jimmyjoe

Get the deluxe. https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Round-Nose-Pliers?quantity=1&custcol11=373 You might want to consider one of these tools, too. They're not magic, but they can be handy. https://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Search/wire%20forming%20tools.aspx jj

I agree with that 100%. But the OP was inquiring about throwing 1 oz. lures, something probably done better on casting gear and with line heavier than 10 lb. test mono. I think manufacturers today are marketing spinning rods that are, in the main, quite a bit different from 30 years ago. jj

You've been watching me fish, haven't you? ??? jj

I can't really tell you about the digitally-controlled reels. But I will tell you that 3 weeks ago I met a man who was learning to use a casting setup. He had only been learning for 2 weeks at that time, and he wasn't doing bad at all. He had a magnetic reel by Pflueger. I think this is it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pflueger-Monarch-CHLP/163908959577?hash=item2629bc3d59:g:VH8AAOSwEGVdqFMD https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pflueger-Monarch-Baitcaster-Bass-Fishing/164398358830?hash=item2646e7e12e:g:iJwAAOSw5eBfa8Sb Yes, that's a low-priced reel. But what impressed me was the control it had over the cast. He wanted some tips, so he let me use it for a few casts. I got it to cast a fair distance, and cast reliably. If it only lasts three months, so what? In that time you have learned to use a casting reel, and you're out very little money. By that time you'll know enough to step up to the better tier of reels. And if it lasts longer, so much the better. Hope this helps. jj P.S. - Sometimes people say that some reel is a "great casting reel" because it has less control over the cast, not more. Some fishermen are real artists (pun intended) and achieve their results by their own physical control. That's not the kind of reel you want right now.

OK. Now, everyone here is gonna pile on with conflicting advice, most of it from people who are already comfortable with casting gear. If you follow all of them, you'll go ten different directions at once, and you'll get so frustrated that you'll give up. You've already given up once. You don't learn to drive by learning how to start a car, put it in gear and step on the footfeed, then head straight for the interstate. You'll get killed. Neither do you jump into baitcasting with the same attitude. You have to learn in a controlled manner, so that you see every advance and every problem BEFORE it gets away from you. 1) Get an inexpensive baitcaster. I didn't say "cheap", I said inexpensive. The critical attribute of this reel is that it can be shut down so far that you cannot - and I emphasize CANNOT - backlash it. Of course, the weight on your line may not go further than five feet, but that's totally beside the point. It'll go further and further as time goes on. You'll see. 2) Get an inexpensive rod. Because you've already been talking about cranks, get a moderate action rod, rated to at least one ounce. 3) Get a lead weight and tie it on your line. You should probably get one about the same weight as the lure you want to use, but close is OK, too. The line should be minimum 12 lb. test, and I suggest Berkely Trilene Big Game, just because it's good line and cheap. Remember, you're learning here. You're not going out on that Interstate alone yet. 4) Here's where it gets dicey. Fishermen who are comfortable with casting reels use their thumb to feather or control the spool speed during a cast. That's something they've learned, and you will learn it, too. But you're going to learn it s-l-o-w-l-y. Like you said, you've given up once on baitcasters. I don't think you want to go down that road again, with all that frustration. When you use spinning gear, you FLING the lure out, with absolutely no control on line tension. When the lure stops, the line stops. No untoward consequences at all. That's because your spool doesn't move. Casting reels are the total opposite. Total. When you release your thumb to cast, the spool rotates. It can reach un-heard-of speed, and do so in the blink of an eye. If it's not controlled some way, the acceleration will cause an immediate backlash. (I think you've experienced that!) so something has to act against the acceleration, to moderate it as such. And for us old farts, that was the thumb. You would ride the spool right from the beginning of the cast, kinda gently but not too gently, and voila' .... no backlash. And you can still do it this way, but you shouldn't have to. It's frustrating. Not that you never use your thumb; you do, but not the same way as the old reels. Not to the same degree. So there are two other ways to calm down the spool when you cast. 4a) centrifugal. This uses tiny weights symmetrical around the axis of the spool, and when that extreme acceleration starts, they rotate out and rub against a ring or post, slowing and controlling the spool. 4b) magnetic. This uses magnets and inductors to create an effect that retards the acceleration. Both can work. In fact, both can work really, really well. WHICH ONE YOU CHOOSE IS IMMATERIAL. You'll get used to it, so no problem. 5) Set your cast control to maximum, put your spool tension up high, and "fling" the weight on your line outward, keeping your thumb kinda in touch with the spool. The reason I say for you to keep your thumb somewhat in contact with the spool is that you need to learn how it feels, and what to expect. Always press down with your thumb when the weight reaches the end of the cast, stopping the spool yourself rather than letting the control do it. This will be important as you get better and better. Most probably, your weight will go only a few feet. That's fine. No problem. Wind the weight back in, and ever so gently, little micro-steps at a time, back off on the cast control. Leave the spool tension knob where it is FOR NOW. Remember ... this is just a learning process. As you back off the cast control more and more, you'll notice that you're starting to get "fluff". Fluff is the term for line that is jumping off the spool during a cast. It's a sign that in about one-billionth of a second more, you'll have a backlash. So tighten up your cast control juuuuuuust a wee bit, and you should be OK. Now....... how far did you cast the weight just before the "fluff" showed up? It should have been a decent distance, like maybe 50 feet, maybe more. At this point, go back to the maximum setting on the cast control, and turn your attention to the spool tension knob. The only way you're going to find out how these two controls interact with each other is by actually using them. Books don't help much. Videos can help a lot, if you watch very carefully. The video library accessed at the top of the page has lots of information, for everything from the flat beginning to more advanced uses. You need to watch those videos! As you get better with this process, you'll have more questions. Come on back with your questions; we'll be here. ???? GOOD LUCK! jj

Yeah. So what? Everyone has to learn. You should have seen me 60 years ago, learning to rollerskate. I spent far more time on my butt than I did upright. But I persevered. I learned. You can learn, too. The new baitcasters are FAR better and easier to manage than the old green Heddon I learned on. And there are plenty of people here who are willing to help you. They might tease the heck out of you, but they'll still help you to the bitter end. If you go that route, you'll be in the catbird seat for any and all heavier techniques. Not only that, but I suspect that a casting setup for heavier lures will be MUCH more comfortable and efficient than a spinning setup for heavier lures. Like my older sister said when it came time to teach me to swim, "C'mon in! The water's fine!" ??? jj

Looks like The Goddess of Music had triplets! ?? jj

As far as "going to work", yes, the spinning reels will work .... as long as you use the correct size. The stress on a spinning reel is when the spool is at full forward position. The main shaft is at a mechanical disadvantage, and the only way to compensate is make the shaft bigger and beefier. IOW, a bigger reel. IF I were to use the Certate reels, I'd probably gamble on the 4000 size. So you can use a spinning setup. You have to find the right size reel, the right strength reel, then the right power rod, and put it all together. Not too big, and not too small. And then you still have the problem, and @WRB said, of rod action. The only rods for spinning that I know of that have the requisite softer action for cranks are walleye rods. That can be a whole 'nother world in itself! 4) Spinning gear holds the lure on the cast with the fisherman's trigger finger. Heavier lures put more pressure on the finger. That can (and does) get uncomfortable. It's not like the thumb pressure on casting gear. You might not mind that, or you might not like that at all. Maybe @roadwarrior and @spanky gave you the best advice. After all, if you go ahead with this, you'll get your "higher range to be more dynamic and flexible", but it's going to cost you in new gear, new experiments for new problems and lots of money. Are you sure you want to go ahead with this? Just sayin'. jj

I've got to admit you're right ..... finally. ??? Looks like Jimmy's gonna buy some new mono line for Christmas! Thanks! jj

There's the solution! jj

Whenever someone tells you "80% of this" or "62% of that" or "40% of the time", be verrrrrry careful. Some of that is crap that is made up on the spur of the moment, and some is psuedo-factual stuff from very earnest people who don't really know what they're talking about and don't realize it. So .... some facts are facts, and some facts aren't. That doesn't mean that when I die I want to come back as a crawdad! ?? jj

Yes ....if and when I use braid. I have 2 spinning.reels with braid on them, and that stuff just won't die. I'm too frugal (read: cheap) to just throw it away. As soon it does die, though, I will be (and will stay) braid-free. I tried many different materials for leaders. I would suggest Maxima Chameleon leader material, but I need to warn you; that stuff is not easily managed. I tried Big Game, too, like Tom said. It was kinda OK. Don't use soft nylon lines, though. Braid will cut through them, slowly but surely jj.

Four years ago, I tried exactly the same thing with exactly the same rod. When the results didn't turn out the way I expected, I tried another 6' rod, a Shimano Compre. I had braid on both of them. I finally had to admit to myself that you can't cheat the laws of physics. Have fun fishing! ? JJ

There is no "best" that is the same for everyone. Would I use mono in the situation you describe? Absolutely! But someone else might totally advocate braid or FC, too. Remember that I said ..... So other people might not see the negatives the same way I do. What about you? You need to make your own judgements. You fish your way, and I fish mine. If we were to fish side-by-side, you might try to fish the way I do and find out it works for me, but doesn't work for you. That's why we listen to other people's advice on this forum. We consider all things from all available angles ..... and then we see which works best for us. The equipment you have is top-notch. No matter which type of line you choose, you'll find there are great lines out there. You've arrived at a point where you need to invest time, money and effort to see what works best for you. A swivel or VERY small split-shot sinker on mono will make all the difference in the world between mono and fluorocarbon. It will make FC sink faster, too. Have fun! ??? jj

^^^^ 9 ^^^^ Few people mention Preston Reed or Don Ross.

Why not try the Endurance 7116 CB? It will do everything that you want to do right now, and it'll give you room to grow. Just a thought. jj

Yes, that's an accurate statement. Dobyns has two or three spinning rods that are rated 705, or H/F. They throw up to, I believe, one-and-a-quarter oz. You might investigate them if you're dead-set on spinning gear. I can understand that you want a cranking rod with the "feel" and sensitivity of your high-end rods. Sensitivity is addictive. The thing is, you really don't need sensitivity in a moving-bait rod. You may benefit from some decent amount of sensitivity at certain times, like running squarebills through trees or among rocks. But even then, any normal graphite rod will show you as much sensitivity as you need. For big squarebills (Strike King KVD Magnum 4.0) I use fiberglass, and I have no problems. Then again, I'm accustomed to fiberglass. I hope you find what you need, and I wish you good luck! jj

All you gotta do is experiment a little, and you'll find yourself some answers. Some of the answers will be "yes" and some will be "no", but at least you'll have the answers you need. ? jj

One of the primary concerns I have about any line is how it handles. A great handling line .... a consistent handling line .... is a huge plus for me; I can see whether I can tolerate any negatives from there .... if there are any. And that's true for both casting and spinning gear. If you're fishing shallow, nylon monofilament is the most forgiving and most consistent line I've seen yet. And the way I fish(ed) T-rigs, it was fine up to 12-16 feet deep. Because I was fishing from shore, there were only 2 or 3 places I could fish even that deep. For me, fluorocarbon line's sinking characteristic isn't important. I use it for slow-retrieve cranks around rip-rap. Yes, I experimented with it for bottom-contact, but it didn't impress me as being any better than good nylon. I absolutely hate, detest and loath braid's handling characteristics, and the abrasion resistance and knot strength are both poor, but I have to admit it's sensitive on spinning reels. I have used it, but no more. Personal choice. If I were jigging in 20-30 feet of water, I might change my mind, but I'm not. So I use 4 and 6 lb. Stren Original on a 2500 spinner. I'm still experimenting with lines for a 4000 spinner ..... I'll probably settle on 10 lb. Magnethin. Then I go to casting, with 12 lb. Big Game my lightest line. Some people think that 6 lb. Stren is too light for bass. It's not, as long as you stay out of the cover, which I do. I know .... I ramble. But I hope this helped. Good luck! ? jj P.S. - if you feel you need to use a leader, use actual leader material. It's tougher that regular mainline. Seaguar makes some great FC leader material, but I recommend Maxima Chameleon leader material. It's stiff, but excellent.

St. Croix Premier, then Berkley Phazer. I wasn't an early convert; just too stubborn, I guess. ? jj

I'm a shorecaster. You didn't mention, but it seems you're using spinning gear. If so, you're getting about the same results I'm getting. I can't tell for sure, but it seems as if braid sometimes pulls the lure away from the fish too soon. I also cast long distances in some locations. In those instances, braid is a big advantage, and by that I mean feeling a hit at the end of a long cast, and setting the hook in a timely manner. But for average distances, I go monofilament (nylon or fluorocarbon) 100% of the time. Like I said, that's for spinning gear. I don't use braid on casting reels. jj

At 500 yards? Yeah, I think it's pretty good, too! In fact, I think it's real good! ?? jj

The pinion, the drive gear, and all the support bearings that go along with them. One other thing; the spool shaft needs to be strong enough to take the stress of heavy lures and highly resistive retrieves. On the reels you've been discussing, that's no problem. On smaller reels, it might be. Good luck! jj

AHA! ??? jj

Most of the squarebills I have CANNOT be burned or ripped. If they are, they either broach or become unstable and cant sideways. One of the things I always appreciated about squarebills is their tendency to not hang up, especially in riprap. Faster speed retrieves diminish that advantage. So for me, squarebills are one of the slowest-speed retrieve type of cranks that I have. Glad to hear you guys are having better luck than I am with high-speed retrieves. ? jj