I Have Never Owned A Baitcast!

[mark nowak]

Peer-pressure aside, why do you feel compelled to saddle yourself with baitcasting gear??

Spinning gear was popular in Europe for several years before 'finally' making its way to America.

I cut my teeth on baitcasting tackle in the early 1950s and well remember the day when I seen

my first spinning outfit on Lake Owassa, NJ. As usual, my dad and I were fishing baitcasting gear,

with our typical wood-chopping strokes. We developed an acquired tolerance

for the time we lost picking out bird nests and professional overruns.

Then along comes some hotshot in another boat who was using a surrealistic looking fishing outfit.

He was working the same padfields as us, but was making longer casts with a flick of the wrist.

From that day forth, I knew what I wanted. Though I've come a long way from my first black Mitchell 300 cap and blue Conolon rod, I'm still incurably hooked on spinning gear

Though it flies in the face of the status quo, here's my honest take:

Baitcasting gear (revolving drum) is very useful for deep-sea fishing, billfishing, tuna fishing,

vertical jigging, still fishing, fishing live bait and trolling. In other words, I use baitcasting tackle

for "everything" except casting. For all cast-intensive chores, freshwater & saltwater alike,

all I ever need is spinning gear. I hasten to add of course, that's just one man's opinon.

Roger

Roger,

All very valid points, don't get me wrong, I will still be using my spinning gear a majority of the time. But I believe that baitcasting gear is just another tool to add to the arsenal. I would like to be proficient using this type of rod and reel if the need comes up. I believe now is as good as time as any to begin working on this skill and at least develop a basic working understanding of it.

[Jim McC]

Roger, these youngins have to learn for themselves. If you buy from Gander Mtn. at least they have a 90 day return policy.

[BassThumb]

I first learned how to use baitcasting tackle with low quality equipment. BIG mistake. Had I started with decent stuff, I would have saved myself many headaches and backlashes. I would recommend that you purchase a pretty decent rod and reel to begin with, because both of them are important when it comes to learning how to cast.

I like the Shimano Citica. This reel that has an excellent track record and a reputation for value. Here's where I would get it from. It's a bargain.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Shimano-Citica-E-Reel-200E-RH-Right-Hand-CI200E-/260693423665?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb289f631#ht_1809wt_907

As for the rod, I would recommend a 7' 0" medium power, fast action St. Croix Triumph rod. These will run you about $70, and the Citica/Triumph combo will be about $160. In my opinion, this is the best combo that you can buy new new for $160.

http://www.basspro.com/St--Croix-Triumph-Series-Casting-Rods/product/103647/-1284032

[Fishes in trees]

you live in the KC neighborhood. Don't go to Cabelas or BPS. Go to Rogers. Tell them what you need and they will hook you up. They are almost always cheaper - model for model than the box stores. They will deal on reels. They always have very competitive rod prices

I've accumulated some BPS and Cabelas points over the years, but given a choice I will always give a local independent merchant first shot at my dollars.

[Bluebasser86]

you live in the KC neighborhood. Don't go to Cabelas or BPS. Go to Rogers. Tell them what you need and they will hook you up. They are almost always cheaper - model for model than the box stores. They will deal on reels. They always have very competitive rod prices

I've accumulated some BPS and Cabelas points over the years, but given a choice I will always give a local independent merchant first shot at my dollars.

Rogers almost always has rods and reels for 10 to 20 dollars cheaper than you can get them at BPS or Cabela's. Plus they have lots of other gear you can't get at the bigger stores, never know what the monkey might need

[mark nowak]

you live in the KC neighborhood. Don't go to Cabelas or BPS. Go to Rogers. Tell them what you need and they will hook you up. They are almost always cheaper - model for model than the box stores. They will deal on reels. They always have very competitive rod prices

I've accumulated some BPS and Cabelas points over the years, but given a choice I will always give a local independent merchant first shot at my dollars.

Thanks, I love that store, that is where I planned on buying from. I live about a mile from Roger's.