Should I get a Bait Caster

[QED]

"Should I get a Bait Caster"

 

Simple answer - yes.  The more difficult question is "which one?"  Lew's makes excellent, cost effective casting reels in the low to mid tier price range so I would second the earlier recommendations regarding them.

[dodgeguy]

2 hours ago, MickD said:

My teen-age granddaughter learned quickly on a Fuego.  I think for those of us who are knowledgeable but not expert will find the Daiwas very good.  I've not owned a Lew's.

 

One thing that I would strongly recommend for a beginner, start with mono line, about 12-14 pound test.  Braid has issues that might slow you down, and FC most likely will be very costly (fragile, birdsnests don't often come out without damaging the line) and frustrating.  

Totally disagree. Braid in 50 lb test is the way to start. Definitely backlashes far less and handles better. 

[Bird]

Yes to baitcaster....... certain baits I simply won't throw on spinning.

[bulldog1935]

On 6/18/2022 at 2:18 PM, MickD said:

...One thing that I would strongly recommend for a beginner, start with mono line, about 12-14 pound test.  Braid has issues that might slow you down, and FC most likely will be very costly (fragile, birdsnests don't often come out without damaging the line) and frustrating. 

 

No offense to Mick, this should be a no-brainer.  I didn't set up my first braid reel until backlash was less than a distant memory.  Most of the reels you buy off the shelf are set up for mono, and this is where everybody should begin on baitcaster (a few here will take exception).  Even when I build a braid-specific reel, I set up the brakes casting disposable mono (or yozuri hybrid) from a bulk spool. 

Don't mess with braid until your confidence is over the top. 

 

[roadwarrior]

Don't mess with braid until your confidence is over the top. 

 

 

 

                                                    

[new2BC4bass]

A word of advice if you go with the Fuego.  Don't over tighten the spool tension.  I did.  Knew no one using a baitcast reel.  Wasn't aware of videos describing how to set a reel up.  This was in 2009 and at 61 it wasn't as easy for me to learn as it should be for a younger person.  Took longer than it should  have.  Sent the reel out for cleaning and some upgrades at the end of the season.

 

The youngster who did the work said he couldn't cast a 1/4 oz. lure the way I had it set up because of the excess spool tension.  Explained to me the proper way to set up the reel.  Basically I had to re-learn how to cast again the next year.  But it was worth it.  Currently use 10 different brands of reels with several different types of brakes.

 

BTW, my first reel was a Fuego...the OG Fuego.  Fantastic reels.  Good luck with your decision.

[redmeansdistortion]

Heck yeah, get yourself one.  It never hurts to add to your arsenal and learn something new at the same time.  Yes, there is definitely a learning curve, but I can imagine the reels now are far easier to learn on than the stuff I learned with a few decades ago.  As mentioned above, the Fuego CT would be a good reel to learn on, but the SLX is also another good option.  Those two reels fall into the same price bracket and punch well above their price point, most of all they are workhorse reels.  They will take abuse day after day and still get the job done.

[MickD]

5 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

No offense to Mick,

No offense taken.

[casts_by_fly]

18 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Totally disagree. Braid in 50 lb test is the way to start. Definitely backlashes far less and handles better. 

 

4 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Don't mess with braid until your confidence is over the top. 

 

 

 

                                                    

definitely start with something like 14 lb big game. 1500 yard spool for $7.  That will fill your reel a dozen times over. If you use it once and change to braid later then you’ve spent $7 to learn how to cast a baitcaster. You still have it for backing. When learning how to cast, there will come a time or two when you blow up the reel beyond the point of picking it out. Just take a razor blade, cut it down to the spool, and pull it all out and start again. 

[Happybeerbuzz]

No.  A usable one will cost you between $60 to $500+.  Once you go down that rabbit hole, you will discover you NEED somewhere between 5 to 137 of them.  I might be exaggerating, but not by much.  

[new2BC4bass]

4 hours ago, Happybeerbuzz said:

No.  A usable one will cost you between $60 to $500+.  Once you go down that rabbit hole, you will discover you NEED somewhere between 5 to 137 of them.  I might be exaggerating, but not by much.  

Nope, not by much.  No way could I be considered well off, but I've still managed to collect about 100 baitcast reels since my first one in March 2009.  What really sucks is that I haven't been able to get out much the past 4 years, but that didn't stop my buying.  I now have reels that haven't been spooled with line yet much less fished.