An Old Baitcaster. Good Or Bad?

[GoneFishi'n 97]

Hi, I was wondering if I should buy a newer baitcaster, or just you my grandpas Triforce 153. I recently found it at my dads office and he said if I learned to use it, it's mine. Well not mine but I can use it whenever I want. What I did is I put about a 2 ounce weight on it and started casting it, i only got the line tangled 4 times out of like 20! I think that's pretty good for my first time casting one haha. But long story short, what kind of line should I use for jigging/spinner baits? My dad said he had some 50 pound braided and I have been hearing about people using like 20 mono or 65 braided. So I can't really tell which one I should put on. Well since I told you the reel, I think maybe one of you guys can tell me the best type of line to put on it. As always have a good day/night!

[LgMouthGambler 544]

Braid is easier to manage. If you get a backlash, you dont have to worry about the line snapping. If you get a really bad backlash, well...., then you are respooling. Braid is different DIA for different companies. 65# Spiderwire is 12# DIA, while 65# Power Pro is 14# or 17# DIA. All good either way. Anything around a 12# DIA will be great for you.

[Miller's Ferry 8 5]

I would recommend upgrading after you get very consistent throwing the old one. And as for line I would use fluorocarbon. 12# - 15# will be good unless you plan on fishing in heavy cover then 20# or 65# braid would be better although braid is harder to cast. The best brands in my opinion are p-line and seagar. I have had fluorocarbon on for a couple years now and I can count on two hands how many times I've backlashed with it. And I bass fish about every other weekend. It's just a very easily thrown type of line.

[roadwarrior 6,565]

The reel is a "disposable". Get yourself a Citicia and make fishing a LOT more fun!

[GoneFishi'n 97]

What does that mean? That it's a bad reel?

[GoneFishi'n 97]

So 50# braid is to little I guess?

[detroit1 80]

Make a few hundred casts with a baitcaster with braid everytime you go out, and you will see a pretty nasty spooling thumb. I would go with mono or floro.

[GoneFishi'n 97]

What size 17?

[smalljaw67 2,163]

What does that mean? That it's a bad reel?

RW is correct, that is what we call a "disposable" reel. I wouldn't say it is bad but they are made to last a season or two depending on how they are used and the reason we call them disposable is that when it breaks it isn't worth fixing and you probably couldn't find parts to fix it. If you want to use it to learn on then go for it as it didn't cost anything but it will make for a longer learning curve but since it is free you really can't get much better. If I were you and just learning on that reel I would find some cheap 10# or 12# mono and spool it up with that and use an old 3/8oz casting sinker to practice with. Think about how far a good cast would be and take that amount of line off the reel and place a piece of tape down at that spot in the spool and then reel up the line and begin practicing. The tape will help because when you get a backlash it won't be tangled in the entire spool, just to where the tape is and since it will be shallow it will make picking out the backlash a lot easier and faster.

[james 14 29]

50lb braid is fine and the reel is fine so long as it still works correctly. Spool it up and have fun. The tape idea is a good one to help with backlashes while practicing.

[Bluebasser86 22,182]

Get some cheap 12-15lb mono and take it fishing a few times so you can get the hang of it and decide if you like fishing a baitcaster. Some people never get the hang of it and decide they don't like using them. Braid is tough to cast with, I still have problems casting with it after 15 years of using a baitcaster. Nothing wrong with an older reel if it's in good working order but a newer one makes things so much easier.

[Bigbarge50 31]

I would agree to using that one as a trial to see if baitcasters are for you. If you do decide you like them.... well start adding some new ones. Many of us on here have many, many baitcasters.

WIth that being said, I feel some of the old stuff is still good...... Not every reel I use has 10+ bearings in it (I have some of those too haha) and some of the old ones feel just as good and smooth as the new ones. Newer is often better, but not always.

[hatrix 294]

Make a few hundred casts with a baitcaster with braid everytime you go out, and you will see a pretty nasty spooling thumb. I would go with mono or floro.

What kind of braid are you using? It's like all I use and I fish as much as possible. With a good reel you can whip it and hardly if it all have to thumb the spool.