SRP Canal Using New BFS Reel

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings,

A fishing adventure in the metro Phoenix area at a Salt River Project (SRP) canal using a new BFS reel. I had the opportunity to make the 200 mile journey to metro PHX. Since the errands would not take long but needed to be accomplished I would use the remainder of my day angling. Now if you have not been to metro PHX it is really hot this time of year. We are talking weeks of temperatures over 110 F which pretty much heat soaks everything so the thermal buildup is something not to be experienced if you can avoid it. Growing up here in AZ it is something you just learn to deal with the best you can. At least in other areas of AZ it gets hot during the day and cools as the sun sets. Not so much in the metro areas.

 

OK, I am a recreational angler that prefers using ultra lite gear and small soft plastic baits. On this adventure I'm using a light action 5.5 foot rod with my $40 casting reel loaded with six pound mono tied to a 3 inch curly tailed grub on a 1/16 oz jig head. Yes, tossing that on a budget casting reel is a challenge but it is doable. I've set the friction brake to where I can barely detect some lateral play on the spool spindle, so the spool is controlled by the magnetic brake and my thumb. Using this configuration I have to use a very early release point with a graceful motion to achieve a reasonable cast. Since I am angling across a canal no long bomb casts are needed. This is good enough to get the bait to the opposite bank just at the edge where I gently raise the rod tip to drag the soft plastic to where it gently tumbles down into the angled canal wall. Apparently this tumble entry seems to generate local interest. Hey, it works as I caught several bass and catfish doing just this. I fished this rig for just over an hour catching fish while strolling along the canal. The SRP canal system is also a linear park system where there are groomed trails along the canal. Nice wide open casting which helps with the lobbing cast action combined with the early release point. Not ideal but it does work.

 

At close to lunch time I decided to take a break from angling and investigate a lower cost BFS reel option at a nearby tackle store. It just happens to be near where my late uncle resided. Golly have things changed since the late 70s and 80s. So built up, I only recognize the intersections from back in the principle agriculture days. The tackle store was a great shop. They had a right hand retrieve reel in stock so I got a good look at it and decided to purchase it. I still had a little bit of time before departing the area. So I spooled up some six pound mono onto the shallow spool and swapped out my other reel on the light action rod. Back to the canal only this time seeking an area where one of the freeways passes over. At least I would be in the shade although when the air temp is above 113 F, everything is an oven, even in the shade too.

 

I got the reel configured for success. I made a test cast when I arrived in the shaded portion of the canal. Satisfied with the settings, friction brake, magnetic brake, and drag. I decided to go actually work the bait properly. On my second cast, as the bait tumbled into the water it was smashed hard! Immediately line peeled from the spool and the drag clicker sounded off as my rod arced over under load. The fish was charging down the canal taking advantage of the current. I'm just a spectator at this point. I'm simply holding in place to see what will happen next. While doing so I did manage to admire the smooth drag of this new reel. Since I wasn't confident of the reel's drag I simply observed and did not make an adjustment during the fish's run. I did not want to risk the binding potential. It worked well and eventually the fish yielded. The faster retrieve ratio is nice to have.

 

 

My observations on tossing the same bait using the same rod between the two reels. The BFS reel requires much less dedicated user effort. Casting using the BFS is closer to what I'm accustomed to with my ultra lite spinning gear. Casting effort is close and I greatly appreciate that. I believe I have a better suited lighter action crappie rod that should be even better to use as it is lighter in overall weight and should better balance with the very light polymer BFS reel. For now the six pound mono is working well. I may eventually swap down to four pound mono after I have more time using it. It does cast well. It is much easier to make precision casts with low user effort and input. The low spool start up resistance does not require as early of a release point. This allows better cast control with accuracy. The very light weight of the overall package is very comfortable to use. I'm looking forward to more angling adventures with it. My initial opinion is that BFS may represent a better fishing system, better suited for my style of ultra lite angling. Be well and cheers!

[Jason Penn]

i've had a shallow spool in a tatula sv for a few years, and was happy with it. i got a dark wolf ultra, and a kestrel elite in june, and both of those reels seem to throw 1/16oz jig heads better than the tatula.

 

bfs setups have really been a blast for me. i've used spinning a pretty good bit over the past 25 years, but i didn't grow up using them. when i was a kid walking the banks of local ponds, i used a diawa spincast reel on 5' or 5.5' pistol grip rod throwing a jig trying to catch crappie. so using bfs gear pretty much takes me back to my childhood lol