Baitcasting Rods & Reels for Freshwater and Bay Fishing
ByI haven’t fished in many years – do I want to re-start with a baitcaster combo or a spinning combo?
I’m a big fan of baitcasters, which is why I own 19 baitcaster combos (too many, I know). I’ve used them so long that I rarely have problems with them. However, for people who haven’t used them or haven’t used them much they can be daunting. For newbies, they backlash/birdsnest/snarl easily, especially when throwing into the wind or when switching to a lure of a different weight. Most have a centrifugal brake and a magnetic brake to help them not backlash. A lot of guys also use their thumbs to slow the spool down.
When they’re set correctly they offer the advantages of:
- strength, which gives better control of large fish in dense cover (they’re stronger than equivalent spinning reels; for most fish you won’t notice it but if you hook a large fish a stronger reel can make the difference is landing the fish vs. talking about the one that got away)
- superior casting accuracy (allowing anglers to place lures precisely; their design allows for greater casting distance, less line twist, making them ideal for fishing with heavier lures and high-torque techniques)
- sensitivity (their design feeds line straight down the rod, which enables fishermen to feel a lure working and a fish fighting better).
- One-handed casting (although some fishermen prefer using two hands).
Spinning reels also have advantages, including:
- They can use lighter lures (if you’re going after white bass or crappie with Roadrunners or crappie jigs, many baitcasters will struggle throwing such light lures, but spinning reels don’t have that problem).
- They don’t backlash in high winds like baitcasters are prone to do.
- Some fishermen can throw lures further and more accurately with a spinning reel.
On the con side they tend to coil the line, especially if it was not spooled on the reel correctly.
What reel to use also depends on what you’re going to fish for. For bass fishing, baitcasters are king. You’ll rarely if ever see a spinning reel in a bass tournament. For bay fishing (redfish, speckled trout, black drum, flounder, etc.) spinning reels are more often seen (possibly because it’s often windy at the coast).
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Do you have a list of fishing gear needed for fresh water?
Rods
I’m partial to 7′ to 7′ 2″ length with medium heavy power and extra fast, fast (preferred), or moderate fast tips. I used to use mediums a lot, but now don’t as they’re too flimsy for most of the lures that I fish with. I’m partial to Falcon’s LowRider, BuCoo, or Redfish Caster Coastal Series, Abu Garcia’s Veritas and Vendetta, Castaway’s Nano, and St. Croix’s Bass X. I used to use All Star rods a lot (and still have at least three of them), but they went gone down in quality ever since they started making their Classic series and newer rods, particularly their rod guides.
Reels
I’m partial to at least a 7.1:1 retrieve, except for big crankbaits (with them I’ll use around a 5.4:1 retrieve). I’m partial to Shimano’s Curado and SLX, Abu Garcia’s Revo (I have four of them), Daiwa’s Tatula, or Lew’s Speed Spool (I have two of them). I used to think that I’d never find a reel that I’m happier with than my Revo’s, but my wife got me a Curado for my birthday and it’s now my favorite.
Line and Lures
See the bottom of the Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trips web page.