If I'm able to get out at all anymore fishing, I've been thinking BFS/lighter tackle may be easier on me If I struggle with my regular tackle. I've always wanted to dip my toes into the BFS world, but just never have. I really wanna give that Karashi a whirl. Along with tiny cranks and tiny topwaters.

The market has obviously grown over the last few years, which is nice having more options. But it also makes it harder to choose what setup to get.

I looked back on a few older threads but was hoping to get more opinions on people who have had more time now with their rigs. If possible I'd like to stay around $250-$400 for the rod/reel.

This would be for hard baits. Obviously if there's a rod that could double for other stuff as well, great. I just think it'd be a blast catching panfish on this as well, if the rod is right.

Thanks for any help.

59 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

If I'm able to get out at all anymore fishing, I've been thinking BFS/lighter tackle may be easier on me If I struggle with my regular tackle.

Personally, the ARK is an easy choice. Easily outperforms the Curado/SLX BFS and is the equal of the Alde BFS in casting performance. Yes, I said it.

As far as rods go, you have a number of choices up to $200 on TW that'll keep you in budget and meet your criteria. I'll have my new BPS Carbonlite Super Finesse 6'9" out today. Just got it on sale for $109. Feels very crankbait friendly. If the wind cooperates, I'll be throwing BFS cranks down to the Bill Lewis Gnat.

14 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Personally, the ARK is an easy choice. Easily outperforms the Curado/SLX BFS and is the equal of the Alde BFS in casting performance. Yes, I said it.

As far as rods go, you have a number of choices up to $200 on TW that'll keep you in budget and meet your criteria. I'll have my new BPS Carbonlite Super Finesse 6'9" out today. Just got it on sale for $109. Feels very crankbait friendly. If the wind cooperates, I'll be throwing BFS cranks down to the Bill Lewis Gnat.

Awesome, thanks. I have been looking at that Gravity reel.

As far as those CarbonLites, I see there's a 6' and 6'9. The 6'0 is their "BFS" and the one you have is the "Super Finesse". I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Will do. Maybe next weekend. We're scrapping today's trip altogether. 19mph wind with 30mph gusts. Torture in a jon boat.

28 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Will do. Maybe next weekend. We're scrapping today's trip altogether. 19mph wind with 30mph gusts. Torture in a jon boat.

Sounds like the right call!

I've been really happy fishing karashi on the cashion icon 7l. I have the slight update version of the slx bfs spooled with 6lb maxima ultra green and it casts great.

I also just purchased the 6’-9” BPS “Super Finesse” rod and although I haven’t fished it yet I’m pairing it with a older Piscifun reel with a shallow spool to see if I’m going to continue with BFS fishing. I had the reel on an old 6’-0” Mitchell Fulcrum rod and really enjoyed it but was looking for a bit longer rod, I will say the BPS rod is quite a bit more moderate and if I find enjoyment in the new setup I’m planning on seeking out a Ark Gravity reel as WRB gave it his stamp of approval along with many others on here and that means a whole lot to me. Also I handled both rods in the store and the 6’-0” is a touch faster due to the difference in length but they are both quite moderate in my humble opinion and I believe have the same or very similar line/lure ratings.

Edited April 4Apr 4 by Eric 26
Added content

58 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

I've been really happy fishing karashi on the cashion icon 7l.

I believe that's the one Matt Allen (TacticalBassin) uses for his dedicated Karashi? Is it really whippy? Do you throw anything else on it? Would it work for small topwater/cranks?

48 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

I also just purchased the 6’-9” BPS “Super Finesse” rod and although I haven’t fished it yet I’m pairing it with a older Piscifun reel with a shallow spool to see if I’m going to continue with BFS fishing.

I'd love to hear your impressions as well once you're able to play wit it more.

I honestly haven't tied anything but the karashi on it yet but I think treble hard bait is its lane. I would definitely describe it as whippy, the tip is lighter and more moderate than the Dobyns 701c I typically use for single hook baits.

6 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

I honestly haven't tied anything but the karashi on it yet but I think treble hard bait is its lane. I would definitely describe it as whippy, the tip is lighter and more moderate than the Dobyns 701c I typically use for single hook baits.

So you like the ICON better than the Sierra for the Karashi? Have you tried the 700?

Definitely. I fished the karashi on the 701 before I purchased the icon. It works fine but it actually felt a little overpowered for the bait. The softer tip of the icon also helps with the super fast twitch retrieve. No experience with the Dobyns 700 or any solid tip bfs rods.

Love my Ark Gravity BFS and Cashion 7ft L for a karashi and sr5 shad raps. Ive thrown a sr5 the last 2 weekends on it river fishing for smallies and its been a ton of fun.

For your budget, I would do an all Ark combo. Check out Clinton Bruning on YouTube. He slays on that set up. I think his Ark discount code is CB10.

2 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

So you like the ICON better than the Sierra for the Karashi? Have you tried the 700?

I have both. The ICON is my goto treble hook bait BFS rod. The Seirra handles everything else.

Phenix Classic BFS 7'1" with a KastKing Kestrel BFS (NOT the Kestrel Elite BFS). As much as I hate to admit it, the KK Kestrel BFS fishes right along side of my Aldebaran BFS, although the build quality of the Aldebaran BFS should ultimately prove to be more durable. Should.

The COMBO will weigh around 8 oz for both the rod and reel, and it slays with the Karashi as well as other hard baits and I also use it for soft plastics like texas rigged tiny brush hogs and 2.5" z-man krawz.

The reel is sold out on the KK site, but still available on the jungle site for $107 (I have the higher speed version). The rod will be about $202. My second choice for a rod would be a Dobyns SUF700C. For a few dollars less, it fishes somewhat similar to the Phenix, but I prefer the Phenix.

Whatever you choose, I think you'll appreciate the lightweight of a BFS for situations that really don't require more than BFS, and in many situations, that's all that is necessary

17 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

KastKing Kestrel BFS (NOT the Kestrel Elite BFS).

The $119.99 model? Where the 7 speed has blue accents and the 8 has gold?

I concur with @Big Hands , the Phenix is a great BFS rod

Although I use a Curado BFS reel which has been great too

7 minutes ago, Motoboss said:

I concur with @Big Hands , the Phenix is a great BFS rod

Although I use a Curado BFS reel which has been great too

Are these previous models you guys are using? The 7'1 L on TW and Phenix site (BFS-C 71) is rated for 3/32-1/4oz baits.

59 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

The $119.99 model? Where the 7 speed has blue accents and the 8 has gold?

Yes. I have the higher speed model with the gold accents.

39 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

If I'm able to get out at all anymore fishing, I've been thinking BFS/lighter tackle may be easier on me If I struggle with my regular tackle. I've always wanted to dip my toes into the BFS world, but just never have. I really wanna give that Karashi a whirl. Along with tiny cranks and tiny topwaters.

The market has obviously grown over the last few years, which is nice having more options. But it also makes it harder to choose what setup to get.

I looked back on a few older threads but was hoping to get more opinions on people who have had more time now with their rigs. If possible I'd like to stay around $250-$400 for the rod/reel.

This would be for hard baits. Obviously if there's a rod that could double for other stuff as well, great. I just think it'd be a blast catching panfish on this as well, if the rod is right.

Thanks for any help.

I wanted my BFS rod to do a couple things, but first and foremost it had to be able to throw 2 and 3" baits on a 1/16 head as well as a spinning rod. I like my lighter rods to have a tip without too much "glass." I wanted the tip to be responsive without being too soft. That way I can feel more subtle vibrations and I can stroll the bait with very little take up. I prefer that kind of tip for JBs and ned rigs as well. If I got the right rod and it had fast enough action, I could use it for lighter twitch baits as well.

I wound up with a 6'10 L F BF Vertical Tatula. It was pretty much exactly what I wanted. Im really pleased with the action and power of the blank. The rod probably weighs about 2oz, feels like nothign in hand. Its similar to XF ML, in that the tip is plenty crisp with baits in the sweet spot.

I have fished more small JBs like Rozante 63s and Pointer 65s which are both 3/16, like Karashi. The difference is that karashi is that karashi fishes heavier than it really is. I guess thats due to the lower buoyancy when compared to SP jerkbaits.

You can feel the entire weight of the bait when you twitch a karashi, but it doesn't overload the blank and recovers fairly quick. The rod is rated up to 3/8, but once you get to 1/4oz twitching baits, the action slows a bit.

As Ive said, it fishes small minnows and crappie sized plastics and ned rigs very well. I've caught quite a few fish on 1/16 EWG style ned heads with a 4" hula stick. I've no problem setting the 1/0 EWG.

If I were using light FC, I would likely want a blank with a little more power.

As for a reel, I tried my luck with an Ark Gravity BFS and have been impressed. Its a little temperamental, in that it hardly needs and arm at all to cast a bait and will fluff or nest if you push it without applying sufficient brakes. The reel itself is unreasonably smooth and feels nice in the hand. For its price, it's well worth it IMO.

13 hours ago, Big Hands said:

Phenix Classic BFS 7'1" with a KastKing Kestrel BFS (NOT the Kestrel Elite BFS). As much as I hate to admit it, the KK Kestrel BFS fishes right along side of my Aldebaran BFS, although the build quality of the Aldebaran BFS should ultimately prove to be more durable. Should.

The COMBO will weigh around 8 oz for both the rod and reel, and it slays with the Karashi as well as other hard baits and I also use it for soft plastics like texas rigged tiny brush hogs and 2.5" z-man krawz.

The reel is sold out on the KK site, but still available on the jungle site for $107 (I have the higher speed version). The rod will be about $202. My second choice for a rod would be a Dobyns SUF700C. For a few dollars less, it fishes somewhat similar to the Phenix, but I prefer the Phenix.

Whatever you choose, I think you'll appreciate the lightweight of a BFS for situations that really don't require more than BFS, and in many situations, that's all that is necessary

You mention this rod can also throw tiny t-rigs as well as trebles. How do you think it'd do with the new MicroMax bladed jig (3/16 oz). With a tiny trailer would that be pushing it?

25 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

You mention this rod can also throw tiny t-rigs as well as trebles. How do you think it'd do with the new MicroMax bladed jig (3/16 oz). With a tiny trailer would that be pushing it?

It starts to get overwhelmed somewhere around 3/8 oz total weight. I can throw 1/2 oz lures, but it's clearly not within it's sweet spot. I can throw a Tiny Brush Hog with a 1/8 oz tungsten worm weight a country mile and it fishes well. A 3/16 jig with a small trailer should fish really well. That same jig with a "chunky/heavy" trailer probably wouldn't be so great.

The rod you get should have the power to set a hook that is not too heavy. They have a tip that is compliant, but do get stiff enough to set a hook like the Owner Rig-n-Hook. The wire size on the bladed jig you mention (I am not familiar with it) should also play into your decision of how it will fish with BFS gear.

14 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Are these previous models you guys are using? The 7'1 L on TW and Phenix site (BFS-C 71) is rated for 3/32-1/4oz baits.

Yeah mine is probably three years old this season

I had the Dobyns SUF700c.

The solid tip makes it great for moving bait. It does pretty well on bfs jigs like the ones from Keitech. It will do well with karashi.

It’s not great for single hook stuff.

I got rid of it because it feels very much like a bass rod. It’s a bit heavier than what I wanted for BFs.

I upgraded to p5 megabass siglett. It’s a 6’6 and extremely whippy. But it’s feather light. Still does well with karashi but will be overpowered by slightly larger rooster tails.

I bought an Cashion Icon 7'L. I havent used it much but so far I really like it. I paired it with a Lews BFS reel and 7lb sniper.