need help buying fishing equipment

[straittactical]

So i got some extra money to spend. about $500 or so. I have 3 nice spinning rod and reels i use for bass and walleye. but i am looking for a baitcating setup.
what is the best bang for the buck. some of you experianced fisherman can chime in here. what is the best all around length, power, action. I am looking to spend about 200 or so on a baitcasting setup. then what are some of your most producive baits. last spring i spent abou 500 and got a bunch of stuff now its time to do it again. let me know what you guys think.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

$200.00 for the rod and reel combined? hmmmmm I'll have to think a little.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

6'6 medium power fast tip is pretty good all around set up. StCroix makes some nice rods in the $100.00 range. I am a Shimano reel guy and use only Curado's. They are going to put you out of the price range by +- $80.00. I would still strongly consider spending the money on good reels as that is the working mechanism that can make or break your setup. The Curado has been Shimano's "mid price flagship reel for some years with a few improvements in the last couple years. Mine get a lot of use and have not ever failed me.

 

[dandawg]

I've been blessed to fish in a whole lot of really beautiful places, for a lot of different species, both salt and (mostly) fresh water. Guns take second place when it comes to fishing.

I have been most pleased with my Abu Garcia Revo SX. I have used the STX and really really want to get my hands on the new Revo MGX 5.4 Oz.

Fenwick's new line of rods match (as I'm told) quite well with the Revo baitcasters. I'm quite used to my 6.5' rod but would want to feel the Revo on a 7' medium action Fenwick before I made a final decision. But then I'm not afraid to go after Moby Dick with my Revo and take along the tarter sauce.

I sure wish I had your tackle budget . . . I'm sorry - that was was pure tackle envy . . . .

As for lures, that is a question with a vast array of answers, depending on what you're fishing for and potentially more important, where you plan to fish. I have landed great big pike on 8# test Trilene and a medium action 6'6" Fenwick spinning rod, on numerous occasions in Canada.

As for me, last season I boated over 400 bass using the 7" Berkly Power Worm. Of course I didn't use my baitcaster much fishing with plastic worms.

I hope part of it helps.

Best regards, The Outdoor Executive

 

[nicajack]

First of all, you are about to open up a whole new aspect of fishing by, getting into casting gear. Learning to cast it well is heavily dependent on learning to properly adjust the reel properly. It will make learning to cast it much easier.
I would suggest getting a Shimano Citica reel. It seems to be the original Curado with another paint job. They are excellent reels and good enough for a bass pro to compete with in national tournaments. Rods come in too many lengths and actions to really be able to pick one to do everything. A shorter rod is more accurate and a long rod will help you cast further and in some cases handle fighting a large fish easier. I would get a 6 1/2 or 7 foot medium rod in the $80 to $100 price range. Make sure it has a good warranty. If you wait a little while, Bass Pro will be putting on their annual spring sale and you can save some serious money.
As for crank baits, I have had a lot of luck with the Rapala DT series lures. They come in many great colors and different models meant to run at a specific depth. They catch lots of fish. Also get some Strike King square bill cranks that run from 3 to 6 ft. Great for shallow fishing and will hang up less than round bill baits.
Don't forget spinner baits. Again, Booyah, Strike King, other common brands all catch fish and are easy to use. Stick with light to medium colors. White, white/chartreuse, chartreuse, and maybe one that looks like a bluegill should cover it.
Soft plastics always catch fish. Hard to go wrong there....
Top water baits are lots of fun from mid spring to fall. Buzz baits are a blast when the fish will hit them.
I have been an avid fisherman for over 50 years and have caught some huge fish and won a few tournaments in Florida. Not to be bragging, but meant to be just a statement of my experience. I honestly own about 100 rods and reels. But that is another story....

 

[HICKMAN]

Shimano Curado and Citica are my favorite baitcasters. I still keep an eye on ebay to pick up good used older style Curado CU200's for cheap.

The Bass Pro Shops BPX combos are also good for the money. I think Pflueger makes the reels and the rods are good quality. Lots of good reviews:

Bass Pro Shops® Tourney Special® Baitcast Rod and Reel Combos | Bass Pro Shops

Here's a good guy for various rod styles for use:

Bass Fishing Rods, Spinnerbait Rods, Swimbait Rod

Baits... oh man. I love spinnerbaits, still love the Terminator and Strike King models. My "hot" bait the last couple of years has been soft jerk baits, like the Fluke, Sluggo and Senkos. I almost always throw white... and target grass areas.

I also love pitching jigs and red/black 7in power worms.

I just moved to Bedford this fall, and can't wait to hit Lake Monroe his spring, it's been several years since I've tournament fished, but the boys and I have had a blast on the water chasing bass. Brother and I used to tournament fish a lot between here and Texas, where he used to guide on Lake Fork. Growing up fishing in Indiana, it seems easier to catch them anywhere else, lol.

 

[Dtrap]

I would look at the Abu Revo line of reels for sure. I have 3 and love them and i fish at least 2 days a week from ice melt till ice up. I used to be only currados but made the switch a year and half ago and love my revos too much to go back. I prefer the higher speed ones so I can pick up sack line fast and burn my lures with out reeling as fast as I can but can also slow down if needed. As for rods I like the mojo bass rods quite a bit for something budget friendly bit still a great rod. I mostly use gloomis and a few st. croix avids but all the st. croix rods are top notch. I would look mostly at 7 foot and longer rods with a medium fast action as they will help with casting smaller lighter baits.

 

[sepe]

10 years ago I would have been able to rattle off several options off the top of my head but I've gotten away from fishing a bit. These days it is more about catfish. I tried my hand at baitcasting reels. We were up at Lunker's and from talking to them about how I was going to be fishing and how much I thought I'd be using it, they set me up with an Abu Garcia. Looks like they're more into Shimano stuff now. Rods, I had a nice Shimano that I really liked, had some Quantums, and some cheaper Walmart specials that did the job just fine. I hated the day the Shimano died. I'd like to get back into bass fishing and I've been looking at equipment off and on for about a year. I've been wanting to get my hands on a Wright & McGill rod. Reviews have been pretty good for the price.

 

[shooter1054]

I have about 10 St. Croix rods is various setups for different techniques. I like using the same brand of rod and reel so that nomatter what rig I pick up, it feels the same. For the money, St. Croix are about as good as you're going to get. They are right there with Loomis, IMO.As for reels, all of my casting rods have Shimano Curados on them. But as has been said, they will exceed your budget. There are a few models that are less expensive than Curados. One thing to look for in a reel is the number of bearings. The more the better. Once you get a rig, be sure to practice with it in the back yard before taking it out on the water. Learn to pick out a backlash or overrun. It WILL happen. No matter how long you fish with baitcasters, you will still backlash. If you are going to be around Greenwood Saturday, the Outdoorsman Sport Shop is having a Fishing Open House. There will be some seminars and some good equipment to look at. I'll be there most of the day so stop by and say hi.

 

[witdog2020]

I 2nd! or 3rd! or! The Curados! CU200 are still what I use, been using for years. If you spend a little more on the Curados (basspro runs some nice sales on the new ones) You could probably skimp on the rod a little. I use St. Croix, and Bass Pro Extreme Rods. The Bass Pro rods sometimes you can pick up for $50 each somebody correct me, I believe thats HM5600 High Modulus Graphite??? These are very good rods for the money. I prefer a 7ft rod, Med hvy, for plastics and Med for cranks and such. I have a couple St. Croix Avid flippin sticks, 7'6", they are to much for me, and very fatiguing. See ya at the lake!

 

[Richwon4]

I've owned both and know how to properly set up a bait caster. I used one for several years but a couple years back to a good spinning real.

 

[sadclownwp]

honestly, the BASS PRO Brand. They have never failed me.

 

[kmorris]

I recommend a abu garcia setup. Since you are new to the casting setup I would not recommend dropping more than $200 on a combo. I personally think the Revo SX is one of the best casting reels on the market in the sub $200 range but I would recommend not wasting all your money on one or two setups.

I would recommend trying the abu garcia black max reel, Abu Garcia Black Max Casting Reel, paired with a abu garcia vendetta 7' rod, Abu Garcia Vendetta Casting Rods.

This setup will be very versatile for a range of presentations and lures.

Also, look into to the Tackle Wharehouse Demo progam, Tackle Warehouse Demo Program.

 

[z0mb13_m0nk3y]

My personal favorites are the Abu Revo's. I did however get a Shimano Caenan last year and have been very happy with it for a more "budget" reel. I've used Revo's for about 7-8 years now and am still more comfortable with them but for under $100 I wouldnt expect anything to beat the Shimano. I always use St. Croix rods. I like a 6'6" medium for most everything I fish with up here. Mostly 7" culprits, small spinners and small crankbaits.

 

[HICKMAN]

I am soooo ready to pull the cover off the boat and hit the water...

been meaning to do a little work on my aluminum deep-V beauty, like add a raised casting deck.

 

[bwframe]

I'm with the Shimano crowd on the baitcasters anyway. If you can find a shop/pro to buddy up to, you can save big money on last year's used gear. My two Curados were bought that way.

Last setup I bought was a Citica/Cumara setup for like $140. The Citica is the tiny 50 series. I cannot tell the difference between it and the Curados, other than size and gear ratio. All Cumara rods are backed by Shimano’s limited lifetime over-the-counter replacement warranty program.

 

[straittactical]

I am soooo ready to pull the cover off the boat and hit the water...

been meaning to do a little work on my aluminum deep-V beauty, like add a raised casting deck.

well when ever you pull that cover if you need someone to tag along i would be more than willing to go. i only get to fish ponds and corries around here. and would like someone to teach me the lake style.

 

[hooky]

I've got quite a few st. croix rods and I love them. Out of the mix of baitcast reels I have, the curado is easily the best. I also like the old school abu garcia 4600 C3's, but they're not my favorite with lighter baits or when you need a high speed retrieve.

I'd go 6'6" Medium Fast and that would cover a lot of applications.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Lure selection.....
Bear in mind, most lures are designed to catch fisherman, not fish. I know, I have bags full of all of them. The ones that get used and catch fish?

>Senko rigged wacky
>3/8 oz black/blue jig with plastic trailer
>Titanium spinnerbaits in various colors, white, black, blue
>Texas rigged Berkley power worms, Tequlia Sunrise, Watermelon, Black
>Hard to beat Rattle Traps
>I also use and catch a lot of fish on Chatterbaits. YMMV
>Night fishing means a black Jitterbug

I usually have a rod rigged up with some combination of all of the above at the ready in the boat so I can just switch rods for changing conditions.

 

[bwframe]

Bear in mind, most lures are designed to catch fisherman, not fish.

Liar. Those 7-8 dollar baits I bought last year DO CATCH FISH!

I like worms, preferably unweighted or nailed. Second rod is a spinning rig w/shakey jigged short worm.