Baitcast Reels

[NCYankee]

About three years ago, I had $40 left on a Bass Pro Shops gift card, so I bought the least expensive baitcast reel I could find. It is a Bass Pro Shops brand. I just started using it this year. About the only thing I can do with it is cast over hand or side arm - forget flipping and pitching for now. I usually leave it Carolina rigged and use it in mostly open water with no obstructions so that I don't have to worry as much about accuracy. I get a little bit of a backlash from time to time. I want to improve and reduce the backlash and upgrade to a better reel, but I have a few questions.

How important is the quality of the reel to ease of use?
How important is line size and proper spooling?

I am adjusting the tension and brakes to help my cast. Slowly, I am making the reel "more loose."

Please, let me know what you think and suggest a favorite reel if you have one.

[pig n jig]

Well you have a difficult question that should get all sorts of different answers.I would suggest buying a mid line reels.If I had to say for the money there are 2 reels that stick out in my mind having had both of them, I found myself leaving the high dollar reels at home and using the mid priced ones alot.They are a Quantum accurast gold and a Daiwa Procaster 6+1.The Daiwa runs $69.95 and the Quantum runs $79.99. Both reels are very comfortable to use and work extremely well for the money. I would have included the Bass pro shop extreme reel , but Rebbasser will post it. P N J

[lovinfishin9]

I like the abu garcia ambassadeurs, they take a beating and keep going strong

but i prefer it in left hand retrieve

[zooker]

when i first started out using a baitcaster i bought a mid range reel quatum 400 ex which is now the accurast. for the money they are very good reels very reliable. have better then average controls-braking and mags-they are quite smooth i give this choice a thumbs up..

also keep and eye out for quatum mag gear reels with the silver color not the newer-brozne colored ones- i have 10 of these reels some are 20 yrs old and aint selling NONE of them. they may grind like a coffee mill noise wise but are the smoothest casting smoothest retriving reels i have ever used.

if you are using mono line size can dictate distance. i prefure 12 pound ande on most of my reels. but do move up and down up on application.. i know that spooling braid i hook on to a telephone pole and take a walk i wind it on as tight as i can get it. this helps reduceing backlash in braid. but mono i just spool it fairly tight..i do strech it to reduced backlashes and remove loops.

remember this it is a bait caster backlashes happen-nearly as bad as taxes at times..

zooker

zooker

[lizardsrule]

I aint touching this one LOL

Lizards

[pig n jig]

Go ahead and post your opinion Lizards. I value your opinions.What makes you are the person you are is because you will never change your mind.P N J

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by pig n jig

Go ahead and post your opinion Lizards. I value your opinions.What makes you are the person you are is because you will never change your mind.P N J

Well for the record, I have changed my mind more than once LOL.

OK here's MY OPINION

I no longer even own a Baitcaster that is less than $119 retail. They are all Shimano starting with a Curado, up to a Calais which is $389 retail last I looked I have been lucky enough to afford some really High end Quality fishing gear, so I have bought it. I think the lower end models are just that lower end, and will have breakdowns, won't cast as far, and you will be replacing them far sooner than I will, plus the warranty is much better on my stuff. I think that using a good quality reel will allow you a easier time to learn a baitcaster, and by far the specs they are made too will outperform you lower to mid range baitcasters. Now that I have said that I also realize there are a lot more folks who can't or won't spend the kinda of money on fishing equipment that I do(especially the younger kids), which is absolutely fine, because I beleive the Presentation, Rod, Line, Place you fish and the Lure are much more important than the reel when it comes to catching fish. So as Rebasser says, the new world record will probably be caught on a Snoopy pole by some kid the first time he has ever fished. I grew up fishing with Zebco's, and never had a problem catching fish, until of course it would quit working LOL

Lizards

[zooker]

no i said the next world record will be "caught by a guy fishing for the first time using a cane pole and live crickets.instead of a veteran angler..."

gad he said sh!tmano again.. some one needs to lend lizzy a real baitcasting reel so he knows the differance...

zooker