looking at getting a new fishing rod/reel, not sure if i like alot of the combo packs that are out there and thinking about going with a baitcaster, as someone that has never owned a baitcaster and only cast a few, a couple of times it does kind of scare me to purchase something that i am not sure i will like, if anyone can give me some insight on what a good baitcaster and rod to go with it would be i would really appreciate it.

Hello there,my name is john..I was in the same boat about 2 yrs ago..I went to bass pro and got a berkley shock pole for about $50.00 and got a bass pro megacast baitcast reel for $39.99 and used that to learn how too use a baitcater reel .I got pretty good with that and then went onto get a more expensive ones. the bass pro was really easy for me to learn on it is just how you tune them for the weight and size of lure that you are fishing with once you get that down they are all about the same.( to me anyway.) Also i still use the magacast reels all the time and i fish 3 to 5 times a week ..I hope this helps you..JOHN

thanks john it does, i just dont want to spend to much on my first one and absolutly hate it, and every review you read every single baitcaster says it is easy to use and is great for starters, it just makes me laugh so i dont really pay much attention to the reviews in bass pro mag or cabelas, thanks for the advice though i will def give a look into the mega cast, i have also been seeing these casting rods do they really make a difference or is it not worth the extra money, me personally i have just been with spinning rod and reel set ups my whole life so this whole baitcasting reel and casting rod would be a whole new beast for me, would you say that casting rod is actually worth the extra cash?

The majority of name brand company's (ie: Shimano, Abu Garcia, Quantum, Flueger, etc) make very good reels. My only advise is, you get what you pay for, when it comes to a quality baitcaster. I'm not sure what your budget is for a baitcaster, but if you can afford it, try to spend the extra $ on a good quality reel. There is a significant difference in performance between a $50.00 baitcaster and a $100.00 one. My first baitcaster was a $49.00 rig. I threw it in the trash after a month of use cause it was poorly made and couldn't cast worth a darn. I now own several Shimano and Abu Garcia baitcasters. I personnally like my Shimano Curado 200e7 and an Abu Garcia Revo SX. They are between $170.00 - $180.00 and are excellent reels. Not only do they look nice, they perform flawlessly. I'm not sure what type of fishing you're going to do, so it's difficult to give advise on what type of rod you would need. There are several topics in the forums that give great advise on how to set-up your baitcaster to avoid those annoying backlashes. Thanks, and welcome to the forums..Matt

i would vote for baitcaster but w3ould definetly not go with the cheapest you do get what u pay for i started out by going cheap with baitcasters and had alot of trouble using them to the point i almost quit using them my brother talked me into a mid priced reel (pinnacle ) and it made a world of difference it preformed so much better than the cheap ones i had bought (quantum irons ) i paid around 120 for my pinnacle and only 35 for the irons since then i have purchased several pfluegers , arcadias and pinnacles all in the 100-to120 dollar range and love all of them the irons sit collecting dust once u do make the investment practice practice practice dont get discouraged at failures they will happen and i think u will love using baitcaters

There is only one reel under $100 that I'd recommend. The BPS Extreme models. They are priced at $79.99 and are terrific reels.

thans to all the replies guys, i really dont have a budget on the reel and my main fishing is large and small mouth bass, some crappie but not usually, i love bass fishing the price is not the thing that is holding me back i just dont want something that i spent a couple hundred on the rod/reel just sitting collecting dust i will take all this with me when i go to bass pro this weekend and find my new rod/reel

I bought my first baitcaster about 2 seasons ago, a Bill Dance Quantum setup, and it is fantastic, and they just redesigned it, too. I think its about $70 for the rod and reel combo, a great buy in my opinion. Hasn't failed me yet. (Knock on wood) Also, it helps to do your homework when starting to use a baitcaster. You should read the manual thoroughly before starting practice casting, and looking up a guide to using baitcasters would be a great idea too, they're all over the internet, and for more specific questions, just ask around here.

Be sure and check into some of the combos available from BPS and Cabela's. Often you can either save some money or get a better rig for the same $$ by buying one of these combos. I was able to purchase a Shimano Cruxis (Discontinued, $99) and a Fish Eagle II rod, also now discontinued but at the time around $70 together for $140, about a $30 savings. Seems the more you spend, the more you save and the combo deals on 'House Brand' setups are the best buys! Tom

I have been using quantum reels almost exclusively for about 15 years. I own 2 bait casters, both quantum energy reels and both about 12 years old. I think I paid around $80 for one and around $140 for the other (was top of the line energy model when it came out).

There are some facts to the "you get what you pay for" theory.   I can't really tell a difference between my 2 bait casters, but I can tell a difference in just holding and feel around some of the reels on the market.  Obviously if I use quantum almost exclusively, I think highly of their reels. Even some of their cheaper reels are better than some brands on the market I think.  I have a $20 ultra light quantum reel that I absolutely love to use to catch pan fish (bream as they say in the south) and trout.

The key to using a bait caster is to adjust the clutch properly for every bait you tie on. This will help minimize backlash.  Tie on your bait, hold the rod about 2 o'clock position and click the button. The bait should drop at a slow steady pace and stop when it hits the ground. If it doesn't drop, it's too tight and you wont get maximum casting distance. If it drops too fast or doesn't stop when it hits the ground, it's almost guaranteed you'll get backlash.

I use both spinning and bait casters depending on the situation (bait I'm using and the water conditions/structures).

I personally prefer the low profile designs to the round bait casters.

I have a couple silstar reels (got from Walmart) and they are great quality for the money, never had any issues. Caught at 20 lb salmon on 8lb line on it.
I've used johnson reels before with no problems.
I have a setup I got from NAFC when I became a life member that has a daiwa reel that is good.
I grew up using zebco (who owns Quantum) reels with no issues.

I had a fish shatter the gear in a shakespear reel before (bought it at going out of business sale).

A lot of it comes down to personal preference and budget.

Good luck in your decision, let us know what you decide to go with and how it works out for you.

My dad bought a combo from dicks sporting goods, its an abu-garcia silver pro with a berkley rod. it's a very nice setup and no complaints about it.

Posted By bass or bass? on 31 Mar 2011 02:40 PM
There is only one reel under $100 that I'd recommend. The BPS Extreme models. They are priced at $79.99 and are terrific reels.

Agreed. If its the same reel I believe you speaking of. It has dual breaking system (centrifugal and magnetic). Best reel under 100bucks with those features. You can just about cast this thing into the wind without using your thumb and not get a birdnest.

I had picked up a Shakespear baitcaster for 40bucks from walmart and had hell learning to cast this thing.
Went to a buddies house and picked up his Abu Revo and went to casting (no lie) twice the distance and hardly no back lashes. When it comes to baitcasters unlike spinners, sometimes you gota spend more. Just make sure you are getting what you pay for. Read reviews on bass pros site for example.

Another thing. I have been using Spinners for 15 years and always reeled with my left had. (I am right handed btw). When I got my first baitcaster I got a right handed version and had to reel with my right hand. I really felt like a fish out of water, but with a left handed version it feel natural to me. I have noticed a few pros also use left handed models as well. So I really recommend you try both out before you buy.

Cheers and happy shopping.. :-)

with a baitcaster you can place the bait where every you want to put it, with a spinning reel you open the bail and chuck it in the general direction, the baitcaster is the best, once you get good with it you will love it

When i first got a baitcaster i thought it would be really hard. it turns out that with just a little practice, they extremely easy to use

I learned how to use a bait caster with a Quantum Tenacity which was made for Dicks Sporting Goods. Now my favorite set up is a Bass Pro Shops Carbonlite reel on the carbon lite rod.