New Baitcast Combo

[LgMouthGambler]

Looks like you have a dilemma on your hands. I will tell you the best way to solve this: You will need to buy setups for each of your type of lure you fish, then you wont have any regrets. If you want to stick to this money issue thing, then I suggest you go with the versitile 6.4:1 ratio and fish your little heart out. 7:1 is gonna be too fast, I use that for my strictly lizard/worm rig. Its good to rip and drop. You need something more versitile though.

[FibWi]

Looks like you have a dilemma on your hands. I will tell you the best way to solve this: You will need to buy setups for each of your type of lure you fish, then you wont have any regrets. If you want to stick to this money issue thing, then I suggest you go with the versitile 6.4:1 ratio and fish your little heart out. 7:1 is gonna be too fast, I use that for my strictly lizard/worm rig. Its good to rip and drop. You need something more versitile though.

Would it be enough for buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, and jitterbugs? The 6:4:1.

[LgMouthGambler]

Absolutely.

[FibWi]

Okay thanks a lot! I'd rather not make a new thread, so I'll ask here. I'm planning to use some Sufix 832, I understand it'd be ideal to spool on some mono backing. I wanted to ask, what # test I should get in braid and how much mono backing should I spool on? Also, would I need a fluoro/mono leader for the spinners? What about the buzzbait and jitterbugs? Thanks again!

[new2BC4bass]

Would it be enough for buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, and jitterbugs? The 6:4:1.

I have no idea how people caught fish on these lures before the 7.?:1 reel came out.

Seriously, tho, I just got started with baitcasters in 2010. I believe I'm up to 12 reels with only one being a 7.0:1. Maybe I need a couple more.

[boonhogganbeck]

Thanks for the input! Do you use braid?

I typically just use monofilament, Braid works well, though.

[lmoore]

The general difference between the reels is that the 6.4 will be stronger (more torque) and will get crankbaits deeper at similiar reel speeds, while the 7.0 will be faster and allow you to pick up slack/catch up to incoming fish easier.

The difference in those 2 isn't significant. I would personally go with the 6.4 since it will be your first one, and that's kind of an in the middle "do everything" reel.

[eyedabassman]

Okay thanks a lot! I'd rather not make a new thread, so I'll ask here. I'm planning to use some Sufix 832, I understand it'd be ideal to spool on some mono backing. I wanted to ask, what # test I should get in braid and how much mono backing should I spool on? Also, would I need a fluoro/mono leader for the spinners? What about the buzzbait and jitterbugs? Thanks again!

Ok,first you have to use a mono backing with braid lines! And I would back fill the reel with a old mono about half or more depending on the braid's pound test you are going to use! Braid is not a cheap line ( $$$ ) and it is very thin so you can put alot on! What I do with my BC'ers is I put the backing more than half to 3/4, you have to just look and see what you think is good . Remember braid is very thin and it has No strech and is a very senative line. As for pound of test it all depends on what bait you will be fishing, With a frog I fish 65 lb.,a swimming jig I wlll fish 30lb. a C-rig I fish 50lb.If a T rig I could fish 20lb. to 30 lb.! If you have two spools fill one with one say 50lb. and the other with 30lb. and you can always change spool if you want. As for braid to a leader line,that is fine many people do that and I do too. A good knot is the uni knot. If I am fishing a very clear lake I will fish flou.carbon leader on my braid. I hope this did help!

[FibWi]

Ok,first you have to use a mono backing with braid lines! And I would back fill the reel with a old mono about half or more depending on the braid's pound test you are going to use! Braid is not a cheap line ( $$$ ) and it is very thin so you can put alot on! What I do with my BC'ers is I put the backing more than half to 3/4, you have to just look and see what you think is good . Remember braid is very thin and it has No strech and is a very senative line. As for pound of test it all depends on what bait you will be fishing, With a frog I fish 65 lb.,a swimming jig I wlll fish 30lb. a C-rig I fish 50lb.If a T rig I could fish 20lb. to 30 lb.! If you have two spools fill one with one say 50lb. and the other with 30lb. and you can always change spool if you want. As for braid to a leader line,that is fine many people do that and I do too. A good knot is the uni knot. If I am fishing a very clear lake I will fish flou.carbon leader on my braid. I hope this did help!

Thanks for the information! Since I'm on the end of my budget, I can only afford one 300 yard spool. Which # test should I go for? For "all-around" use?

[deep]

Thanks for the information! Since I'm on the end of my budget, I can only afford one 300 yard spool. Which # test should I go for? For "all-around" use?

300 yards of braid?

[FibWi]

300 yards of braid?

Yes. Perhaps more.

[deep]

Yes. Perhaps more.

Assuming you're spooling this braid on your PQ baitcaster, buy yourself a 150 yards of 55 lb test Daiwa Samurai. Should cost you less than $30.

Use backing and spool on half of that braid. That should last you one whole year. At the end of 2012, throw those 75 yards away, and spool on the remaining 75 yards. That would take you to the end of 2013. $30 for two years worth of line seems like a bargain to me, considering what we spend much more on lures and stuff.

[eyedabassman]

Yes. Perhaps more.

If I where you I would fish 50 lb. and that would cover you for just about any set up! Braid does not brake down like mono and flou.! What I am saying is you don't have to change your braid for a few years. Mono and flou.line get brittle and will and brake down ! Braid will last much longer on a spool. I fish braid 2 or 3 years before I change it out.

[FibWi]

What is the diameter for 50-55 # Briaid? On average? I think I would waste much more braid than usual, since this is my first baitcaster. Bound to have many backlashes.

[deep]

Go on to the *** website and pull up your favorite mono on one tab, the braid you want to buy on another tab; and compare the line diameters.

55lb Samurai has thickness comparable to 12 lb Sufix mono.

[FibWi]

Okay sounds good. So let me break down what I've picked up from this thread.

6:4:1 reel is good all around. 50-55 # Braid would do nicely all around. I should spool about 3/4 of the reel with mono backing and about 75 yards of Braid.

Sound good so far? I normally in clear water reservoirs, occasionally with some heavy weeding. Should I worry about the braid being visible to the bass? Should I attach an FC leader for spinner/chatter/buzzbaits? What about top waters such as poppers and jitterbugs?

I keep seeing mixed opinions regarding it, which led me to ask.

[deep]

Sounds good so far.

Try first without the leader. Or with the leader. Doesn't matter one way or the other. You'll develop your own preferences after a while.

I moved from 6 lb fluoro leader with an uni-to-uni knot, to a 10 lb fluoro leader with the same knot, then started to use an albright knot, and then started using mono or copoly for the leader. This combination has been stable for the last 6 months or so.

[eyedabassman]

What is the diameter for 50-55 # Briaid? On average? I think I would waste much more braid than usual, since this is my first baitcaster. Bound to have many backlashes.

What I would do before you put the braid on your BC. I would buy some cheap mono ( Big Game )and fill up the reel and practice with your reel. I would not put braid on untill you get pretty good at casting your reel because your going to waste much of the braid trying to learn and that will be $$$ down the drain. Get good at it and then put your braid on. The set up of the reel is VERY inportant. PM me and I will send you my phone number.I do seminars on this .

[FibWi]

Sounds good so far.

Try first without the leader. Or with the leader. Doesn't matter one way or the other. You'll develop your own preferences after a while.

I moved from 6 lb fluoro leader with an uni-to-uni knot, to a 10 lb fluoro leader with the same knot, then started to use an albright knot, and then started using mono or copoly for the leader. This combination has been stable for the last 6 months or so.

Alright. Sounds good. So the leader diameter would ideally be around the braid's diameter?

What I would do before you put the braid on your BC. I would buy some cheap mono ( Big Game )and fill up the reel and practice with your reel. I would not put braid on untill you get pretty good at casting your reel because your going to waste much of the braid trying to learn and that will be $$$ down the drain. Get good at it and then put your braid on. The set up of the reel is VERY inportant. PM me and I will send you my phone number.I do seminars on this .

Will do. I just came back from Walmart and bought a $3 Zebco spool 20#.

What type of cast would go furthest with a baitcaster?

[deep]

That's what I try to do; or thicker. I was talking about a spinning set-up there by the way. The mainline I have is 30 lb Samurai (6 lb diameter)

[FibWi]

Unsurprisingly, I have another question. How high should I set my drag? Considering 50# test is quite strong.

[youngbassman]

turn your drag on to where you have to pull relatively hard to get it to come out slowly. so it up quite a bit. but remember to always turn your drag all the way off when storing it and i even turn my brakes sometime all the way off.

[deep]

I set my drag as high as I can- without damaging the washers- for no-give hooksets. I feel I can always loosen the drag later on if I hook up with bigger bass, which I do with lower frequency than I'd like.