# Line and Reel



## bigspence09 (Jun 18, 2009)

Hey guys im buying my first baitcaster and i need some advice on which is the right for me. I throw alot of cranks, spinners, jig & pig, top water poppers. Also what is a good all around line lb. test to use.

Thanks


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## bigspence09 (Jun 18, 2009)

also like flouro carbon, braid, mono?


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

You want to do all of that with one rod?????? The types of fishing you just named in and of it's self require a plethora of gear. If you are looking for a generalality of gear for the techniques, I would go with a cabelas gold label casting combo. nice and smooth and the thing casts a mile. Not too expensive either. Line is a whole nother topic there. Take a gander at my thread I started not too long back about line. That will give you some intro to fishing line.


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

I think you could get away with a 7' MH rod with a fast tip and 12lb flouro for all those applications. As castmaster said, most will have a rod & reel suited for each of those techniques. The only thing is flouro isn't great for topwater, and you may want some heavier line if you're jigging heavier cover.


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## ChadPro67 (Mar 24, 2009)

I would suggest getting the revo s baitcaster by abu garcia. It has a lot of bearings and it retails for 129.95 and i have even seen several on ebay that were selling for 99.00 + free shipping. I have one and really like it alot.


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## Treebass227 (Jul 31, 2006)

I use 17 lb mono for jigs and between 8 and 12 lb mono for other rigs that don't bounce off the bottom so much. 
I have three really nice baitcasters for sale if interested. They are all Abu Garcia Revo SX. I bought all three early in 2009. When I sell these I will buy three more of the same thing. They are great reels. I get a great deal on them so I replace them each year. Left handed models. $100. apiece. Sell for $170 at Dick's.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

Treebass227 said:


> I use 17 lb mono for jigs and between 8 and 12 lb mono for other rigs that don't bounce off the bottom so much.
> I have three really nice baitcasters for sale if interested. They are all Abu Garcia Revo SX. I bought all three early in 2009. When I sell these I will buy three more of the same thing. They are great reels. I get a great deal on them so I replace them each year. Left handed models. $100. apiece. Sell for $170 at Dick's.


I might take you up on that offer. I have been looking for a good quality left handed baitcasting reel. Lol


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

bigspence09 said:


> Hey guys im buying my first baitcaster and i need some advice on which is the right for me. I throw alot of cranks, spinners, jig & pig, top water poppers. Also what is a good all around line lb. test to use.
> 
> Thanks


You can't do all of those techniques properly with just one setup, especially the cranks. I'll suggest an all purpose rig and you can go from there.I do not know what your budget is, so I will just wing it. 

For a newbie, I'd recommend one of the following: A Shimano E7 or a Revo SX. Daiwas are great, but you need to spend over $200 to get a good reel. Don't get the Aggrest, even tho it is around the price point of the E7 or SX. A Daiwa Fuego is a fine reel that is on sale at a lot of places if you can find it. Get a good reel, as you will quickly become frustrated with crappy reels and you will hate baitcasters. Get a good middle of the road BC and you will be fine. One other point, I like mag brakes over centrifugal brakes. They are easier to adjust than opening the reel. Both work fine tho.

You need to decide right or left hand retrieve. Decide whether it is easier to cast with your right hand or left hand, and get the opposite retrieve. That way you do not have to put the rod in the other hand after the cast.

Rods - get a 7'MH with a "fast" action. "Fast" being different from brand to brand.

I would not use FC, especially if you are new to baitcasters. One bad backlash and you've ruined the spool. Go nylon mono or braid while you learn. I like Sufix Seige for nylon. For braid, I like Daiwa Samurai braid because it is an 8 way braid. Keep in mind that you will not have any give on cranks with the braid, and you will lose more fish on treble hooks than you would with nylon. If you want to try a FC/nylon hybrid, I'd suggest Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft. The YZ is my favorite non-braid. Start with 12# test or equivalent diameter (approx .014").

What would I do?

Get an SX 6.4:1 on sale and find a used Powell 703 and spool it up with 12# YZ. You will be happy.

Lots of info...HTH!


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

Treebass227 said:


> I use 17 lb mono for jigs and between 8 and 12 lb mono for other rigs that don't bounce off the bottom so much.
> I have three really nice baitcasters for sale if interested. They are all Abu Garcia Revo SX. I bought all three early in 2009. When I sell these I will buy three more of the same thing. They are great reels. I get a great deal on them so I replace them each year. Left handed models. $100. apiece. Sell for $170 at Dick's.


What gear ratio are they?


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## Treebass227 (Jul 31, 2006)

I've been busy, guys. The reels are 6.4 to 1. They are very smooth. I really only use them from my bass boat. So they are in great shape other than a little boat rash. I love the reels. As I said, I will buy three more this year and they will be for sale next December.


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## norseangler (Jan 8, 2009)

Like others have said, one set-up won't do everything, but you can can set yourself up with an outfit that will do several things, then branch out later as you learn the ways you like to fish best. That sad, I will disagree with others recommending a 7-foot, MH rod. I would suggest a 6-foot or 6-6 rod in a medium power, fast action (based on how St. Croix rates their rods; as someone noted, manufacturers' ratings are often different).The shorter, lighter rod will be easier to learn how to use, less tiring and, most importantly, easier to cast accurately. Pair that with decent reel - I would suggest Shimano (citica) or Garcia (Revo), but check around, I also hear some god things about Pfluegers and even Pinnacles -- in 5:1 or 6:1 ratio (depending on spool size). 12-pound mono will cover many applications, including most crankbaits, spinnerbaits up to 3/8 ounce, Senkos, worms, jigs and surface lures. For big surface lures like Zara Spooks, buzzbaits around heavy cover or toads in weed beds, or jigs and worms in heavy cover, you'll eventually want something heavier. Mono is definitely the way to go. There are specific applications braid or flouro may do better, but they're not as versatile as mono. There are a number of good brands out there, but I've had good success with Bass Pro Shops' Excel mono.


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## Rybo (Jul 23, 2009)

Bigspence, norseangler & Tokugawa make excellent points. I think my advice could be most helpful as I just built some rods/reels last year, and I am new to baitcasters and fishing. (as a side note fish for smallmouth and largemouth, 60/40) 

I purchased the Abu Garcia Revo SX, High Speed, in the left handed set up. Personally, as I'm late to the baitcaster game, I saw no reason to get a right handed baitcaster now that left handed ones are readily available. I crank with my left hand on my spinning reels, and I wanted to stay comfortable and not fumble with what would have been an akward feeling set up. After 6 months of throwing the LH Revo SX, I love it. The left handed model made transitioning easier. Also, from my experience on two separate Revo SXs, they can be almost HARD to overrun/tangle. If you have your settings correct, err on the safe side (settigs a little tighter at first), and keep a smooth motion, you'll have no problems. I threw braid, flouro, and mono. All were the same as far as overruns went. 
One EXTREMELY helpful tip: Search "How to clear a baitcaster" on YouTube, and use the thumb technique. 90% of the overruns I DID have came out in under 10 seconds that way. 

As for rod, I agree with norseangler again. 6'6" M. I'd personally recommend St.Croix or Acadia. Both have a mod-fast/fast tip, a ton of feel, and enough backbone for some hairy situations and heavier lures. 

There is ONE con I've found with my 6'6" Acadia Medium rod w/ RevoSX baitcaster: anything under 1/4oz can be difficult to cast. I have a shimano spinning reel matched up to the 6'6" St Croix Medium rod for lighter lures.

All in all, my two rod set up works very well for me. I fish lots of worms, topwaters, spinners, jigs, spoons, etc. Cranks will be just a little much for these set-ups, but I don't think you could choose more versatile rigs in my opinion. 

As for line. 20lb Braid worked awesome on the RevoSX. You will get excellent casting distance with braid, and can pull virtually all snags free by bending hooks. Helpful in the rivers. I'm now using mono on the baitcaster for a change. I've tried and hated lines over 14lbs on the Revo. Stick to 8-12.

Get that revo outfit and take another 6'6" M rod w/ spinning reel and 8-10lb flouro for finesse applications, and you'll be butter. Buzzbaits are AWESOME on the baitcaster... Like a feather. (random note, I know, but i love fishing buzzbaits.)

good luck!
Ryan


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## bigspence09 (Jun 18, 2009)

i want to thank all of you for your help and advice. sorry i havnt had much time to post back i have been doing some restoration on my boat. i will post my setup as soon as i get it.

Spencer


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## bgrapala (Nov 1, 2008)

Learning how to effectively throw a baitcaster just last year I would recommend spending most of your money on a reel rather than a rod. I am a BIG fan of Daiwa reels. I had three of the Revo series (S, SX, and STX) and none IMO were as smooth as the Daiwas. The Fuego is about the best you can get and right now its VERY well priced.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageRLCDAIWA-TDFG.html

For a rod I'd recommend looking at Powell. They have a 6'8" MH rod that is excellent for alot of different baits and presentations. 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageRDCPOWELL-PCR.html

Powell Casting Rod 6'8" Med Hvy EF 683C is the model that I'm talking about. Its the very first rod you scroll down to. 

As far as line, I'm with everyone else. I personally use P-Line CX Premium for almost all my bass fishing applications using 8-10 lb for spinning gear and 12-15 lb for casting gear. You could use braid for flipping/pitching to heavy heavy cover, but its not necessary in Ohio IMO. Good luck!!


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