Blackfish

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

While many guys are going to tell you to use spinning equipment IMO it’s not,even close to being the best set up.

Most spinning rods can’t handle,big double digit fish, and most drags on reels being used don’t cut it.


Instead many of us are using low profile bait casters on light rods simaler to,what we use fluking, that have a lot of backbone.

Set up I’m using is a penn battalion 12/20 casting rod.
Paired to an Abu Garcia low profile beast 40.
20# Berkley X9 line.

A low profile reel drops the jig with less effort on line payout.
Allows you to feel a fish swim by your bait.
IMO it allows you to fight a big tog easier than on the spinning equipment.

.
I have had many people who couldn’t feel the bite on the spinning equipment change to the bait caster and tear tog up with those outfits .


.

Funny that I have the opposite experience then you Dan... I have a Abu Revo low profile and a fish it on a Loomis GL2.. Maybe it's the Loomis rod but I don't get the feel like I do on my shimano stradic CI4 and challenger 731M.

I also like the spinner a lot better when casting lighter jigs since it casts lighter stuff easier and I always try to use as light a jig as possible.

The other thing I tend to do is use my fore finger on the line coming off the spinning reel with the same hand I use to cast to feel bites better. Can't do that with a conventional either, at least with one hand..

The one thing we can however agree on is the low profile conventionals and conventional rods definitely give you an advantage on larger fish over spinning. Much easier to pull and lift a big fish out of the wreck for sure... The shimano stradic does have 24 pounds of drag so it's very capable but the spinning rods just can't give you the leverage and comfort you get with a conventional...

I think the other thing we can also agree on is to be sure whatever rod you choose has a nice long foregrip... This really helps when you're trying to get some leverage on a bigger the fish... Move one hand up on the foregrip and lift as opposed to trying to lift the rod with only your wrist...

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Funny that I have the opposite experience then you Dan... I have a Abu Revo low profile and a fish it on a Loomis GL2.. Maybe it's the Loomis rod but I don't get the feel like I do on my shimano stradic CI4 and challenger 731M.

I also like the spinner a lot better when casting lighter jigs since it casts lighter stuff easier and I always try to use as light a jig as possible.

The other thing I tend to do is use my fore finger on the line coming off the spinning reel with the same hand I use to cast to feel bites better. Can't do that with a conventional either, at least with one hand..

The one thing we can however agree on is the low profile conventionals and conventional rods definitely give you an advantage on larger fish over spinning. Much easier to pull and lift a big fish out of the wreck for sure... The shimano stradic does have 24 pounds of drag so it's very capable but the spinning rods just can't give you the leverage and comfort you get with a conventional...

I think the other thing we can also agree on is to be sure whatever rod you choose has a nice long foregrip... This really helps when you're trying to get some leverage on a bigger the fish... Move one hand up on the foregrip and lift as opposed to trying to lift the rod with only your wrist...

I can cast the bait caster as easily as any spinning rod.
I hold the rod in one hand palming the reel and use the same finger as you to feel for bites, difference is I won’t cut my finger setting the hook like happens ona spinning reel if you don’t slide the finger off.
I like vertical presentation most and find the bait caster gets the line off. Faster with less scope.
I don’t need to cast around as much as the boat is sitting on tiny pieces where you want the line to stay closer to the boat..

Another thing you will find is a 701 and 73m built as a caster have way more backbone than when built as a spinner.

Fore grip is needed on spinner because the handle bites you on a big fish.
No fore grip,needed on the bait caster as the reel,is palmed in my hand

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

I can cast the bait caster as easily as any spinning rod.
I hold the rod in one hand palming the reel and use the same finger as you to feel for bites, difference is I won’t cut my finger setting the hook like happens ona spinning reel if you don’t slide the finger off.
I like vertical presentation most and find the bait caster gets the line off. Faster with less scope.
I don’t need to cast around as much as the boat is sitting on tiny pieces where you want the line to stay closer to the boat..

Another thing you will find is a 701 and 73m built as a caster have way more backbone than when built as a spinner.

Fore grip is needed on spinner because the handle bites you on a big fish.
No fore grip,needed on the bait caster as the reel,is palmed in my hand

I gotcha and might give it another try with my conventional Revo...Old habits do die hard though..

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

I gotcha and might give it another try with my conventional Revo...Old habits do die hard though..

Here you go.
Might catch you up to Joey lol

One hand revo 40 beast.

Can feel every little scratch with same finger you use with a spinning reel

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

Here you go.
Might catch you up to Joey lol

One hand revo 40 beast.

Can feel every little scratch with same finger you use with a spinning reel

Hey Dan - Joe's only double digit so far this season was right at 10 pounds and was caught on, guess what..... A spinner

BTW - Joe had lost his Mojo there for a while but he's made a recovery now that he's back to jigging... Seems like we've had a very light bite lately and the jigs have been out producing the rigs by a very wide margin. Another jigger fishing with us had a 13 pound fish and his PB as well..