islandbass

The your 30# braid has an 8# mono equivalent, then it is the same as many other braids.

You might actually be at optimum line capacity since many spools are considered “full” about 1/8” below the spool’s lip. That is usually considered full and not “up to the brim.” That’s over spooled, lol.

A longer nose pliers might come in handier. I also prefer the straight shank hook even with senkos but when possible I light using light wire versions. I can get away with them for my scenarios.

Pliers will definitely help. If you want to rick going barbless, which is what I have been doing lately, it makes it even easier. One warning. One moment of allowing slack line and they have a very good chance of getting off. That does however come in handy when you have a dink. Loosen the line and they too can free themselves. I was able to let two dinks in a row off with a barbless hook this way.

So true, lol! Or you knew was there but you thought you had enough space. I did this just this week but with an overhanging tree. It was clear behind me but not completely above me. Luckily, it was a spinning rig, but if it were a baitcasting rig, I'm pretty sure that rig would have been laid to rest until I got home.

You know, I’ve been considering getting one for the longest time. I know they come in different sizes so I’ll try to find one that would be decent for both thin and thick lines. At the very least, if the fishing is slow I suppose you could crochet a couple of reel covers, lol.

Two last things 1) you must learn how to let the weight of the lure load the rod so that the rod can toss your lure like a catapult. You probably know as well as I do that you can get away with not doing this with a spinning rod with zero consequence/penalty but NOT with a casting set up. Other than figuring out the timing of the release, This is probably the second most challenging thing for spinning background folks to overcome if they have the bad habit of failing to load the rod properly on the cast. If they already do this, this point is moot. 2) do not hesitate to stop the spool dead cold if suspect or feel something isn’t or wasn’t done right. For example if you realized you let your thumb off too late on an overhand cast, stop it could turkey before the lure smacks down in front of you. Or, if you were mindful enough to realize your made your cast but failed to load the rod properly, stop the spool cold and start over. Stopping the spool from spinning before the lure hits the ground, water, or a shrub does a heckuva lot to prevent a birdsnest. Why? Because a spool can’t overrun if it isn’t spinning, lol.

Unfortunately, no line is immune from potential backlash. However, it’s less painful to the wallet, lol. mono is just the economic choice even if money is not an object. Why waste good line. That’s all. You could probably have enough line even on a filler spool to fill your reel twice. So for the learning process, stay away from fc or braid. It’s just not worth wasting more expensive line when cheap mono is more than adequate.

Take off the braid... now, lol. You're going to waste it. Put on 10-14# mono. That is priority #1. I am speaking from real experience. I also spooled my first baitcaster with 30# braid too. I also come from a spinning background. The time to take the thumb off the spool is much sooner than when you remove your forefinger off of a spinning reel. If you attempt an over hand cast, I can practically guarantee that you will slam your first cast into the ground in front of you and waste the braid. Use at least 1/2 oz bass casting weight to learn with. Lastly, I hope you bought a baitcaster whose handle is on the same side as what your spinning reels have. If not, I'd exchange it. There is no need to reprogram yourself unless you had planned on becoming proficient fishing both ways.

Loomis rods definitely have a respectable reputation such that it is nearly a given, but what it probably more important is if the rod you are eyeing is going to suit your needs and do what you expect it to do. Perhaps you can handle a 7'6" rod from your kayak as only you can say with any certainty. With that said, if the price is too good to not let go, then get it. I'm sure you'll eventually for a place for it in your arsenal. As a newbie angler, you have no idea how large your rod arsenal will grow, and it will. Trust us, lol. There is a creature that dwells in every angler, the bait monkey. Yours has been dormant, but will soon be waking up.

2000/2500 is fine for most situations. If I had to fish super deep, I would consider the 3000. If it is feasible, I prefer more line than less, because I like to account for forced break-offs. It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Very cool perspective, which alone I would not have had cross my mind and makes sense. People usually define finesse with lighter lines and smaller baits but you do in terms of presentation. It actually clarifies "finessing" of finesse which does mean to treat on handle delicately or subtlely. Thanks!

@JediAmoeba: I agree with you on the ned rig, but unlike the Ned, the “Power” drop shot imho not constrained in the same way. To me, power shotting, which I call alpha shotting, is merely a step up in line weight, and rod power — which is how I define it. It will work all else being equal. For example, if I’m fishing deep in salt water, I am not going to wait a million years for a 1/8 oz DS weight to fall 60’ or so. I’m going to use a heavier weight and more powerful rod and stronger line to better address the scenario. Same rig, just a different setting. The drop shot shot is not limited to finesse. And yes, it can be a bit of a pain in really grassy environments and perhaps not ideal choice.

14 lb Stren mono clear fluorescent blue. It’s the only line bass in my lakes hits spinnerbaits with and with only 1 exception... ever. Lol

This. And you never ever have to start from an empty spool or worry which joining knot to use.

I can’t but with all the anglers there is probably at least one.

I’m in the same boat but have chosen to employ 2-piece rods for the trunk for the “just be ready to fish” if the opportunity should arise. My true bass rods might see action on a weekend. It’s a bit tricky but I can barely fit my 7’ rods with the back seat down.

As I predicted. This IMHO is the “natural” inclination but it is not set in stone. As to the cast with the right and reel with the right being traditional? Maybe, maybe not. It just leads me to believe that the person who invented the baitcaster was left-hand dominant, lol, and righties had to reprogram and adapt until it dawned on reel makers to make left-handed versions, lol^2.

Bait monkey answer: get both! If SC has 7’ versions, I’d choose them instead.

Only one way to find out. Try both and unless you are ambidextrous, one should feel more comfortable than the other. If you cast with your left hand, it is likely you will want to retrieve with the right hand and therefore you’ll want a right handed reel. That is an an educated guess. However, what I mentioned in the first paragraph is paramount.

I guess you have to come up to the Pacific Northwest. It’s well stocked here and I am a fan of CX premium and CXX.

It might be true that he can’t get in the house, but he’s always waiting to jump on like a backpack once you exit, lol. You’re all sick. If buying tackle and gear were a drug, You’d all be put away for good. Shame on all you all, wasting money on lures that will stay in your garage for decades and never be used and worse, all those rods that have become gloried dust collectors. Now if you’ll excuse me, BPS is on next exit. I’m gonna see if that fish eagle 2 two piece MH casting rod has dropped down in price and if Yamamoto 297s and whopper plopper are finally back in stock. I also need some more of those trds for my ned heads. Still debating if I should drop $40 on tatsu or $8 on tonkatsu. ???

I get it. You’re merely meeting the needs of your situation and I think you’re right to do so. I would presume for most bass only anglers who will view this through their bass angler lenses to be inconceivable since they don’t and won’t ever deal with such a need. Ive been spooled by a chum salmon with a fully loaded 200 sized curado. Would’ve been nice to have had 350 yards.

Are you allowing the rod to be loaded properly by the lure’s weight? If all else is properly set to the lure then this is really the main reason you’re getting the backlash. You have to ensure this. When I properly load my rod I can throw it as hard as I want (but I don’t) and the reel will not backlash. When I fail to do this you can be reasonably certain that if my last line of defense fails, ie, my thumb, a buds nest is gonna happen, lol.

As mentioned you need to get a swivel. All of the inline spinners I make have one built in. This is only a band aid for your situation from one bank angler to another. It should curb the line twist. After every 8-10 cast or so, depending on how twisted your line is, I will let out enough line at or just passed the rod’s length and let the line “rest”. If you was close enough, you will see the line spin back and forth about the y (vertical) axis. The is the line untwisting itself. If if you see a lot of untwisting say more than 15 seconds (warning - can feel like an eternity, lol) then you line was really twisted. Carry on fishing. I do this when fishing anything that can acquire line twist. BAM - the shorebound anglers band aid, lol