Steve Goldy

Ty…a very informative post! Nice when a miscalculation somehow transitions into a nice catch! Nice recoup!

This may be the determinant factor. From the many JF posts Ive read, he tends to favour FC line (at least, with spinning reels). I am using braid almost 95% of the time, when either spinning or bait casting,…as the environment where I do almost all of my fishing dictates heavy braid. Who am I to agrue???‍♂️

True enough…can’t say I wouldn’t instinctively react. So, I take it that the sacrifice of the line is a forgone conclusion? No reeling over it and trying to set it straight after dealing with the bass at hand?

If only I could claim it was my first……?

I considered this was possibility, but it’s good to know it can work if absolutely necessary. Guess it just depends on the extent of the backlash, and how badly it would affect the line retrieval.??‍♂️

Ty all for your helpful responses. Over a couple weeks of experimentation, I personally have found that the highest success rate combo I have tried so far is the weighted (1/8), EWG hook with a 4.5 paddle tail bait. I can either pull it through at a mildly brisk pace just above the worst of the salad, or drop and drag and repeat…shooting for the occasional holes in the “topscape”. Both methods have worked well so far?

Ok, what would one do in such a circumstance? I just started tossing baitcasters this season, and have really been enjoying it so far! The mechanics are fun, sort of the difference between driving a manual vs a standard transmission. More user input required, but rewarded with greater overall performance when all goes according to plan. Learning thumbing wasn’t so bad, and Im already getting to that “feathering” position (as opposed to clumsily impeding the spool with my thumb too heavily and randomly applied). Starting to feel the mechanics of the various stages of the cast, as to when to start slowly applying pressure. Man, this is fun..like perfectly matching the revs on a downshift….awesome feeling! After about 100 casts or so, only one backlash so far (AG Revo sx). No backlashes on the Shimano Antares DC and Scorpion DC…but I assume that is to be somewhat expected (although, I hear they backlash just fine if you push your luck too far…). During the time it took to clear out my backlash (wasn’t too bad, just takes some patience and the proper technique), it occurred to me that I was in an extremely compromised position, if a nice fish were to pick that exact moment in time to hit my lure. I’m sure this must have happened countless times, perhaps to some of you all? So, how did you handle the situation?

Have to say, that my caution (as stated above) has been proven to be incorrect. Upon closer examination of the manual which came with my Antares DC, the illustrations clearly show the line being tied off directly through the spool holes. There are no apparent admonishments (or, red X pictures) to indicate a caution when doing so with braid. Please do keep in mind that I don’t read Japanese. However, a picture says a thousand words… As the spool itself was a lighter metal upgrade from the previous model, it appears that my concern was entirely unwarranted. So….NM.??‍♂️?

Using Shimano JDM 150 spools (latest Scorpion/Antares DC models). Should be easily good to go for any bass, but just asking wrt/warranty.

You do raise a good point, especially when fishing for freshwater species. When facing saltwater fish, spooling out a ton of line might be more common place. With bass, no issue when using the correct line/rod for the environment. Perhaps I heard the caution against directly spooling through the spool holes when perusing saltwater databases? Possible…but I do recall it being in relation to a non sealed low profile baitcaster.

Perhaps it’s a matter of expectations? I originally had the same concerns as yourself…. that the cover did not extend all the way down the rod length. Even the higher end brands, such as “rod gloves” (as opposed to those spandex type, stretch covers), didn't seem to accommodate even basic 7’ spinning/casting rods. I soon realized that, although not covering the entire rod length, the longer, xl type covers did indeed cover the most fragile elements of the rod…those being the rod guides. If you need additional protection for your cork handles, entire reel seat, etc…you might want to consider supplemental storage additives (such as, hard shell rod cases that accommodate your entire rod length). I ended up going with a combination of the longest “Rod Gloves” possible (for my up to 7’3” rods, be they spinning/casting), coupled with the Plano hard shelled expandable rod cases. The inner rod sleeve will protect the rod within the hard shell casing, even if the casing is unlined. This is how I store/travel with my rods, and it seems to have worked fine so far.

Just wanting to clarify a nuance wrt/tying off straight braid (without backing) directly through the spool holes. I have heard, although not independently verified, that spooling any line directly through the holes in the spool may invalidate the reel warranty on some brands. Especially so on the higher end, lighter metal spools. Something to do with too much potential torsional energy being applied directly to the spool, as opposed to comparative diffusion of said forces when using backing. Any comments with relation to the above?

Funny, I’m in both camps. At least to me, what makes SMB such great fighters is their propensity to jump, lunge, shake their heads in the air, etc…it’s all about the fight, and I’m catch and release anyways. Granted, I would much prefer the fight conclude with my landing the fish…but I can still derive satisfaction from the battle alone. Still, if it were a monster, Id probably ? In fact, my most stressful time when attempting to land the SM is when Im bringing it in close to the dock. They always try and dive under the dock and between the supports/pilings. Some make many attempts before they can be properly netted. I can almost hear the line snapping with each and every attempt they make. It is during this “almost got her” stage that I find myself wishing these scrappers were a bit more sedate. Agreed, and a notable nuance.

I hear that, brother!?

I agree with your observations wrt/bass, pike, walleye sharing a common habitat. In my case, the walleye tend to be in deeper water by that time of season. Still, I am always wary of attracting pike unnecessarily. My personal experience has found that, while they still may occasionally do so, pike tend to avoid top or bottom presentations. Anytime I fish something in a suspended, mid water fashion, they hit on it mercilessly.??‍♂️I was hoping that bottom contact T-rigging might help me with the toothy critters. Otherwise, I may need to use a short wire leader which will probably screw with the action of the bait. C’est la vie! This sounds interesting. I will check it out…thanks! Spoken like a Costanza! With the rig being weightless and paired with the heavy test braid, are you primarily fishing/retrieving it along the top of the weeds? What type/size of senko are you using?