Question for all you Redfish/coastal anglers on *low profile* baitcasters

[rippin_lips]

Apologies to Rockfish for taking your thread off track!

NO you're good, we're still talking about baitcasters in the salt. I just can't throw lures repeatedly on a heavy reel, so that's on me, I have an Abu 5000 but it's just a baitchucker now.  My friend has a Calcutta but only uses it periodically because a strong, salt resistant low profile reel is more suited for what we do. (Lot's of casting, strong fighters, 5lb-20lb range)

And by the way, the 40+ pounders you caught IMO would torch a lot baitcasters in that category.

I do a lot of inshore coastal fishing for redfish throwing lures mostly 3/16 oz jigheads with soft baits.  I have an okuma krios I bought for cheap to learn on and it works alright but I'm shopping for something new right now.  I don't think you can go wrong with any decent low-profile bait cast reel but they don't all have the best drag for redfish and snook that like to run hard and long.  I am think of a daiwa tatula now to see if the T shaped line guide will help casting smallish lures. I rarely use my current baitcast reel when I need to cast to spooky reds because I can't get the distance with smaller lures like I can with a spinning reel.

[the rockfish ninja]

Apologies to Rockfish for taking your thread off track!

NO you're good, we're still talking about baitcasters in the salt. I just can't throw lures repeatedly on a heavy reel, so that's on me, I have an Abu 5000 but it's just a baitchucker now.  My friend has a Calcutta but only uses it periodically because a strong, salt resistant low profile reel is more suited for what we do. (Lot's of casting, strong fighters, 5lb-20lb range)

And by the way, the 40+ pounders you caught IMO would torch a lot baitcasters in that category.

I do a lot of inshore coastal fishing for redfish throwing lures mostly 3/16 oz jigheads with soft baits.  I have an okuma krios I bought for cheap to learn on and it works alright but I'm shopping for something new right now.  I don't think you can go wrong with any decent low-profile bait cast reel but they don't all have the best drag for redfish and snook that like to run hard and long.  I am think of a daiwa tatula now to see if the T shaped line guide will help casting smallish lures. I rarely use my current baitcast reel when I need to cast to spooky reds because I can't get the distance with smaller lures like I can with a spinning reel.

My friend just picked up a Tatula, he hasn't used it enough to get review yet. Not sure if the T-wing guide is gonna solve the 3/16oz conundrum for you, that's pretty light. Most small or lightweight baitcasters do best in the 1/2 to 2oz range of lures, at least for what we do in the Bay and coast here. I guess that's why I see a lot of Gulf coast anglers use spinners too.

If you're concerned about drag, look at the 13 fishing stuff, they tout 22lbs of drag on their Concept reels, several other brands are coming out with similar drag ratings to compete, I think the Abu Revo inshore is 20lbs. That should stop most fish.

[oc1]

My usual jig size is 3/8 oz.  A Curado 70 XG refitted with full ceramic bearings will get 47 yards.  The rod is St Croix SCIII blank rated for up to 3/8 oz.  20# Power Pro.  

If a more delicate presentation is needed I will drop down to 1/4 oz.  For 1/4 oz I use a St Croix 4wt fly rod blank with an original Calcutta 50, again refitted with full ceramic bearings.  It will not quite reach 40 yards.  The bearings cost more than the reel.  Stainless bearings will cast just as well if they are not lubricated or wet.  

With vintage rods and reels of various types I do not go below 3/8 oz and the criteria is to get close to 40 yards.  

The yardages are measured when casting from a standing position.  In practice I'm casting from a seated position with my behind just a few inches above the water level.  That will take 3-4 yards off the distance.
-steve

[philaroman]

Any idea how the Pixy Daiwa's compare to small Curado's?

[fishhawk]

Rock, how about the old lew's? like the bb-2? or the salt water model? Or maybe just get a 4500 abu.?

[oc1]

I have both sizes of the Lews Speed Spool Inshore.  Not the same cosmetics as the current ones.  Good value.  No complaints except I don't like that third bearing on the spool shaft.  The smaller of the two casts just a little better but only because the spool is more narrow so line gets through the levelwind eye easier.
-steve

[the rockfish ninja]

I've been using a Lew's custom pro in the salt lately (we'll see how long it holds up) but so far it's been doing the job. Casts smooth and I've already pulled in a keeper Halibut on it, so far so good. My 13 fishing concept A casts farther but the Lew's is starting to win me over just on the quality of retrieve, very smooth.

I had a chat with one of the tech guys at Lew's and during the conversation he told me that they use the same double shielded bearings on all their reels except for the sealed bearings in their new Inshore model. Through the conversation he conveyed to me that there wasn't that much difference between an "inshore" model and the rest of the reels, as long as you avoid the magnesium models and keep them up, you should be good. I found that interesting.

That said, I'm looking at a new old stock Lew's inshore on eBay, plus a Tournament pro, I'm finding some good deals out there.

[MarkT]

My son uses a Lews TLL1sh and 2 TLM1sh for spotted bay bass and LMB at the lakes.  He likes them a lot.  He uses Abu Revo Toro NaCL 50 and 60 sizes and a Beast 50 inshore too. They've all done well.  He got rid of the Curado 300ej after having to have most of the guts replaced by Shimano.  I use an old Curado 200 and a 300dsv and Lexa 400 and 400 HD as my saltwater baitcasters. I still have a Millionaire cvx253 and a cvz300 too.  Just have to rinse everything off well after using.