Baitcasting set up for light weights, is it even necessary 2025
retiredbosn reply :
I have been experimenting with casting my set ups with differing amounts of weight. I have found that when I get down to 5/16 ounce of weight or so the baitcasters just don't cut it anymore. I have looked around and I know there are finesse type of baitcast reels out there, Shimano 50mg, BPS Prolite, Extreme 05, and the Wally Marshall Crappie special. Is there any reason to build a total set up around one of these reels to use lures that hardly ever get out of my tacklebox anyway? I cast senkos on baitcasters, and most weightless plastics, with in reason. I can get my Accurist to cast within 10 feet of what my spinning reel will cast a 3/16 ounce bait. I am just wondering how many fellow ***atics have a dedicated light bait bc set up? And what reel do you use?
Micro reply :
Use a spinning rod/reel.
retiredbosn reply :
It is what I'm doing now and the more I think about it, it is probably what I'll end up staying with., BTW thanks for the tip on the spool settings on my EXT, I think that reel is awesome. In fact bought another one yesterday.
burleytog reply :
Less about the reel, more about the rod.
lubina reply :
I found myself using less and less spinning tackle, right now down to one technique that I can't cast well with a baitcaster....drop shot.
Bronzefly reply :
There are baitcasting combos out there that will handle ultralight presentations with amazing results. They are sometimes very expensive, but a real joy nonetheless. The recently discontinued Daiwa Pixy is an absolutely phenomonal reel stock, but supertuned it is a thing of beauty. Is it necessary? Maybe not, but it certainly is alot of fun.
Saladmander reply :
I always thought that light line/lure applications were better on a spinning reel not necessarily for casting reasons but for the use of the drag. It seems to me that the drag on a spinning reel is more consistent and smoother than that on a bc reel.
Bronzefly reply :
QuoteI always thought that light line/lure applications were better on a spinning reel not necessarily for casting reasons but for the use of the drag. It seems to me that the drag on a spinning reel is more consistent and smoother than that on a bc reel.
That all depends on the reel 
Bassn Blvd reply :
I don't think the 50mg is a finesse type reel. I have mine spooled with #12 mono and use them for everything but finesse fishing.
I throw weightless worms and 1/16 ounce weights on my Sol and 50mg all the time. In fact, the only two lures I have that aren't thrown on a b/c are beetlespins and speck jigs. Basically, if I can't throw it on a b/c then I don't buy it.
burleytog reply :
Spinning tackle is for old women and people who only fish once every five years.
guest reply :
its also good for skipping docks.
ghost reply :
Daiwa Sol b/c reel w/ your choice of ML b/c rod w/ 8 or 10 lb mono. Falcon Lowrider as a 6'6' ML b/c rod that would be a perfect match w/ the Sol. Or a 6'6' Shimano Crucial drop shot rod would work too. If you wanted to match w/ the Shimano then the Chronrach MG50 w/ same lb test mentioned.
SirSnookalot reply :
QuoteSpinning tackle is for old women and people who only fish once every five years.
Try pulling in a 50# tarpon with 4000 spinner that's spooling out over 100yards of 15# test, then we'll see if the walk matches the talk.
NBR reply :
I prefer baitcasters soI bought a BPS Prolitefinesse combo that works well for me. I fish down to a 1/8 oz jig with a small twister tail grub on 12# XL. I will respool this year with either 8 or 10#. Below the 1/8 oz I use a spinning outfit.
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteSpinning tackle is for old women and people who only fish once every five years.
Now, that there's quite a statement...
Count on Burley Munson to liven it up!
Back to the question:
"Baitcasting set up for light weights, is it even necessary"
The answer is no.
;D ;D
Catt reply :
It's totally about personal preferences
I fish almost exclusively with Calcutta 100As and I can throw anything from wacky rigged trick worm to 1 oz. jig-n-craws; that's what I like and what I've adapted to.
RW and others prefer spinning reels and that's fine because that's what they have adapted to.
Neither set up is right and neither set up is wrong; they are both reliable reels capable of accomplishing their intended job which is to hold line, apply drag for fighting the fish, & retrieve the line and fish.
Casting a lure is done by your rod not your reel 
retiredbosn reply :
alright this is my current "light" a m/f rod rated for 1/4-3/4 weights with an accurist PT reel. So if I go with a lighter rod rated for 1/8 weights, will I still need a reel.
BTW I'm looking at the prolite and then the extreme 05, which from the descriptions look basically like the same reel.
flechero reply :
If you fish tackle that is real light or do much in the way of downsized finesse fishing, a spinning outfit just makes sense. To this day, I always have a spinning rod in the rod box... it only comes out a few times a year but when I need it, I have it.
My spinning combo is way more versatile than most finesse BC combos. So for a rod that doesn't see much use, having one spinning combo that does what 2 light BC combos wcan do just makes good sense for me.
JF1 reply :
I am a die hard baitcast guy who only owns one spinning rod. I have a much more difficult time casting a spinning outfit than a baitcast combo. What would each of you suggest as the best light rod for a bc combo?
The only advantage I see w/ a spinning outfit is the sensitiivty you get with the lighter line. The line rests on the eyes of the rod due to the eyes being on the underside. This makes a spinning rod more sensitive than a baitcast rod, all things being equal as far as quality goes.
Raul reply :
Baitcasting set up for light weights, is it even necessary
It depends don 't you think ? it depends on where you fish, I ceratinly don 't think that you need a setup dedicated for light weights if 90% of the time you fish let 's say Choke Canyon reservoir or places like Sugar Lake, Vicente Guerrero, El Salto or Baccarac lake in Mexico where 12 lbs test is as light as you can go; but if you fish places like the ones I fish ( Zimapán lake included ) you may have to consider having a ( or several ) light baitcaster setup or spinning reel setup, those ultra deep, ultra clear lakes do require a different approach.
So do you need a reel capable of handling ligh baits ?
I think you do, better have it and not need it than need it and not have it. When I say such I don 't mean you should have a baitcaster designed specifically for light baits like a Pixy or Presso, I mean you should consider having a reel that will handle your ordinary baits and still capable of casting a fluke into the next zip code without effort, there are such reels if you look around for them:
Chronarch 50/51 Mg
Daiwa Sol
Curado 100/101 D
Chronarch 100/101 B
Calais 100A
Core
Calcutta 50 TEGT
TDZ 105H
TDZ 103H
Wanna go import ?
Scorpion 1000/1001 and all you need is to beef up the drag with Carbontex drag washers
Scorpion 1000/1001 Mg
Alphas Type F
Alphas Itö
Alphas 103
Conquest 50
Metanium XT
All of those reels are capable of handling very light baits ( < 1/8 th oz ) with ease and you haven 't sacrificed anything.
flechero reply :
QuoteThe only advantage I see w/ a spinning outfit is the sensitiivty you get with the lighter line. The line rests on the eyes of the rod due to the eyes being on the underside. This makes a spinning rod more sensitive than a baitcast rod, all things being equal as far as quality goes.
Negative, Ghostrider. the advantage of the spinning rod is ease of casting the lighter weights and being able to cast the light stuff into the wind. They also manage light line much better on the spool. A spinning rod is not more sensitive by having the guides under, just more stable. In fact, most people argue that due to the reel seat design that they (spinning rods) are actually less sensitive in application.
I think that if you have trouble casting a spinning rod that you are doing something wrong... they are very simple. Although it takes a little getting used to feathering the cast with a finger on the spool.
JF1 reply :
Not doing anything wrong, just not near as accurate with a spinning rod. Could be that I was brought up with baitcasting gear and have been using it since I was about 8. I never really had a need for a spinning reel.
If we are talking about extremely ultralight tackle and line, then I agree a spinning rod has its place. I don't own one of the ultralite bc combos discussed above, but I still can cast an 1/8oz bait MUCH better w/ a standard bc setup than spinning.
About the only thing, other than a verticle dropshot that I need the spinning reel for is the lightest shakyhead I have in box, and thats only if the wind is blowing.
retiredbosn reply :
I was finally able to get up with the local pro, he is a great guy and never tries to push any product. I was picking his brain for information and he was pretty willing to share what he knows. He grew up using baitcasters and says that he can't get the hang of spinning reels. Anyway long story short he has two of the BPS Ext 05's on $300 G-Loomis rods, for his purposes the set up is great, nobody is more suprised than he is about liking the BPS reel. BTW he classifies himself as a finesse fisherman, last year he had some trouble with his combo's and he picked up the reels in a hurry at a local BPS affiliate. Most of his combos are Shimano G-Loomis combos, and he stated that the little 05 series were decent reels and casted light weights really well, 35 yds with a 1/8 ounce finesse jig. After conversing with him I really had the bug, so tonight I ordered the 05 series extreme and combined it with the KVD signature ML/F rod. I can't wait to get my hands on the combo and do some practicing, I also ordered some 8lb test hybrid to spool with. Thanks for the suggestions and sharing your knowledge.
bigfruits reply :
i use spinning for jigs and plastics under 5/16oz and everything else 1/8oz and under. its all personal preference.
The_Natural reply :
...
The_Natural reply :
QuoteSpinning tackle is for old women and people who only fish once every five years.
Haha...that's awesome. Someone hasn't had their asss handed to them with a 1/8oz slider like I have. You might rethink that.
retiredbosn reply :
Another reason I went with the bc setup is the rod, it is much stiffer than my medium fast spinning rod. I felt that I was losing to many fish from poor hooksets, hopefully the stiffer rod will cure that. Why is it that spinning tackle rated fast are so flexible?
roadwarrior reply :
Some are, it varies from rod to rod and among manufacturers.
My soft plastics rod is a St. Croix ES70MF spinning rod. The Power
is comparable to MH G. Loomis. The Action is rated Fast and it is.
The tip in this rod is firm, maybe extra firm.
By contrast, my "all-around" treble hook rod and dedicated jerkbait
rod is a AVC66MF baitcaster. The Action is Fast, but the tip is soft. I
find this perfect for working topwater, too!
8-)
BARON49_Northern NY reply :
QuoteI found myself using less and less spinning tackle, right now down to one technique that I can't cast well with a baitcaster....drop shot.
St. Croix make a baitcasting drop-shot rod. 6'9'' ML with an extra fast tip.
flechero reply :
retiredbosn,
Fast and flexible are two different terms. Spinning blanks aren't supposed to "lock up" like a mag bass blank... under a heavy load they will still give in the lower half of the blank, regardless of the actual taper or speed. Fast only refers to the action until the blank is "loaded" as defined by 1/3 deflection (not by a fish or heavy load).
I'm a fan of a blank that locks up, much like it sounds that you are... which is why I don't build my spinning rods on spinning blanks. You would probably like a "spin jig" rod, as those blanks are designed more closely to the MB rods.
SWMIBASSER reply :
QuoteQuoteI found myself using less and less spinning tackle, right now down to one technique that I can't cast well with a baitcaster....drop shot.St. Croix make a baitcasting drop-shot rod. 6'9'' ML with an extra fast tip.
Aside from casting lighter weights I think the spinning rod/reel gets the nod when using anything you want to free fall on slack line (ie spinning reel with open bail)
Small jigs, tubes, wacky, dropshot, shakey.
Ineedanewscreenname20170204 reply :
It's more about the line and the rod. I'm using Medium action St. Croix Premier and can easily throw a 5" senko and even lighter. Last year I used 12# Trilene XL but this year will try some p-line fluorocarbon. That said, I'm thinking about picking up a BPS ProLite for the light balsa cranks that I can only cast on spinning gear - so far... Best of luck.
SWMIBASSER reply :
I bought last years BPS ProLite Finesse and couldn't be happier. I bought it for my jig/pitchin' rod. I liked the small reel profile.
When comparing it to other reels on display there it really is a very nice little reel. I like all the BPS reels and based on the display reels I'll end up with all my baitcasters being BPS reels.
rayrock99 reply :
I use a Shimano Scorpion1000 for my finesse stuff.
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