favorite reel

[Papa Sly]

I fish a lot with finicky foolers when wind and temperature permits. What would everyone's favorite reel be for this type of fishing with an open bail. I have thought about bait casters but am afraid of bad backlash. I fish mostly for bass and pike with them.

[hardwater diehard]

have you considered a bait feeder style reel

https://www.okumafishing.com/en/category/Baitfeeder-Reels/A0109.html

[lefty2053]

I fish a lot with finicky foolers when wind and temperature permits. What would everyone's favorite reel be for this type of fishing with an open bail. I have thought about bait casters but am afraid of bad backlash. I fish mostly for bass and pike with them.

Grandson just showed me a video this morning on Backlash on a bait caster. The guy threw his rod and reel in the water and got a different one to use.

[cwavs1982]

There is a guy in another fishing forum here in MN that uses the Okuma Baitfeeders with the Sullivan Tip Downs when targeting pike.  He likes this combination and looks like in his videos that they work as promised.

330Maniac is his YT series, and Hardwater posted the videos of the Okuma, so this should give you an idea of how they are used.  Me - not in my wheelhouse.  I just don't target those species. 

[slipperybob]

Grandson just showed me a video this morning on Backlash on a bait caster. The guy threw his rod and reel in the water and got a different one to use.

LOL...

[ran7ger]

 i now only use an okuma bf for my deadstick walleye fishing.  sure don't miss those damn clip on bells and bonus when i'm in the shopping mall at christmas time i don't constantly think i have a fish on 

[Bucket Rump]

I use the Okuma CBF-500 baitfeeder's when using my FF's and my deadstick rod.

[RapShack]

I have thought about bait casters but am afraid of bad backlash.

There's a little knob on the side of the reel that can be adjusted to tension the spool.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I have thought about bait casters but am afraid of bad backlash. I fish mostly for bass and pike with them.

Yes...bait casters do backlash. Doesn't matter who you are, even the pros get them.

If you use a baitcaster figure it will backlash, and that you just have to get use to the occasional backlash & learn how to get a backlash out.

20 Years ago I bought a sweeden made Abu Garcia baitcaster reel which was $100 and extremely high end and expensive back then. I used it a few times and had backlash issues so it sat in the garage for years....never getting used.

Awhile back I thought I might as well learn how to use it or sell it. So I put some 50# braid on it and a frog. Took it to the pond and cast for bass. I about threw it in.....but struggled through removing backlashes from the reel and learned how to dial it in with the lure weight, breaks, and side knob.

Today, after learning how to set a baitcaster and use it.....it pretty much makes all the other style reels obsolete. The speed, distance, and control of cast with them can not be beat. The line not twisting when reeling, and amount of line the spools fit.

Learning to how to effectively get bad backlashes out was a learning experiance, but once you learn how to do it.....backlashes aren't a big deal.

The first thing with a baitcaster is to set everything for the lure that you will be casting. Tighten/loosen everything up to where when u hit the fee spool....the lure just hangs or very very slowly drops. If it's to tight it will cause the spool to jump and back lash....to loose and the spool will just keep spinning trying to let line out. I found a hair tighter is better for less backlashes.

After you've done it a number of times and removed the backlashes a number of times it is like second nature and you'll find yourself using a baitcaster over spinning rods consistently.

To lessen the learning curve pain having someone who knows how to set and use a baitcaster to teach you is very helpful......but at the end of the day it's just accepting the painful process of teaching yourself & learning on how to use one.

I've got a buddy that never used one, and I helped teach him how to set it and everything....within 5min he was using it like a pro......was even doing better then I was for backlashes and stuff. Also had a friend that took him well over an hour to get the hang of it with backlashes and getting them out.

[Papa Sly]

When I bought the Finicky Foolers a couple years ago I bought 4 Okuma bait feerers but even with the runner on and the feeder at the lightest setting I still think the fish feel the resistance, had a lot oh hit and drops. I started with the bail open and a lot less drops. After 3 winters the bait feeders dont work at all or woek well anyomre. Now even at the lightest setting very hard to pull out the line almost like a regular reel. Very dissapointed in them. A friend uses the Flueger Presidents and loves them but has to fish them open bail. In the wind the line gets blown everywhere.

[hardwater diehard]

When I bought the Finicky Foolers a couple years ago I bought 4 Okuma bait feerers but even with the runner on and the feeder at the lightest setting I still think the fish feel the resistance, had a lot oh hit and drops. I started with the bail open and a lot less drops. After 3 winters the bait feeders dont work at all or woek well anyomre. Now even at the lightest setting very hard to pull out the line almost like a regular reel. Very dissapointed in them. A friend uses the Flueger Presidents and loves them but has to fish them open bail. In the wind the line gets blown everywhere.

Couple things you could try ..remove the spool place a rubber band/hair tie around the reel spool..replace the spool ..open the bail and tuck the line under the rubber band/hair tie ..this will police the line from blowing in the wind ..another option is make a slack line bobber like AF uses ..made some out of a large paper clip and a bobber EZPZ..I see the added two prongs that help keep the bobber in place on real windy days




https://automaticfisherman.com/store/#!/AF-SMALL-FOAM-HOOK-AND-PIN-BOBBER/p/112513058/category=15414122

[hardwater diehard]

Could upgrade .

https://finickyfooler.com/products/finicky-fooler-hooksetter-conversion-kit

[Papa Sly]

Thanks Hardwater, I absolutly hate hook setters, to me it takes all the challange out of the sport. It actually remindes me of when I was young and my Dad would hook the fish and then give it to mee. Soon the guys that use them will have auto reels so they just run over and grab the fish LOL

[Papa Sly]

I also use the new Finicky Fooler 360, much easier than the older model.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Thanks Hardwater, I absolutly hate hook setters, to me it takes all the challange out of the sport. It actually remindes me of when I was young and my Dad would hook the fish and then give it to mee. Soon the guys that use them will have auto reels so they just run over and grab the fish LOL

Couldn’t agree more. It’s like guys that throw a bunch of set lines out for catfish and just check them once a day…If they can’t have a little sport to it…..what’s the point.

[Papa Sly]

Yea same thing for jaw jackers, I had 5 of them and sold in a week. Guys spread them way out and dont have to worry about setting a hook, they just reel it in. Its like letting someone shoot a deer and then you go find it and drag it home...LOL. No sport at all in that type of fishing

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Yea same thing for jaw jackers, I had 5 of them and sold in a week. Guys spread them way out and dont have to worry about setting a hook, they just reel it in. Its like letting someone shoot a deer and then you go find it and drag it home...LOL. No sport at all in that type of fishing

Yep. We have a local pond in town and we fish it for blue Gill & Large Mouth Bass. It’s fun catching them & keeping a few for a meal.

We usually use Vexilar and cameras with flip overs. This last season, buddy broke out a jaw jacker. It worked great….but it just takes all the enjoyment out of fishing IMO. No finding fish, no watching the sonar and working the jig, no setting the hook. Thing just pops off and hooks the fish…..walk over to a pole jumping and reel it in. I mean they are nice when it’s really slow to add a few fish to the creel bag for a meal, but as far has fishing with them it is a overall exciting experience.

I can understand why states have outlawed them.It pretty much takes any and all of the spirit of the sport out of it.

[hardwater diehard]

Ok here is my take ... our sport is hemorrhaging participants in very large numbers for a number of reasons  ... similar to other outdoor sports in general. IE the bow hunting community....the distain for cross bows...I remember when the compound bow was an evil enemy ...today its the norm .. all of this is quite discerning we need to encourage every new entry into our outdoor activities  to participate with every legal means available ... old and new technology has its place .. Lets get them involved and let them learn from the old and the new...both seasoned anglers  and  new technology ...bottom line jigging in general will out produce  most other techniques ..its a learning process... teach them directly or through trial and error on their own ...and they will learn to adopt the tried and true methods which produce constant and consistence results .

[filetandrelease]

 
  Well said Hardwater 👍

[hardwater diehard]

  Well said Hardwater 👍

Thanks coming from a tried and true DIEHARD ..means a lot .  My above post should be our battle cry for all of us who love fishing in general and  our niche sport in particular .  filetandrelease  through out the years you have posted many inspirational and knowledgeable  post ...making me a better sportsman ...
                                                                                                                  Thanx HD

[matzilla]

with a fooler i use a size 25 pflueger with 6-8lb fireline fused ice/crystal or ultra 8, bail open. The stiffer the rod the better - it allows the trigger to work a bit smoother and less resistance on the fish. If the fish is pulling line and the rod flexes, they will feel that resistance of the rod. Size 25 reel allows line to come off the spool a bit easier than a 20. Putting a bait feeder on a fooler kinda defeats the purpose of allowing the fish to free run - especially with fish that drop the bait like pike, perch, crappie