BassGirl71

Just got the one I ordered, too. I love the look and feel of this reel. I can't wait to get out there and do some more testing with it. So far it has performed very well. I love the reel cover, too - keeps the scratches, etc. down when it's bouncing around in the rod locker.

I agree, this reel seems to cast forever. It does take a bit to really understand how fast you are actually moving the bait, but I love mine. It feels solid and I like the longer handle.

I just picked up a Speed Demon. I have only been able to fish with it a bit so far, but it seems like a good reel. The drag is strong and it is smooth. I think the biggest thing for me will be learning just how fast a bait is moving. 9.3:1 is pretty fast. But I think it will make a great pitching reel in vegetation and pads - makes it easier to get the fish turned and headed toward the boat before it gets wrapped up if you have a higher speed reel.

I've put some KastKing reels through some pretty hefty tests and they have done really well in tournament situations for me. I don't throw big swimbaits, but I would imagine they would do well there, too - it will be interesting to hear the report back.

The Stealth is an awesome reel. I don't have an Assassin yet, but I am looking at getting one soon. The Speed Demon is another great reel, if you're looking for something high speed. Like everyone else, I've been through several companies. It's all in what fits you best and what you have the most confidence in, I think.

That makes sense. I guess I didn't take the line capacity into consideration. I agree the White Max is likely a better choice in that regard. Also, I like the slower gear ratio for swim baits as well as crank baits, so that might be the better reel for him. Good call!

Nice! I thought I was the only one left doing this.

That make sense. For me, slowing down can be tough after I've caught a few fish. For that reason, I prefer a 5 something to 1 for cranking if I know I'm going to be cranking at a medium to slower speed. I see more and more people opt for higher gear ratios, though - which is great if they can slow down like you do. But I do see guys with a 7.0:1 or so reeling so fast I'm sure their cranks are turning over under water. At the same time, I wonder, and I working too hard with my 5.3:1 White Max when I want to crank a bit faster.... definitely something to think about. Fatigue over the course of the day should be a determining factor, I guess.

I own a few KastKing reels, as most know, but I don't own an Assassin at this point. I looked it up on Amazon, and I'm not sure why you wouldn't use this reel for swim baits. For 2-3 ounce swim baits, it seems like a good choice. Again, I don't own this particular reel, but I've had good experiences with KastKing reels, so I would not have an issue with it. They have held up well for me over the past three years. For swim baits with treble hooks, I use mono. For soft plastic swim baits where I'm using something like a VMC weighted swim bait hook, I am okay with braid, but even then I prefer mono. I like the stretch of the mono, but maybe that's personal preference.

From what I've experienced, they don't stay in Senkos as long as other stick baits. Fish seem to hold Senkos better than other worms that are tougher, but the blades just don't stay in as long. So I think you have to take the good with the bad and make a decision based on that. You can always buy a more "generic" worm, if you will, that will last longer, as this seems to be more of a reaction strike technique where you will hook a fish quickly rather than waiting to feel a really soft bite on a finesse presentation. Just my thoughts.

I usually use a 5-inch. Of course, if I'm using a Ned rig or drop shot or something, I'll go smaller. But, for the most part, if I'm wacky rigging or Texas rigging, I'll use a 5-inch.

I was going to say the same thing. The roll cast is about all I use when casting. If you are going to cast overhand, turn your hand sideways so the reel is at a 90 degree angle to where you are throwing. Using a bait caster is tricky to learn, but once you get it down you'll wonder why it was ever so hard. You can't just cast straight out like you would with a spinning reel. Keep at it and you'll get it.

I was really into using Scrounger heads for a while with a Reaction Innovations skinny dipper or little dipper. I caught fish on them, but now that you mention it, I realize I haven't thrown one in about two years - they are still in my tackle bag, but I just haven't thrown one. I might have to go back to it this year!

LOL. I agree about ditching the fluoro leader. I don't tend to use a lot of flurorcarbon, even thought people tell me I'm "missing out" on... something. I'm not sure what. I use braid a lot and a mono leader for things like drop shotting and Carolina rigging. I do have a couple reels with mono, too, but I use about half mono and half copolymer for presentations I don't use braid for.

I use KastKing Super braid for a lot of my braid. Their Fortis is good, too, though. I have never had any problems cutting through vegetation with either braid. I use a pretty high speed reel in heavy cover and the combination of that braid and a high speed reel, I think, helps me get fish out of just about anything.

I agree. It's great to see someone else in your boat (or a buddy on shore) catch a fish that you might not be able to catch. Sometimes you can even learn something by it - maybe a pattern or a subtle detail that you were missing. My pet peeve, though, is having guys mark the spots I'm sitting on. In a recent tournament I was fishing a spot I found that I had never seen anyone fish. Because my partner and I had done really well at a previous tournament on that body of water, a few other teams were keeping a close eye on where we went. Anyway, we were fishing this spot and a guy was driving by on pad. He actually shut down, hit a waypoint on his electronics (I heard the beep from where I was), and got up and took off again. That kind of stuff kills me.... it's so blatant!

I agree that it is likely they are goners. But I have been able to revive stressed fish by holding them upright in the livewell for a while. I will also dump some Catch and Release (or the equivalent) into the livewell at the same time. It seems to be smallies more so than largemouth, but sometimes you hook a fish that just seems like it's not going to make it, it starts rolling over almost immediately. I have used those ice fishing weights and clipped them on the lower fins of the fish to keep them upright in the livewell. After a while you can take the weights off and usually the fish recoups. It's not 100% effective, but I think it's better than just letting them die in the livewell. I have had pretty good success using that technique. And, of course, the Catch and Release additive helps, too.

Not sure where you got those photos, but I've never seen a reel with that many bearings. And yes, bearings do matter. But you're entitled to you opinion.

The Stealth is a really great reel. I am looking at getting another one before the season kicks off.

I've been a big fan of KastKing for inexpensive, quality reels for the last few years. It depends on what you want to do with it, but they have everything from a slower gear ratio White Max for cranking all the way up to the super-fast Speed Demon (9.3:1 gear ratio) for pitching and flipping techniques. For an all-round reel, I would recommend something like their Assassin. It's got a 6.3:1 gear ratio - the gear ratio tells you how fast the line come in while you are reeling. For instance, with the Assassin, when you turn the handle one time, the spool will turn 6.3 times, to bring in that much more line. The higher the gear ratio, the faster the reel. Keep in mind that you can always slow down or speed up your retrieve to get the cadence you want, too. Right now the Assassin is less than $60 on Amazon. Bearing count is pretty important. The more bearings you can afford in a reel, the smoother and farther it will be able to cast. It will also be smoother when you're reeling in. Drag is also important. The drag will help you bring in bigger fish and not allow them to take off on you. Depending on the technique you are using and the line, you will have to set your drag differently. That's probably a bigger topic than I should add here, but if you know people who are experienced with bait casters, I am sure they can help you figure all of that out. Depending on what you are doing, you may want a pretty stout drag. But keep in mind that you don't have to have it cranked down, so a higher drag will give you more techniques that you can use the same reel for. But both bearing count and drag are important, as well as gear ratio. I hope that helps. Also, as others have said, buy some inexpensive mono and spool up with that first. Use that to practice until you are comfortable with using a bait caster. I spent a lot of time in my driveway practicing before I ever took a bait caster out on the boat. It's really worth learning.

I use braid quite a bit. As others have said, you have to be careful in rocky areas, as rock will cut your brain fairly easily. But I use it for flipping and pitching almost exclusively - other than in really clear water that is highly pressured. I also do not use it or cranking, as others have said. I like the stretch of mono for that. One thing I do see people do quite a bit, though is to use a lower pound test of braid on a bait caster, and that is somewhat a recipe for disaster. When you set the hook hard, a 20-pound, for example, will cut into itself and cause you a bunch of issues. I never use anything under 50-pound on my bait casters (15 or 20 for spinning reels), and I usually prefer 65-pound. I also use braid as my main line for a Carolina rig and even a drop shot rig. Then I use Master's Mono for a leader.

Bait casters can be tricky to get adjusted properly. But give it some time, and I think you'll see the benefits. I have a Stealth, but I had been using bait casters long before I switched over to KastKing, so I guess maybe that's why I didn't have a big problem with it. On my bait casters, though, I don't go less than 50 lb braid. I spool up some mono for backing and then fill the reel with Fortis. Using a smaller weight braid will mean it is a much smaller diameter. That makes it really easy to cut into itself when you set the hook on a stump, for instance - Not that that's ever happened to me. I heard it from a guy. LOL. Okay, I've done that a bunch of times. Anyway, the heavier braid will help. There are some tricks to getting a bird's nest (AKA professional overrun) undone when it seems impossible. You can find vids on YouTube on that pretty easily. Also, don't be afraid to crank everything down fairly tight while you are learning. Don't concentrate on long casts, just try to get the bait to cast out first. When I was first learning, I did a lot of pitching in the driveway standing on a 5-gallon bucket. And keep in mind that your adjustments for pitching and casting will likely be different as well. As others have said, if you're new to bait casters, it can be easier to learn with mono, rather than braid - not to mention cheaper if you wind up having to cut out s few bird's nests here and there. You'll get it down with some practice. Good luck!

I agree with what others here have said - I've never had an issue with braided line and ceramic guides. I also use mono for backing on all of my braided line. It's less expensive and you don't have to worry about it slipping. But, if I do have all braid on a reel, I always tape it. That's just the way I was taught years ago, so that's what I do. So, I have no experience with the line slipping, but I am sure it could be an issue if it happens. You could always peel the line off and put tape on it and put it all back on, if you find out it's a problem.

I would use it for a dock rod - close quarters kind of stuff. A shorter rod can be good for skipping docks and such. I also have a short rod that I use for top waters, although I'm not sure if that's an intended use. It just works well for me. I see others say the same though, so take it for what you will. I think once you start using it you'll find a lot of different uses for it.

That's a smoking deal! It's always great to find stuff like that - just doesn't happen often enough! lol