1st Baitcaster MH Fast or Moderate?

[Wilk816]

Hey all. I hate to make this post since there is so much good information on this website and youtube etc. But I'm a bit overwelmed, and I overthink things as it is. I've been primarily a crappie fisherman the last 20 or so years. I'm looking to get into Bass this year, and unfortunately I don't know anything about it. I can't even cast a baitcaster yet. But I'm gonna learn this year.

 

I have a lot of spinning reels already. Mostly 2500 shimanos or pfluegers.

 

Bass Spinning Rods:

ML Spinning Rod ~7ft - Brand new not setup yet, bought last year & haven't used it much

M Spinning Rod ~7ft - Brand new not setup yet, bought last year & haven't used it at all

* Looking to add first baitcaster. Given my spinning setups I already have, I want a MH but can't decide if I want to go Fast or Moderate for my first one. 

 

I'd like to spool it with Flouro or Braid and leave it alone. I know the rods can do a lot of different techniques, but I don't want to be respooling line all the time. I imagine if I need to, I will just add another rod eventually to spool the alternate line and leave it dedicated to that setup.

 

Not sure 100% which techniques go with fast vs moderate etc. Looking to make the purchase to get the most use out of it while it is the only baitcaster I have at first. Thanks in advance, sorry this ended up being a lot to read lol.

 

 

TLDR:

MH Baitcaser; should I go Fast or Moderate for first/only baitcaster starting off? I will spool it with either braid or mono and leave it alone and learn those techniques associated with that line type. I guess I'm asking, which will I get the best/most use out of initially this spring/summer.

[casts_by_fly]

medium heavy, moderate fast.  Plenty of choices there.  Get something in the 7' range.  1/4-3/4 or 1/4-1 oz casting weight range.  Fish the same rod all year for most of the techniques that catch bass.  That's the most do everything setup you'll find.

[MediumMouthBass]

For a fast action you would be better suited for Texas rigs, football jigs, paddle tail swimbaits, plus spinnerbaits and frogs. Pretty much anything where you will be fishing on the bottom or in vegetation.

 

Whereas a true moderate rod is really only great for crankbaits (square bills-flatsides-mid/deep divers). It can and will work for other techniques but thats all personal preference as some do or dont like using moderate rods for other things. (I would pass on a moderate rod for a first baitcaster unless you really like fishing crankbaits)

 

I think a moderate-fast would be the best action for someones first baitcaster if they planned on using moving baits over all else. You could fish buzzbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, topwaters, jerkbaits, but also be able to fish paddle tail swimbaits and crankbaits on it too.

[Bass Rutten]

Are your confidence lure types bottom contact (jigs, worms) or chuck and wind lures(chatter/spinnerbaits, crankbaits)? Fast for bottom contact, moderate for chuck and wind lures.

[WRB]

Boat it bank fisherman?

Your spinning tackle is very good for several soft plastics and finesse presentations.

5” wacky rigged Senko’s weightless and Flick Sake 1/8 oz jig w/ Jackall  4.8 worm and Ned rigs for the MF rod.

Drop shot and Finesse C-rig for the ML rod.

I suggest the M mod for the bait caster to learn to cast with using a variety of lures 1/4 iz to 5/8 oz. Also suggest using 12 lb Big Game mono, good line that isn’t expensive for the 1st year.

Anglers use to spinning combo’s usually try to whip the cast and that doesn’t work with bait casters, let the rod lunch the lure!

Tom

[Wilk816]

1 hour ago, Bass Rutten said:

Are your confidence lure types bottom contact (jigs, worms) or chuck and wind lures(chatter/spinnerbaits, crankbaits)? Fast for bottom contact, moderate for chuck and wind lures.

I'm open to buying a rod for either setup. Probably aiming for which I'll get the most opportunity to use the most, to start off.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Boat it bank fisherman?

Your spinning tackle is very good for several soft plastics and finesse presentations.

5” wacky rigged Senko’s weightless and Flick Sake 1/8 oz jig w/ Jackall  4.8 worm and Ned rigs for the MF rod.

Drop shot and Finesse C-rig for the ML rod.

I suggest the M mod for the bait caster to learn to cast with using a variety of lures 1/4 iz to 5/8 oz. Also suggest using 12 lb Big Game mono, good line that isn’t expensive for the 1st year.

Anglers use to spinning combo’s usually try to whip the cast and that doesn’t work with bait casters, let the rod lunch the lure!

Tom

Sorry I should have included that, I do have a boat.

 

If going Medium-Moderate w/ 12# mono - what types of lures/rigs would you suggest I mainly focus on?

[rangerjockey]

Medium heavy fast.

[F14A-B]

I vote MH-fast for Texas rigs, which is something else you’ll need to learn, (strike detection) but for years and years and yes even now I throw traps on a Heavy - MBR - fast action and never have missed fish. At any rate that’s my opinion. 

[4g63power]

MH fast will cover a lot of stuff.  As for it being your first baitcaster setup, a M fast rod will be easier to cast and learn with and still cover a lot of stuff as well.

[new2BC4bass]

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

medium heavy, moderate fast.  Plenty of choices there.  Get something in the 7' range.  1/4-3/4 or 1/4-1 oz casting weight range.  Fish the same rod all year for most of the techniques that catch bass.  That's the most do everything setup you'll find.

I agree with this.  I started out with MHF because that was what the vast majority of people suggested.  Now I have several rods with Mod.-Fast, Med.-Fast and Regular actions.  Although not Moderate action rods, they handle treble hook lures just fine as long as you don't tighten the drag too much.  I've never made a fish water ski.  Although not Fast action, they have no problem setting single hook lures in the weight range I use.  You probably should increase drag pressure a little from what you would set for treble lures.

 

I prefer a mono or co-polymer line (because that is what I grew up with) except when casting into heavy cover.  Most of my MH rods carry 12# lines.  However, if I only had one rod to do everything, then I would most likely consider 40# braid.  Not a fan of leaders, but with only one rod I'd probably use one for some lures to help avoid the soft braid from wrapping around the hooks.  I've never been one to worry about what the fish thinks of the line I'm using.  After all they're dumb enough to try to swallow hunks of metal.

 

A MH rod with one of the 3 actions I mentioned should be as easy as a MF rod to learn to cast with.  Although more powerful than a Medium power rod, they will flex deeper into the rod, and not recover as fast as a Fast action rod which should be beneficial to a newbies casting stroke.

[JackstrawIII]

2 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

Are your confidence lure types bottom contact (jigs, worms) or chuck and wind lures(chatter/spinnerbaits, crankbaits)? Fast for bottom contact, moderate for chuck and wind lures.

This is a great answer. 

 

With that said, when I'm pond fishing and only want to have 1 rod with me, I bring a Megabass Orochi XX 6'10 MHMF and I can throw almost anything on it. So yes, you can do almost anything with one rod... but it's really better to have 1 rod with mono/fluoro and 1 rod with straight braid. You'll get there eventually, so I'd start with the MHMF with mono/fluoro now and then add a HF rod with braid later. 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Wilk816 said:

I'm open to buying a rod for either setup. Probably aiming for which I'll get the most opportunity to use the most, to start off.

 

 

 

 

Sorry I should have included that, I do have a boat.

 

If going Medium-Moderate w/ 12# mono - what types of lures/rigs would you suggest I mainly focus on?

Nearly everything within 1/4 oz to 5/8 weight lures. Top water, spinner baits, buzz baits, shallow and medium diving crank baits including lipless lures, jigs 1/4, T-rig with 1/8 and 3/16 oz sliding sinkers etc. MF would be better but a little harder to prefect your casting timing.

I use my MF as a utility rod for all the above except jigs over 1/4 oz.

Tom

[new2BC4bass]

5 minutes ago, JackstrawIII said:

This is a great answer. 

 

With that said, when I'm pond fishing and only want to have 1 rod with me, I bring a Megabass Orochi XX 6'10 MHMF and I can throw almost anything on it. So yes, you can do almost anything with one rod... but it's really better to have 1 rod with mono/fluoro and 1 rod with straight braid. You'll get there eventually, so I'd start with the MHMF with mono/fluoro now and then add a HF rod with braid later. 

I enjoy using my Smallmouth 6'10" MH-MF.  First fish I caught with it was a nice size crappie on a 7/8 oz. lipless crankbait.  Back home we sometimes called them 'papermouths'. 

 

[Bass Rutten]

I’m surprised this thread hasn’t been posted yet, it has some good solid foundational information.

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

The right MH F, like a 7'2 or 7'3 can do just about anything.  You can use your spinning gear for the lighter stuff until you get a M power casting rod or MF MH.

[Big Hands]

Very simply/generally:

 

If the baits you're wanting to throw are treble hook baits, I would go MH/Moderate.

 

If the baits you're wanting to throw are single hook baits, I would go MH/F.

 

Can you do both with either? Yes, just not as well or as easily, and your results will likely be reflective of that.

[Drew03cmc]

@Wilk816 I am in Overland Park and I have the perfect combo to get you set up for a good price bud. I will send you a message.

[33oldtimer]

Not an expert, but I don't think you'd go wrong with moderate or fast action. Medium Heavy gives you enough backbone to set hooks on anything. I've used a medium heavy to catch bass on top water frogs and on small Texas Rigged lures. Moderate Action might be better for open hook lures like spinnerbaits and especially crankbaits, but if you adjust your hook set both fast and moderate action should do the job IMHO.