I have an open face ultralite setup, but I'm a baitcaster nut. I admit it. I love horizontal spools and levewinds. I love the control I have of not only being able to gently slow the bait down with my thumb, but also stop it, flip it, pitch it, etc...

 

I don't live in Florida where the Hawgs live...the largest Largemouth I've caught was 6# so far.

 

My beef with open face reels is mainly only line-twist, but I also don't have quite as good of accuracy nor control of the line-out.

 

 

-------------------------------------------- Preliminary Testing-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

What I've been doing:

 

I'm not one to drop a few hundred bucks on a Presso / Pixy...especially if I don't know if this will work well. There has got to be a cheaper way. I set up an old Ambassadeur 6000 IM6 rod with an old Ryobi V-Mag 3 reel. The rod is very light and sensative and was the beezneez 20 years ago. The reel has a graphite V-spool, so capacity is limited and it is very light. I spool it with 4# Crappie Maxx line at the moment.

 

I set up a "Small Bass Box" with Mepps #1 #2, 1/16oz Beetle Spin, 1/8oz Rattle Traps, 3" Senko's, Mini Frog, Spook Puppy, Mini Rapala Orig. Minnow, 3/32 Rebel Creekhopper, etc...

 

Blue Gill and Small Bass are tearing it up!!

 

Why I've been doing it:

 

Some days, I don't feel like only catching a few fish in an hour. I'm a bank fisherman. I have access to several large ponds / small lakes nearby where I can spend a couple hours at a time when I have time and have good results. Some days, I just wanna catch fish quick and often. I have a few area's that are overflowing with large blue gill and smaller bass. They're fun on an ultralight.

 

The results:

 

I couldn't be happier so far. I can cast down to 1/16oz well. I can cast 3" weightless Senko's as far as I want, Creekhopper landed 35-40 Blue Gill. Small Bass feel like big bass...it's a real hoot! Now that I know it works well for only $20 for my rod / reel setup...I'm going to address my 3 issues.

1. The reel has oil-less bushings...no bearings

2. The gears on the crank are a little rough

3. I would like to get a dedicated M/L rod

 

 

The solution:

Lew's Wally Marshall signature series baitcaster has 2-ball bearings, 1 roller bearing, and modern-cut gearing. It's also 6.4:1 versus the 4.1:1 on my old V-Mag 3 This will allow me to effectively cast these tiny baits in most conditions and have a smoother retrieve. Capacity is low, spool is light, so starting / maintaing spool momentum should be easier than my V-Mag.

 

Bass Pro Micro Lite 6'6" M/L rod with a carbon tip will be a little more sensative and better suited to the job.

 

 

The reel will be here tomorrow and I'll let you know how it all works out. I will also post pic's of my current cheap test rig and my new setup, my standard vs. small bass baits, and side-by-side pic's of my mini Lew's versus my current full size Lew's Speed Spools. Total cost should be in the $100 or less range.

 

 

 

Uptades to follow...I'm excited.

I'd have to say that you are as frugal as me....maybe even more so. 

 

No way can I cast down that light yet with a baitcast reel.  How long have you been using baitcast reels?

I'm 38 and got my first baitcaster when I was about 16. I still have it. (Lews BB-1 LMG mag spool)

I tried spooling one of my newer Speed Spools with 4# line to see if that would work. The ball bearings made the spool move easier than the bushing setup...but the massive amount of line was just too much added weight to work. (there had to be upwards of 300+yd on there.)  

The smaller, lighter spool on the mini will solve the problem...as my Mini V mag works well. I'll spool it with about 100 yd of 8 or 10# Fireline which should feel like 2-4# mono. Light enough to get the spool moving fairly effortlessly and still be really responsive to the mag.

 

 

 

 

 

As far as my bigger setups...I can still cast the little tiny 1/8oz traps just fine with my Speed Spools. I've got 2x Speed spools (7.1 and 6.4 ratios) on M/H Shakespeare and Heavy Bucoo rods...and my old Lew's is still in service. I use it when I'm feeling a bit of retro nostalgia and when I use heavier baits b/c it's 5.1:1. I'll often take it out when I'm bored with modern technology and modern methods. Throw alot of old school Traps, Spoons, Mepps, and Beetle Spins with it. I dare not put a chatterbait on my retro rig, hahaha!

 

As far as frugal goes...I spent less than $100 on my Bucoo rod, my Shakespeare rod was free, my 7.1 Speed Spool ended up costing me $37, and my 6.4 was only $55. I got really good deals on it all NIB. Just bided my time. I'm not frugal by choice, but by necessity.

I guess the question now is do I want a 6'6" trigger rod (long cork butt) or a 5'6" casting rod (short handle).

 

The shorter one will give me more accuracy and ability to shoot under tree's from the bank better...but sacrifice a little distance (not much b/c part of the extended length is behind the grip). Longer one will feel more balanced b/c there's weight behind and in front of the reel. Shorter one will feel lighter.

 

Hmmm...

I can´t believe that actually you have a V-Mag 3 Ryobi, I have one ! before the Pixy there was the V-Mag3.

Hahaha, yeah...the V-Mag 3 is kind of a piece...but it casts light lures well. It's funny...it looks just like a little V-Mag 40. Cute little bugger. That's what I'm hoping for with the new mini Lew's.

Here's the V-Mag 3 behind my old Lew's

A few full size and mini baits

 

 

I also have Beetle spins from 1/2 down to 1/50 oz, Mepps#5,4,3,2,1...and I'm getting 0 and 00 for my Ultralite box. I've got plastic worms from full size senko's to little 3" senko's. I also have some Creme worms that I've shortened to some really active / wiggly 3.5" mini worms. (Creme's are excellent for this) I've also got a few different sizes of Crickhoppers, other cranks, and Spooks.

That tiny rattle trap looks great!

And the results

 

I've got a few of those tiny little Traps. (chrome, chrome bleeding shad, firetiger, craw) My friend uses the chrome ones to knock a hole in the white bass population at Ozarks every August.

He's an ultralight fisherman.

Update:

I picked up a 6' Micro Lite rod with the longer cork handle last night. The reel will be here this afternoon. Pic's and report to follow.

Skeptical: I'm already a little dissapointed in this little reel. It's got a capacity of 120yd/12#...not 100yd/10#. Advertising snafu, I surmise?

Well, i'm gonna try it still.

Edit: I spooled it with 100yd/6# Stren. It didn't fill the spool enough to give it the right diameter. It in-turn caused the spool to spin faster than it's supposed to. It also made the IPT too low. (this is why finesse reels have really shallow spools) The advertising eluded to me that the spool was shallower than it really is. I wasn't expecting pixy shallow obviously.

So I loaded it up at least 1/2 way with 12# backing line and tied my 6# to it with an Albright knot. I filled it the rest of the way with the 6#.

Preleminary casting in the yard is successful. I casted the small Arkie Crickhopper-type grasshopper just fine. F5 Rebel Minnows, Mepps #1 was like shooting a bullet from a gun.

Heading out to a little lake later to try it out for real.

Results...

The review I read on this reel was from tackletour at an old iCast:

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewicast11lewspg2.html

As you can see...they blatantly say that the reel is smaller than a standard low pro baitcaster. (a blip on the reel seat)

Well I'm here to tell ya folks...it's a full size frame. It' the same physical size as my Lews SS1S and SS1HS. Lie #1 to tick me off. Lie #2 is that they said it had a 100yd/10# capacity. It says right on the box and paperwork that its 120yd/12#. The higher capacity = more dead weight to get moving and more rotational weight to slow down. bad for light lures.

The reel stock is not much better for light baits than a standard Speed Spool.

Solution: I "super-tuned" the spool with my drill press (LOL) and then spooled it with 12# backing line with an Albright knot to some 6# monofilament.

It will easily outcast the V-Mag 3 now. It's 200% smoother too.

It's will cast micro rattle-traps like Cra-Z. 1/16oz Beetlespin's are a breeze. 3/16oz Crickhopper is effortless, 3/32oz Crickhopper is do'able too.

All my little micro bass baits and bigger panfish baits are rockin'.

This little 18.5" Catfish bit on a 1/16oz Black Beetlespin and was an absolute TRIP to lan with this little setup!