbroBass]

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

We all started somewhere. No shame. Nobody's gonna judge you. Just spill the beans on the manufacturer and models. No jail time. No celly named Bubba.  Just the asterisk treatment if it's forbidden.

 

WRB nailed it: 13 Fishing.

 

I wasn't ashamed, I actually thought that they couldn't be mentioned on this forum. (I read it somewhere on the forum when I was new and reading all the rules threads.) 

 

 

[JbroBass]

2 hours ago, TNBankFishing said:

I’d shy away from the SLX DC as the DC won’t make learning any easier and might train you to have bad habits.

 

I've read this viewpoint a few times, as well as viewpoints from people who disagree with it. I will say one of the reasons that I chose this model with the DC is I watched a video about how to set up and start learning with this reel, and it appears that I can progressively back off of the controls as I gain more experience and eventually ease into using the reel basically "wide open". This, to my mind, seemed akin to starting with training wheels and eventually removing them, so it seemed like a good idea. 

 

Why do you say it won't make it any easier? From watching the video, it seems like if you set it up properly and with tight controls to start, you can basically cast backlash free with no thumbing at all. This comes at the expense of casting distance. 

 

What kind of bad habits do you think I could develop if I push my self aggressively to loosen the controls up as soon as I start to get it? 

 

[I don't mean for this post to be argumentative. But as mentioned above, I did read posts by people for and against starting with this reel, and then also watched some videos, and to me it just seemed like almost a perfect starting point with the ability to roll back toward a more uncontrolled state as I gained experience and skills.]

[PhishLI]

13 hours ago, JbroBass said:

I've read this viewpoint a few times, as well as viewpoints from people who disagree with it.

Do whatever makes you happy. If surfcasters who sling lead on spinners with technique that would blowup any baitcaster can make the transition then you can make the transition from a DC to a non DC, if you put your mind to it. You might not even struggle with it at all. Honesty, while I've heard this hypothesis before about new guys hamstringing themselves with a DC reel, I have yet to hear a true to life story of this occurring.

[TNBankFishing]

1 hour ago, JbroBass said:

 

I've read this viewpoint a few times, as well as viewpoints from people who disagree with it. I will say one of the reasons that I chose this model with the DC is I watched a video about how to set up and start learning with this reel, and it appears that I can progressively back off of the controls as I gain more experience and eventually ease into using the reel basically "wide open". This, to my mind, seemed akin to starting with training wheels and eventually removing them, so it seemed like a good idea. 

 

Why do you say it won't make it any easier? From watching the video, it seems like if you set it up properly and with tight controls to start, you can basically cast backlash free with no thumbing at all. This comes at the expense of casting distance. 

 

What kind of bad habits do you think I could develop if I push my self aggressively to loosen the controls up as soon as I start to get it? 

 

[I don't mean for this post to be argumentative. But as mentioned above, I did read posts by people for and against starting with this reel, and then also watched some videos, and to me it just seemed like almost a perfect starting point with the ability to roll back toward a more uncontrolled state as I gained experience and skills.]

There is no argument here and I totally understand the good points of the DC system. I think they are fantastic tools, especially for people who need to change baits a lot without messing with the internal brakes. 
 

My personal experience is my friend and I started bass fishing again after years of just throwing live bait. He went with a DC reel as he had a lot more funds than I did at the time. What happened is when it came time to branch into other brands or different techniques he had to start over to a limited extent.
 

Things like skipping, pitching, and long distance bombing deep divers without a DC reel requires more skill and experience. While he spent a lot on the first reel, a Met DC, when he picked up a Bantam he had a learning curve he wasn’t expecting. He had a habit of not feeling the line or spool start up, not just end. He had trained himself to snap cast because even at full open the DC settings helped prevent backlashes. He couldn’t skip properly because as he put it he had “a numb thumb”. 
 

When he finally tried Daiwa reels around the same time I did his first impression was it was just a simpler setup. They aren’t “better” than DC reels, and they aren’t worse. They are different and have different strengths and weaknesses. He has now followed in my footsteps a little, but he went more down the Abu road than Daiwa. 
 

For a beginner I believe in the long term training of your thumb and saving the extra cash will benefit in the end. 
 

As always do what makes you happy, it’s your hobby and I hope you just have fun. 

[Deleted account]

16 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Nobody's gonna judge you. 

I'm wearing a robe, and holding a gavel. How on earth can anyone see a "future use" for someone else without knowing where, and how they intend to, let alone actually end up fishing?

[Deephaven]

DC reels are at their best throwing sails in the wind.  Ie, spinner baits and such.  For the rest I don't see the logic in paying for them.  For my spinner bait rod though the met DC is heaven.

I too would recommend a MH.  For only a couple techniques I go lighter.

[MickD]

Regarding pound test of the line, it does not matter relative to the rod rating.  Use whatever works for

your skills and techniques.  And don't bend the rod more than 90 degrees.  The closer you get to pointing the rod at the load, the less the stress on the rod.  It's about your rod handling technique, not about the pound test.  Sort of like the clutch on a manual transmission car.  Treat it right and it will last a lifetime.  Treat it wrong and you can fail it in seconds.  

 

For a new baitcaster I would strongly recommend starting with mono line.  It simply casts the best of the options and isn't fragile like FC is.  I simply don't use FC any more.  Too frustratingly stiff on spin, too fragile for the inevitable backlash on baitcast.  I've been fishing baitcasters since I was a kid and still get backlashes now and then.  FC can fail with the first backlash.  I really like Suffix Elite in 14 pound test.  I think mono in the 12-16 pound test is the sweet spot for most baitcast applications.  If fishing heavy cover, you may want to go heavier.  But I would learn on 12-16.

[JbroBass]

9 hours ago, Deleted account said:

I'm wearing a robe, and holding a gavel. How on earth can anyone see a "future use" for someone else without knowing where, and how they intend to, let alone actually end up fishing?

 

Perhaps the question could have been phrased better, more like "what applications/use cases would this rod be more suited for". It seems obvious to me that that is what I was getting at. But then again, it's probably obvious to me since I wrote it. 

[WRB]

On 5/8/2022 at 4:57 PM, JbroBass said:

These rods are not too expensive. I could just purchase a MH/F if I'm not able to exchange.

 

Does anybody see any future use case for the 7'1" M/F? 

5” unweighted Senko’s, 1/8-3/16 oz bullet weight 6” worms, top water lures to 1/2 oz, structure spoons and under spins to 3/8 oz, lots of choices. It’s a little more difficult to work dog walking top water lures and jerk baits with 7’1” rod but doable.

Tom