How light do you go with baitcasting gear?

dipbait

dipbait

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
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I use baitcasters almost 100 percent of the time. I hold the line between thumb and finger on the retrieve , always. That is not possible with spinning gear. I am able to cast 1/8 ounce lures ,barely competently with a Shimano Curado and Shimano Compre rod rated for 1/8th ounce lures. 10 lb test triple fish line is soft and cast well with it. How light do you guys go with baitcasting gear?
 
I can cast mepps on 12lb. I use 50# braid though. I mainly throw rapalas as my lightest lures though, like 5's and 7's
 
dipbait said:
I use baitcasters almost 100 percent of the time. I hold the line between thumb and finger on the retrieve , always. That is not possible with spinning gear. I am able to cast 1/8 ounce lures ,barely competently with a Shimano Curado and Shimano Compre rod rated for 1/8th ounce lures. 10 lb test triple fish line is soft and cast well with it. How light do you guys go with baitcasting gear?
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thats about as light as i want to go.. maybe not even that light. when i get 10lb test or lower i stick with spin reels.. makes my life easier.
 
spinners only for my trout fishing; 3-4lb is my usual line weight...

now i just picked up a small baitcaster...i know from trying a buddy's those things don't throw well with roosterstails and small spinners, but i will have fun experimenting...
 
The lightest I'll go on casting gear has been 10lb mono on my early 90's Shimano ULS...
Throwing 4" sluggos or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits.
If the lures have to be lighter, I'll pick up a spinning rod.
 
I used to be exclusively bait-cast myself and my usual limit was around 1/4 oz. on 8 pound test. I could go less but distance would drop off dramatically, wind was a problem, it usually just wasn't worth it. The advantages and versatility of a good spinning outfit became just too hard to ignore and that's about all I use now. My bait-casters mainly pull trolling duty now if I happen to be in that kind of situation or other times I'll break them out if I'm doing a lot of deep water jigging.
 
pilote said:
spinners only for my trout fishing; 3-4lb is my usual line weight...

now i just picked up a small baitcaster...i know from trying a buddy's those things don't throw well with roosterstails and small spinners, but i will have fun experimenting...
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They aren't too bad once you educate your thumb. I can pretty much get the same distance on lighter line on my baitcaster as i can with the spinning gear i have. I mean, i may be short a few feet but its not too bad. I'd never bring it trout fishing though, i just like to practice with all my lures to keep in practice. I've found that casting lighter lures requires me to have a bit more line down off the tip to kind of slingshot it out. On heavier lures i like them closer to the tip.
 
pilote said:
now i just picked up a small baitcaster...i know from trying a buddy's those things don't throw well with roosterstails and small spinners, but i will have fun experimenting...
Click to expand...

I have a Bass Pro Extreme, the super tiny one. It cast the small stuff no better than the Shimanos. This winter Im planning on taking a Curado and super tune it. Poish everything up real shiny , and see how that works.
 
I'll fish as light as 6 lb. on my baitcasters. That said, I have several baitcasters, so it's easy to have them setup from 6 to 20 lb.
 
I was at BassPro yesterday. I asked the sales clerk behind the reel counter, what would be the best reel for six lb test and light lures. He said baitcasters will not work with that light line ,that the string will cut into itself and will not cast 1/8 ounce lures. Ive never used 6 lb on a baitcaster, but have no doubt it will work. I cast 1/8 ounce lures all the time with a light rod rod and 10 lb test ,rated for that weight. I ignored him and played with the reels.

The Abu Garcia Revo's impressed me. I think they would work quite well.The spool turned forever when I spun it.
 
I've had bad experiences with light line on my baitcaster. I bought 4lb diameter braid and the stuff layed under itself and snapped every cast. I stripped it off and now either use 12lb mono or 50lb braid. I learned my lesson lol.
 
i have gone as light as 8 lb. on baitcasters but find light lures on windy days are too much trouble unless you go to spinning reels. my 1st love is the baitcaster because you can control lures in the air but wind & light plugs are just frustration.
dennis
 
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