First baitcaster

[Bake]

It's all in the thumb, the magnetic/centric brake, main bearing adjustment. Practice heavy, and after a while begin to go lite. I started with 1oz, lead weight & 8 lb. line on a rod [ Ugly Stick 6'6"] marked 1/4 to 1/2 oz., line 8-20 lbs. I threw at a hula loop while sitting in a folding chair in my front yard. Within 3 months, I was sitting on the front of my BassTracker, watching the fishfinder, working the trolling motor with my right foot, and casting a 1/4 oz. worm rig, on 14 lb. line, averaging about 40 casts per hour without a backlash. . .

 

[nathanross]

I am looking to buy a new baitcaster. It will primarily be used for river cats. Will be holding 30 lb spiderwire. What would be a good reel for this? I was looking at the mitchell baitcaster, does anybody have one of these and are they any good? Also a buddy has a abu garcia black max he likes, but I don't thing abu garcia makes these anymore. Would also like to stay under $100.

 

[troutdude]

@nathanross Do NOT get a new Abu Garcia. They are now made in China, and not in Sweden anymore. So their quality now sucks. Not sure what else to recommend. I'm sure that others will chime in.

 

[Casting Call]

Welcome aboard! Try E-bay auctions, be patient black max will come up for bid soon. Stay with the Sweden made models (red housing) and good luck. Tony 10%er

 

[troutdude]

Stay with the Sweden made models (red housing)

Yes that!

 

[DonF]

I think you're way off with this statement. There are some craptastic reels currently out there on the low end (Lews, 13 fishing, KastKing etc). My old Curado and Calcutta weren't even considered the best 15 years ago and blow away the cheapest baitcasting reels of today.

Probably truth to that but then reels from 15 yrs ago have 15 years of upgrades in them and price increase's in them. Questio is from a new guy and way to break in unless you have to much money is relatively inexpensive! My vote for this guy would be the inexpensive Kastking level wind, I have three and no problem with them. I also have ABU's, Daiwas, Shakepere and a couple other's. Worst reel I have is a Shakespere but in the end I have to admit it works! getting pretty old too! If the guy finds he doesn't like casting reels, he's not gonna be in a situation where he needs to sell off an outfit to inexpensive just to get rid of it. On the other hand if he get's something reasonable to learn on, he can, and probably will, upgrade down the road! Nobody buys a Lamborgini to learn to drive!

 

[nathanross]

I used to fish a lot of amateur bass tournaments back in the day and owned so many casting reels I often lost track of what was in my inventory. My most durable and forgiving reels ever were Abu Garcia and Shimano. Shimano was the smoothest, while Abu Garcia was indescructible and ultra reliable. I even used my Abu Garcia reels for 17 pound peacock bass in the amazon that are know for snapping rods and destroying standard drags. Many anglers use $300 small tuna reels to fish for them, while I used $65 Abu Garcia. Those same reels are still going strong today, 20 years after I started using them.

I knew several bass pros in my tournament days, and the only ones not fishing Shimano or Abu Garcia brands were being paid by sponsors to fish theirs instead. I did branch out to try other brands over the years including Bass Pro Shops website. The Bass Pro Shop reels were a bargain, but not much in terms of value for me. They did not cast or brake as well as the Shimano, yet they wore out faster and broke more often.

You will save money going with a discount brand, but fishing time is too valuable to mess around with gear that does not work as well as it should.

In the market for a new baitcasting reel, want something quality but not looking to break the bank…budget is $120 and not really sure what I want. Open to any suggestions!

 

[amelia1992]

In the market for a new baitcasting reel, want something quality but not looking to break the bank…budget is $120 and not really sure what I want. Open to any suggestions!

In this budget, Abu Garcia Black Max is best baitcasting reel under 100.

 

[bass]

For $120 every major manufacturer will have an outstanding reel. Modern reels are just amazing. There will be slight differences in how the feel in your hand so I would recommend (if you can) going to the store and holding them and palming them to see which feels best in your hand. When the angels sing you know have the right one for you

Things to focus on are what gear ratio you want (inches per turn). I have a mix of reels and for different applications different gear ratios are best. For an all-round reel I would recommend a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio. Higher ratios make reeling in a crankbait painful. Slower reels are great for big crankbaits but don't pick up the slack as fast when fishing soft plastics or you have to work too hard when fishing something fast.

Don't get hung up on this brand or that. They are all really good. I have ABU, Daiwa, Bass Pro Shops (not sure who really makes it) and Shimano reels. They are all really good reels.

 

[DonF]

I really like what Bass has been writting but have to take exception to the idea of worrying about retrieve ratio. I have right now about 15+ different baitcasting reels and can't tell you the retrieve ratio on any one of them. Have had a fair number more over the years and same thing, retrieve ratio? What's that? I think retrieve ratio was a gimic made up by reel manufacturer's to sell reels and seem's it worked great. If you didn't know what it is you'd probably learn at some point you need to reel faster or slower! My first casting reel, old direct drive Zebco doesn't have a retrieve ration on it anywere I know of. I think where trying to decide on what reel to get, getting into things like retrieve ratio ust confuses the issue. What can the new user actually know about retrieve ratio or why it may or not be important. Take me for instance. Been using bait casting reel since about 1965, that old Zebco direct drive and clueless what advantage or disadvantage knowing the retrieve ratio might be. I think using newer reels is much easier than the old direct drives but then I can compare the two, new user can't. But direct drive or other, the new user is walking into an unknown world. Newer reels are much easier to use, been a bunch of improvements since I started. I got an ABU 5000, called Ambassador back then I think, and casting didn't get easier but certainly easier to learn, thing had a brake other than my thumb. That old 5000 endeared me to ABU pretty much for the rest of my life till now. ABU has pretty much priced me out of them! Used it for 30 yrs and lost it in a house fire! The old direct drive reels followed the rule of kiss, keep it simple stupid! And once I leaned to use it, it seemed so easy! Todays reels are definitely easier to learn on but there is still a learning curve!

Have watched some video's on using modern bait casting reel and just can't make it work right. For what ever reason my most valuable brake is still my thumb! Then of course would I go back to direct drive, doubt it but for kicks yep! Easy as modern reels make learning to cast, there's a lot to be said for the older one that just work depending on the user. Had a guy out fishing last fall and gave him a low profile Kastking to use as he told me level wind fishing was no big deal for him, claimed he was better than me! Well his first cast he got the worst bird's nest I've ever seen. He was pulling it out a bit at a time to save the line and after a bit I went and helped. Ended up taking all the line off the spool and throwing away over half of it. I have no idea why it happened to him, well maybe I don't! But haven't heard a word about how easy it is since then. We go fishing now and he get's my old Mitchell 300, can't afford the line with a bait caster for him! New user's need to know there is gonna be a learning curve. A weight you can't toss easy with one is a bait you can't cast at all with one!

Today my fishing consist's mostly of catfish and crappie. My most used reels are casting reels but then it's 15 mi to catfish water and 70 mi to crappie. I do not use casting reels for crappie, I use UL spinning rods and reels. Try casting a 1/16oz jig with a casting reel and you'll understand why! That said first two crappie I ever caught was on a 1/4oz jig while fishing for bass! Go figure! I wonder how the OP is getting along with his new casting rod and reel. I recall learning on my Zebco. Didn't know even one person that used them and became self taught in the road in front of the house! What a night mare but I was stubborn back then. You tube wasn't around in those days and only computer's I ever saw wouldn't fit in the back of a 3/4T pickup! Things change but those old direct drives still work the same as they did over 55 yrs ago! Things the new reels do that make it easier to use were probably designed just for that reason but the learning curve is still there.

 

[pcstock]

Trust me. Ratio is VERY important in any reel. Maybe not in bass fishing, but it is for trolling, bobber, and drift fishing for salmonids.

It is important even if it is just to get the lure/bait back faster to spend more time actually fishing than reeling.

It can really affect the action of a lure. Too high of a ratio requires MUCH slower reeling.

For landing bigger fish, low ratios are better as you want power to keep the fish pinned as you would in barbless situations. Too high of a ratio in that scenario can allow for slack and a fish to spit the hook.

 

[bass]

For bass fishing having the gear ratio matched to the technique is not 100% necessary but it makes you a more effective angler with a given technique. I try to gain every advantage I can when I am fishing and gear ratio is one of those things that gives me a little edge. The more edges you can give yourself the more success you can achieve.

 

[DonF]

Abu Garcia's made in Sweden, are worth every penny. Made in China? Don't waste your $$.

That's just opinion. I have four Kastking reels, three bait casting and one spinning and not a complaint one! My Daiwa Millionaire is made in China got it from oe's when they went out of business for something like $30, wish I'd have bought every one they had. A am an ABU fan but anymore ABU has priced me out of any new ones. I do love my ABU but made it China does not mean junk other than to those that hate China!