JustJames

I alway cast with right both spinning and caster but reel with right on caster, left on spinning. So it is not a lot of problem for me to set hook or fighting with either hand. The only problem is casting with left, I can do but accuracy and distance is far worst. I can’t even do over head cast with left just side arm and back hand. I do have both left and right hand bait casters and I use both. I even thinking about getting more left hand reels. It will take time but eventually you will get it. Now I can back hand cast with my left pretty accuracy. As for reeling different hand, I changed my caster to longer handle and that help a lot(my shimano 71 is 84mm so I changed to 90mm, I believe)

I’ve learnt to appreciate the old and adapt to the new. I normally do not keep my old reel, but ever since I sold my old Calcutta 50, I’ve since looked to replace it. OP, all new reels ain’t bad, it depends on what you pick, these day there are a few OEM reels come into play and make reels for every body. Some use cheaper parts than other, some just copy major brand out right. Some say Kastking is good but trash favorite, they might came from the same OEM company, who knows? Even daiwa now have OEM make their cheap reel to complete in this market.

Fresh is way better, too bad dead or live bluegilee is illegal to used in CA. I wanna try my hand on Flat head for once.

I like to fish any kind of fish, but I don’t like bait and wait type or touching worm. Just recent year I started fishing for crappies and I’m kind of sucked into it.

I’m using Shimano Sensilite UL 6’6, but this rod fish more like Lite than UL, good backbone and reasonable soft tip. It can cast down to 1/24oz jig head plus plastic all the way to 1/4oz with no problem. I’m also thinking of getting new UL rod that can cast down to 1/32oz or lower for bluegill. The one that I might buy is Daiwa spinmatic or Daiwa presso 5’6 or 6’. The Sensilite is pretty good versatile rods, can handle crappies 14” and also nice size bass without a sweat and pretty reasonable price as well. BTW your regal LT is nice light weight and pretty smooth, I checked it out at local store and definitely will get one in this LT series. I’m just not sure if I should get 1000d or 2000s.

And so much fun to fight with good size bluegill on UL rod.

With beetle spin, 1/16oz road runner and 1/8 rooster tail, you should be fine with ML. The problem is ML rod might not have enough play/bend on rod tip for paper mouth of crappies. For 1/32oz jig head, you would need UL rod unless you add weighted bobbers. How did you snap ugly stick on bluegill?

I’ve yet to catch a bass under 4”. And I never catch a bass on crankbait, shallow/lipless. Now the thing I accomplished this year is catching a lot of bass on jig and catch a whole bunch of crappies.

I’m just like you set drag pretty loose (about 2-3lbs drag depend on line type) on casting reel and use my thumb when needed. It is kind of automatic when set hook my thumb lock spool. Nowadays I fish a lot of Lite line so I have to adapt, no more set hook just a quick jerk and rely on the drag to control fish. With spinning I used to use my left to lock spool when set hook and to hold spool to control the run. I still do that sometime when fish for catfish.

Let me know too, I saw some of that hydro dip and very interested. I wonder about durability but if they can hydro dip motorcycles helmet, it should be good on the reel. The problem I foresee is, this might add thickness to the reel and some of the parts might not fit properly.

Take your rod to local store and ask to try with all the reels in that price range. Pick the one more comfortable for you to hold. Most of the time you would hold your rod at 45 degree so the one you can hold at that position the longest without being tip heavy is the ideal. Reel around 200 all should be good doesn’t matter daiwa, shimano or others.

That is a shame, i’ve heard on 2+ lbs crappies there but nothing recently. I love to drift at henshaw too but for catfish and crappies.

I’m in the same boat as changing direction when you feel the tension of bass coming up to water, not after. I mostly fight with rod tip up if I feel the bass coming up I’ll either lower rod tip to left or right and pull back. I always notice if I try to pull the fish up fast that fish trend to jump more and I love to see that. The one that you don’t want to jump, jumped and hurt you, been there many times.

I think you meant Finesse rod not BFS(bait finesse system). BFS for those that crazy throwing super light lures and they are talking 1/16oz or lower total weight. You need special casting reels or modified reels to achieve casting that weight with some distance. You normal 1/16oz jig head plus plastic fall into 3/16 or 1/4oz. I’d look for M or ML with lure weight from 1/8 or 1/16. As a few already give you ideal of the rod. Carbon lite is pretty reasonable price and can handle that weight range pretty well I own one. I normally use shimano crucial drop shots rod 1/8-3/8oz (gen1 and gen2) for this application. I don’t have MC don iovino but definitely wanna try one. A little fancy but reasonable price is Majorcraft line up of Lite/BFS 1/16-1/4oz, either go emotion, benkei, corzza.

I’m not sure which cast further, but I do know for sure I cast up on to a tree more often on spinning gear.

You don’t need freaking BFS rod to throw 1/16oz Ned Rig, shakey head or Texas rig. The 1/16oz head plus plastic, that weight almost 1/4oz. Any Medium with soft tip or ML/F rod should be able to handle this. BTW, you gonna have a tough time trying to use regular 70 as BFS reel. Unless you wanna find an excuse to spend some money, by all mean go for it.

Nice but bloody bass man. How the crappies over the henshaw? Last time I went there was 3 years ago and almost down my wife car( too shallow to launch at the lamp, had to use the lamp at the beach area).

Are we talking about Trout magnet jig or trout magnet sos line? “ this particular jig” which one? What species are you targeting?

PMed you thanks @wrb, i think they are threadfin shad about 1.5-2.5”. It might be small bluegill (I saw tons on main lake) that feeding on green bugs but shad also came close to shoreline (spawning?). I fish for crappies here most of the evening and saw one of the kids net the shad up shoreline when big wave come. Now let continue night fishing, too bad this year I lost my fishing buddy forever and might not get a chance to take my boat out at night no more.

I don’t know how to answer you, but this will make you miss Canyon Lake even more. Sorry, this is night fishing topic.

Congrats man, any weight or length? I love crappies fishing too, started last year and have not stop since. I sometimes forget about bass lol.

You should clean it also light oil with Q tip to make the spool spin smoother. Also when you at it don’t forget to clean brake shoe where the part touch the drum.

Love to see those giant flat. I watch video about halibut trip up in Alaska very often. I love to eat halibut and even caught one myself here in SoCal. @Hammer 4I think we have slot limit here in US.

Not so true, there are a lot of factors, how you set the drag and how smooth, how you play the fish, how soft/stiff of you rod tip and bend. I caught quite a bit of nice size bass on #4 izorline and #6hybid. Just last night I caught my new PB of 8.5lb on 10lb braid with 6lb leader(Maybe 90% pure luck on this one that I can land her)

The reason I switch to Izor line from Hybrid becuz of a lot of break off on my 8lb . Also I almost completely switch to uni knot from trilene knot. But different than your most of my break off happened when set hook which there is a lot of things to consider not the line itself, like distance and rod tip stiffness. if line break off after the first initial hookset then there is possibility of you pulled to hard with drag lock down.